Role: Associate – Equine Groom (Weekends and Holidays Only)
Location: Shuttleworth College – Equine Centre
Salary/Benefits: Salary is £12.71 per hour
Hours/Weeks: 21 to 35 hours per week during holiday times only with 7 hours on a Sunday
Contract Type: Sessional – Hourly Paid
This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.
About the role:
We are currently seeking an Associate Equine Groom to join our Animal Sciences department at The Bedford College Group.
As an Associate, you play an important role in the success of our students through:
1. Equine Unit Operations & Horse Care – Support the day‑to‑day running of the Equine Unit, carrying out routine horse care including feeding, grooming, mucking out, turnout and maintaining high standards of welfare.
2. Horse Exercise & Practical Skills – Exercise horses as directed, including schooling, hacking and lunging, ensuring safe and effective handling in line with best practice.
3. Health, Safety & Welfare Compliance – Promote and maintain high standards of health, safety and animal welfare, supporting veterinary care and ensuring work areas are safe, clean and compliant.
4. Maintenance, Records & Inspections – Maintain facilities and equipment, transport materials as needed, complete accurate records, and support inspection and licensing requirements.
5. Teamwork, Communication & College Contribution – Work collaboratively with staff, attend meetings, participate in college events, and uphold safeguarding, EDI, health & safety and training responsibilities.
About you:
6. Qualifications & Equine Expertise – Level 2 Horse Care qualification (or working towards) with GCSE English and maths, supported by current vocational experience across a range of equine settings.
7. Horse Care, Riding & Welfare – Skilled in caring for and working with a variety of horses, including riding, with a strong commitment to maintaining high standards of animal welfare.
8. Communication, Records & Professional Practice – Confident communicator able to maintain accurate records for inspection, represent the College professionally and work effectively with diverse individuals.
9. Teamwork, Reliability & Contribution – Reliable, punctual and flexible team player, able to contribute positively, respect others’ expertise and support high‑performing working environments.
10. Professional Values, Flexibility & Mobility – Committed to equality, safeguarding and College standards, flexible to work weekends and across sites, with a full driving licence and access to a vehicle.
What is an Associate?
Associates work on a short-term basis as assigned. They teach or provide support services, and they work with and are supported by core staff. As an Associate you will be issued with an Associate Agreement, under this Agreement period you will be eligible to work on assignments offered to you.
For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.
Interviews to be held: TBC
Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:
11. Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
12. Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
13. Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
14. Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
15. Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
16. Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.
About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.
Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.
Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.
Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.