Rehoming Centre Groom (1970)

The Donkey Sanctuary; Belfast; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

The Donkey Sanctuary seeks a passionate Animal Caregiver for its Belfast Centre. The successful candidate will provide essential care and rehabilitation for donkeys, ensuring their well-being while supporting the Centre Manager in farm operations. This full-time role includes competitive benefits and various development opportunities.

Benefits

Life Assurance

31 Days holiday (including Bank holidays)

Free parking

Healthshield Plan with medical reimbursements

Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes

Long Service Awards

Qualifications

• Prior experience in equine or animal husbandry is essential.
• Must have a full current valid driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Providing care, feeding, and medicating resident donkeys.
• Maintaining up-to-date records of donkey health and daily operations.
• Operating machinery and maintaining the farm.

Skills

Animal husbandry

Physical fitness

Job description

The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare organisation, offering care and protection to donkeys worldwide. Our vision is a world where every donkey has a good quality of life, and our mission is to improve the lives of donkeys every day. We will achieve this by transforming the lives of donkeys in need worldwide by fostering greater understanding, collaboration and support, and by promoting lasting, mutually life-enhancing relationships.

We are seeking a person with a passion for Donkeys to join our busy team at the Belfast Centre, Templepatrick. Possessing substantial equine and animal husbandry experience, you will provide care and rehabilitation for the resident donkeys and will support the Centre Manager in maintaining a safe working environment.

About you:

• Previous equine or animal husbandry experience.
• Physically fitness and able to lift, for example, a bag of feed (approx. 20 kg).
• Willing to work outside in adverse weather conditions.
• Willing to undertake work related training as required.
• Full current valid driving licence.

About the role:

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include –

• Providing care by routine checking, feeding, medicating, grooming, weighing, worming and training the resident donkeys, mules, ponies and hinnies and assisting the vet, farrier and dentist as required.
• Providing feedback on a daily basis to the Centre Manager on matters such as donkey health, feeding regimes and land management, and liaising with other staff to facilitate smooth running of the farm.
• Operating machinery, and/or manually, mucking out, feeding and bedding up of barns and stables and distributing hay, haylage and bagged feedstuffs.
• Maintaining the farm by sweeping, pressure washing, cleaning, field sweeping, haymaking, trimming, compost management, willow management and dirty water control.
• Maintaining up to date manual records for the donkeys and farming practices.

What we offer in return:

Based at The Belfast Centre, Templepatrick, this is a full time permanent contract starting as soon as possible, working 37.5 hours per week, 5 days over 7, with weekend work as part of a rota.

Life Assurance.

31 Days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service.

Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.

Long Service Awards.

Healthshield Plan –

• Reimbursement of some medical expenses up to the specified limits per membership.
• Offers, discounts and cashback on shopping, travel and entertainment from participating outlets.
• Access to a 24/7 GP and counselling service.

Free parking.

Closing date for completed applications: Monday 14 July 2025.

Interviews will take place on Thursday 17th July, at our Centre in Templepatrick.

The Donkey Sanctuary is a Disability Confident Employer.

The Donkey Sanctuary is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults), and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

Please note: The Guaranteed interview scheme is only applicable to candidates who consider themselves to have a disability applying for roles based within the United Kingdom.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: We look forward to receiving your application, but we do ask you to complete this in your own words, and not to employ an Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tool or assistant. Applications that are considered not to be an applicant’s own work may not be shortlisted for interview.