Description
Contract: Permanent, part-time (2 days a week)
Salary: £10,618 - £12,800 per annum (£26,545 - £32,000 FTE)
Location: Suffolk rehoming centre, Ipswich IP2 8NQ
Closing date: Sunday 31 August 2025
Interview date: Thursday 11 September 2025
We’re recruiting a Rehabilitation Trainer & Behaviour Advisor to join our Behaviour team based at our Suffolk rehoming centre on a part-time basis. This is a really exciting opportunity to join Blue Cross’ growing Behaviour Service.
More about the role
We are looking for a talented behaviour advisor who has a thorough understanding of reward-based training techniques, who will be working with pets in our care (be it on site, in foster, or post adoption). Working under the guidance of an Animal Behaviourist, you will be implementing and facilitating rehabilitation programmes practically, as well as advising and coaching centre teams who work with the pets in our care.
No two days will be the same – from working with an owner with a problem they are having with their pet to team training, to supporting a pet on site, to collaborating with your peers across Blue Cross – if you are looking for a dynamic role which helps people and pets and is at the forefront of animal welfare, then this might be the role for you.
This role is a part-time role working two days a week on Thursdays and Fridays. While remote working is not available, there will be occasions when you'll need to travel to other sites or take on duties outside these hours to meet the needs of the pets and people.
About you
You will be a confident, adaptable and compassionate animal handler and trainer who enjoys working with a diverse range of people and pets. With excellent communication skills and an understanding of animal behaviour, you will be skilled at teaching and demonstrating training techniques and advising our teams and pet owners on some behaviour issues. In addition, you will thrive working collaboratively with others and have a desire to improve the experience of the pets in our care.
Knowledge, skills, and experience
* Demonstrable experience of:
* Pet behaviour and training techniques, and evidence of success in understanding pet behaviour
* / training problems
* Carrying out behaviour and training programmes for dogs, across a variety of breeds and
* temperaments
* Developing training programmes and delivering to owners / caregivers that are practical and realistic for a pet owner
* Full UK driving licence
* The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values
It would also be great if you had:
* Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) standard of Animal Training Instructor (ATI) qualification or working towards
* Experience of working with multi species animals
* Experience of promoting better understanding of pet behaviour through the media, or performing other public speaking
How to apply
Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 31 August 2025. The recruitment process will consist of a competency-based interview and animal handling assessments.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.
Blue Cross benefits
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.
In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.
Our generous benefits package includes:
* Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
* Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
* Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
* Free physiotherapy advice and face to face intervention
* Health cash plan
* Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
* Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
* Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
* Life assurance
* 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
* Enhanced family friendly policies
* Recognition scheme
* Annual volunteer days
* Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers
To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.
If you’d like to learn more about Blue Cross, our mission, and the work we do to support animals and people, take a look at our About Us page