About this role
Contract: Permanent, full time 37.5 hours per week Salary £26,042 - 30,281 per annum Location: Thirsk YO7 3SE Closing date: Thursday 26th November 2026 Interview date: 4th & 7th December 2026 We’re recruiting an Assistant Manager – On-site Services to join our Thirsk rehoming centre. Are you an experienced leader with a genuine passion for animal welfare, operational excellence, and developing great teams? As our Assistant Manager - On-site Services, you will play a central role in guiding our onsite pet care operations, holding accountability for animal welfare standards on site while creating an inspiring environment where both our people and our animals thrive.
In this pivotal operational role, you will lead, inspire, and develop our dedicated team of Pet Welfare Assistants, taking full accountability for upholding exemplary animal welfare standards across the entire site. You will oversee the day to day rhythm of onsite accommodation and care, ensuring every pet receives top tier assessment, enrichment, and medical attention to be adoption-ready without unnecessary delay. Leading by example, you won’t hesitate to roll up your sleeves when practical handling and animal care expertise are needed, actively demonstrating best-practice techniques across the team.
Beyond daily pet care, you will champion operational efficiency and continuous improvement, working hand-in-hand as a strong collaborator with our Admissions, Adoptions, and Volunteer Coordinators to streamline intake and rehoming journeys. You will act as the centre’s operational anchor, maintaining strict health and safety standards, managing onsite equipment, and deputising for the Centre Manager whenever necessary. Crucially, because our rehoming centre is the welcoming public face of Blue Cross, you will ensure outstanding, empathetic customer care is woven into every interaction with adopters, visitors, and our local community.
This is a full-time role working 37.5 hours per week on a rota which includes weekends and bank holidays. At our Thirsk rehoming centre, we provide onsite accommodation for pets in our care 24/7. Overnight shifts are usually undertaken by team members who live on site. However, as a manager you will be on a rota to carry out night checks or stay in onsite accommodation overnight when the resident team members are either not working or away for a period of time.