At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a network of volunteers to help pets find loving homes.
- Company: Join a passionate team dedicated to animal welfare in Southampton.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous holiday, health support, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for personal growth and community engagement.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of pets and their foster families.
- Qualifications: Experience managing volunteers and a passion for animal welfare.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
We are looking for a passionate and organised pet Foster Coordinator to join our Rehoming & Fostering team in Southampton. This is a rewarding opportunity to play a vital role in helping pets find safe, loving homes while they wait for their forever families. Our fostering service is central to our mission, supporting more pets by providing temporary homes through a dedicated network of volunteer fosterers. In this role, you’ll help grow and support that network, ensuring both pets and people have the best possible experience.
Responsibilities
- Recruit, support, and manage a diverse network of volunteer fosterers across your local area.
- Monitor foster capacity, match pets to suitable homes, and ensure a smooth and effective fostering journey.
- Build strong relationships within local communities and with partner organisations, promoting fostering opportunities and attracting new volunteers.
- Maintain a high-performing fostering service, ensuring fosterers feel valued, supported, and confident in their role.
This is a full‑time position, working Monday to Friday, 8:30am‑5:00pm, plus one in three weekends (with two days off in lieu during the week).
You are a confident communicator with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with people from all backgrounds. You’ll have experience managing or supporting volunteers, particularly in remote or community‑based settings, and understand how to motivate and guide them effectively. You’re collaborative, proactive, and solutions‑focused, with a genuine passion for helping others succeed in their roles. You’re comfortable working in a fast‑paced, sometimes emotionally challenging environment, and bring resilience, empathy, and sound judgement to your work.
Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience
- Demonstrable experience of supervision or management of volunteers.
- Experience of having worked in an animal welfare environment.
- Good experience of running and marketing recruitment campaigns for volunteer roles.
- Experience of working with local communities and promoting volunteer opportunities.
- Good interviewing and recruitment skills.
- Experience of working to a high level with minimal supervision.
- Able to prioritise and manage a busy work schedule dealing with complex issues whilst ensuring timely delivery or resolution of issues.
- Good experience of actively managing a bank of clients, volunteers or stakeholders.
- Previous experience in working in a client‑focused environment where delivering a high level of customer satisfaction is the norm.
- Championing change initiatives, influencing and leading colleagues to embrace the changes.
- Excellent written and verbal communication and numerical skills.
- Strong organisational, administration and analytical skills, including use of computerised systems.
- Current full driving licence.
- The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values.
Desirable (but not essential)
- Knowledge of animal behaviour and rescue environments.
- Understanding of relevant animal welfare legislation.
- Experience working collaboratively across teams.
- Strong influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Awareness of safeguarding principles.
Benefits
- 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.
- 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.
Pet Foster Network Lead — Find Homes, Support Volunteers in Hedge End employer: Blue Cross
Join our dedicated team in Southampton as a Pet Foster Network Lead, where you will play a crucial role in connecting pets with loving homes while supporting a passionate network of volunteers. We pride ourselves on a supportive work culture that values employee wellbeing, offering generous holiday allowances, professional development opportunities, and a range of health benefits to ensure you thrive both personally and professionally. With a focus on community engagement and animal welfare, this position provides a meaningful opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of pets and their future families.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Pet Foster Network Lead — Find Homes, Support Volunteers in Hedge End
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with local animal welfare groups, community centres, and even social media platforms. The more people you know, the better your chances of finding that perfect fit for the Foster Coordinator role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your passion! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers or during interviews, let your love for animals and fostering shine through. Share personal stories or experiences that highlight your commitment to helping pets find homes.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those tricky questions! Think about how you'd handle various scenarios in fostering and volunteer management. Practising your responses will help you feel more confident and ready to impress during interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our mission to support pets and their fosterers.
We think you need these skills to ace Pet Foster Network Lead — Find Homes, Support Volunteers in Hedge End
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your love for animals and fostering shine through. We want to see your genuine enthusiasm for helping pets find their forever homes and supporting volunteers in the process.
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight any relevant experience you have with managing or supporting volunteers, especially in animal welfare. We’re looking for specific examples that demonstrate your skills and how they relate to the role.
Be Organised:Since this role involves juggling multiple tasks, show us your organisational skills in your application. Use clear headings, bullet points, and a tidy layout to make it easy for us to read and understand your qualifications.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this rewarding opportunity to make a difference in the lives of pets and volunteers.
How to prepare for a job interview at Blue Cross
✨Know Your Stuff About Fostering
Before the interview, brush up on your knowledge of fostering and animal welfare. Understand the challenges pets face in finding homes and how a strong foster network can make a difference. This will show your passion and commitment to the role.
✨Showcase Your People Skills
As a Foster Coordinator, you'll be working with volunteers and communities. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed or supported volunteers in the past. Highlight your communication skills and ability to build relationships, as these are key to the role.
✨Demonstrate Your Organisational Skills
Be ready to discuss how you prioritise tasks and manage a busy schedule. Share specific instances where you've dealt with complex issues while ensuring timely resolutions. This will illustrate your ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
✨Emphasise Your Community Engagement Experience
Talk about your experience working with local communities and promoting volunteer opportunities. Mention any successful recruitment campaigns you've run, as this aligns perfectly with the responsibilities of the role and shows your proactive approach.
