Relief Farm Worker / Groom

THE DONKEY SANCTUARY; Honiton; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Life insurance

Holiday entitlement

Wellbeing team

Pilates & Yoga

Health plan

Free parking

Staff shop & cafe

Job summary

The Donkey Sanctuary in Honiton, East Devon, is offering a 12-month fixed term contract for a Relief Farm Worker/Groom. The role covers care of resident donkeys, mules, hinnies and ponies across eight sites, with 37.5 hours per week and weekend/evening flexibility. Salary £25,350 per annum.

You will support Farm Managers, maintain safety, handle routine checks, feeding, medicating, grooming and records, and assist our vet, farrier and dentist as required. Driving licence is essential.

Qualifications

• Previous equine or animal husbandry experience.
• Good communication skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Experience of using farm machinery, specifically tractor driving.
• Physically fit for lifting 20 kg feed bags.
• Willing to undertake training as required.
• Full current UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• 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 to the Farm Manager on health, feeding regimes and land management, liaising with staff to ensure smooth farm operations.
• Operating machinery and manual tasks: mucking out, feeding, bedding, distributing hay and feedstuffs.
• Maintaining up-to-date manual records for donkeys and farming practices.
• Supporting work experience students and interacting with visitors and volunteers.

Job description

Job description

Relief Farm Worker / Groom (2331)

• Salary:£25,350 per annum
• PoscityHoniton
• PoscountryUnited Kingdom
• Area:Equine Operations
• Vacancy Type:Fixed Term Contract
• Full or Part Time?:Full Time

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 have an excellent opportunity for a proactive and flexible team player to join our busy Farms Administration department as Relief Farm Worker/Groom. Reporting to the UK Farms Office Manager and Farm Managers/Farm Supervisors, you will provide cover for staff absence, looking after the care and welfare of the resident donkeys, mules, hinnies and ponies at any of our 8 sites, and will support the Farm Manager and Farm Supervisor in maintaining a safe working environment.

About you:

• Previous equine or animal husbandry experience.
• Good communication skills.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Experience of using farm machinery, specifically tractor driving.
• Physically fit and able to, for example, a bag of feed (approx. 20 kg).
• Willing to undertake work related training as required.
• Full current valid UK 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 Farm Manager on matters such as donkey health, feeding regimes and land management, and liaising with other staff to facilitate the 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 up to date manual records for the donkeys and farming practices
• Supporting work experience students and interacting with visitors, Quality Time Volunteers and other Donkey Sanctuary departments in a friendly and positive manner.

What we offer in return:

Based at Brookfield Farm, near Honiton, in East Devon – this is a full-time, 12-month fixed term contract starting as soon as possible, working 37.5 hours per week, five days over seven. Flexibility will be required for evening and weekend work as part of the team rota.

Benefits:

• Competitive pension.
• Life assurance.
• 31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 with each full year of service.
• Wellbeing team.
• Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.
• Long service awards.
• Healthshield plan, including reimbursement of some medical expenses up to the specified limits per membership, offers, discounts and cashback on shopping, travel and entertainment from participating outlets and access to a 24/7 GP and counselling service.
• Free Parking.
• Subsidised restaurant and shop on main site.

Closing date for completed applications: Sunday 1 November 2026.

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.

The Donkey Sanctuary also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and, for relevant posts, may request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

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.

Before submitting your application, please ensure you read our candidate journey page, in particular our FAQs section – https://jobs.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/jobs/candidate-journey/