Technician Equine

This role is part time working Monday - Wednesday and consists of supervising learners, supporting curriculum staff in the delivery of practical sessions off site. To facilitate the learning process by supporting staff and students in an effective learning environment.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide direct support to teaching staff by maintaining and promoting a lively working environment and practices.
• To work with and ensure that staff and students have access to equine rooms, workshops, equipment as required.
• To prepare and assist in activities ensuring all materials and equipment are prepared in readiness for practical sessions and retrieved after the activity has ceased.
• To maintain and repair specialist equine enclosures and be responsible for the security of enclosures and equipment.
• To assist with the supervision of students working on study programme activities.
• Be flexible in supporting the section's requirements and cross college tasks.
• Be responsible for ordering requisitions and storekeeping.
• To follow the current Animal Centre Standard Operating Procedures while on site and of any external partners while off site.
• To be responsible for the day to day care of horses, ponies and other equine species within the Animal Care and Equine department both on site and off site.
• Review and develop operating systems in liaison with the Centre Director, Programme Manager and Lecturing staff.
• Maintain equine food stock levels to ensure all animals have food and water available as stated in the standard operating procedures both on site and off site.
• To maintain all equine areas within Animal Care and Equine both on site and off site to include the internal workspace and external enclosures.
• Undertake Health & Safety risk assessments and ensure all working practices are compliant with industry legislation (e.g. COSHH).
• To ensure that accurate records of animals are kept and the data inputted onto computer systems and paper systems.
• Ensure continuous development and improvement of professional knowledge.
• Coordinating and delivering the commercial activities for the hire of the riding simulator to external organisations.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Qualifications

• Essential Criteria: Minimum of a Level 3 Equine Management qualification and BHS Stage 2 qualification. First Aid Qualification (ideally equine specific first aid covering riders falling from horses), or willingness to complete one within six months of employment. A full clean UK driving licence and your own transport with business insurance along with the ability to drive the college minibus.
• Desirable Criteria: A1 assessor award or willing to achieve the qualification within 12 months. Racewood riding simulator training.

Experience

• Essential Criteria: Experience of carrying out general stable duties to include tacking up for lunging, clipping and bandaging. Experience of supervising groups of learners on a working yard, during riding sessions and general stable duties.
• Desirable Criteria: Experience of delivering commercial activities linked to riding simulator hire. Experience of working in the equine industry on large working yards.

Specialist Knowledge

• Essential Criteria: The daily responsibilities of an Equine Technician/Groom. Knowledge of current legislation including the Animal Welfare Act and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Understanding of annual preventative care and weight management plans for equine.
• Desirable Criteria: Knowledge of current legislation including the Animal Welfare Act, Health and Safety at Work and Keeping Children Safe in Education.

IT Skills

• Basic Level in Microsoft applications particularly Word, Outlook and Excel. Willing to undertake training appropriate to the role.

About Hopwood Hall

STAFF BENEFITS

• Career average pension scheme.
• Free gym membership at our Middleton Campus Sports Arena.
• Purchase loans for computers and bikes.
• Staff discount at the Colleges Riverside Salon, Sports Arena and Holiday Clubs.
• On-site nursery (Rochdale Campus).
• Credit union for savings, low cost loans and life assurance.
• Free on-site parking.
• On-site Dog Kennels (spaces not guaranteed).
• An electric and hybrid car salary sacrifice scheme (with charging points on site).
• A cycle to work scheme.
• Discounted public transport tickets.
• Generous holiday entitlement (Teaching staff: 53 days, Business Support staff: 35 days (From 1st August 2026) plus bank holidays Christmas/New Year closure and the opportunity to buy additional holidays).
• Two Health and Wellbeing days per year.
• Subsidised bistro and refectory.

We are a Further Education College and University Centre offering a range of full and part time courses employing over 600 staff on our campuses in Rochdale and Middleton situated to the north-east of Manchester. We are committed to being a great place to work and have membership status of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter. We are a Living Wage employer and an accredited Disability Confident Employer. Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion statement is designed to ensure that unfair discrimination does not take place in any part of our recruitment process. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all learners and colleagues and we expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment. The college complies with Safer Recruitment guidance in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education and all successful applicants are required to undertake a DBS check and other pre-recruitment checks in line with our Safer Recruitment policy. It is an offence to apply for a regulated role at the College if you are barred from working with children (or vulnerable adults if in a role where this applies). This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and exemption orders 1975, 2013 and 2020.