Role: Assistant Equine Centre Manager
Location: Shuttleworth College – Equine Centre
Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £30,915 and £41,085 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People’s Pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.
Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year
Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time
This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have the Right to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.
About the role:
We are currently seeking an Assistant Manager for our Equine Centre to join our Animal Science department at The Bedford College Group.
As an Assistant Manager, you play an important role in the success of our students through:
- Equine Centre Operations & Management - Support the day-to-day running of the equine centre, maintaining high standards of presentation, organisation, and operational efficiency as an educational resource for students.
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Horse Care, Welfare & Exercise - Deliver excellent standards of horse care and welfare, including monitoring health, coordinating veterinary support, riding horses, and implementing appropriate exercise and schooling programmes.
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Student Support & Practical Learning - Prepare horses and equipment for practical sessions, supervise students undertaking yard duties, and ensure safe, effective learning experiences that promote industry standards.
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Health, Safety & Resource Management - Maintain safe working environments across the equine centre and paddocks, oversee the safe use of equipment and machinery, and ensure accurate welfare and operational records are maintained.
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Teamwork, Customer Service & Development - Work collaboratively with staff, students, and external stakeholders, provide excellent customer service, support staff development, and maintain up-to-date industry knowledge through continuous professional development.
About you:
- Qualifications & Professional Credentials - Level 3 Horse Management qualification, BHS Level 3 Groom with Riding, GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent), with willingness to undertake further qualifications such as First Aid.
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Equine Industry Expertise - Recent equine industry experience with strong knowledge of horse care, husbandry, current industry practices, yard safety, and the ability to school, hack, and lunge a variety of horses.
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Student Support & Communication Skills - Experience working with young people in training environments, with excellent communication skills and the ability to create a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive learning environment.
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Organisation, Teamwork & Performance - Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively, prioritise workloads, meet deadlines, maintain high standards, and contribute positively to team objectives and organisational values.
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Professionalism & Safeguarding Commitment - Committed to equality, diversity, safeguarding, and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, with flexibility, continuous professional development, and willingness to travel and support operational needs.
For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.
Interviews to be held: 10 August 2026
Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisational VISION values:
- Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
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Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
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Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
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Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
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Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
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Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.
About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.
Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.
Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.
Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.
