Help us shape the future of animal services at Woodside;
Great animal welfare needs great leadership.
At RSPCA Woodside, we have big ambitions for the future of our animal services – and we are looking for an exceptional leader to help us turn those ambitions into reality.
As our new Head of Animal Services, you will have the opportunity to shape how our services develop, challenge us to think differently and lead meaningful change that delivers an even greater impact for animals.
This is a pivotal role within our Senior Leadership Team, with responsibility for developing the future direction of our animal services and turning ambitious ideas into practical, evidence-based plans that improve animal welfare and increase our impact.
We need someone who can see the bigger picture. You will lead strategic development, service improvement and significant change, while helping us explore new partnerships, services, facilities and ways of working.
You will provide strong leadership to our managers and specialist teams, creating a culture where expectations are clear, people feel supported and empowered, and performance challenges are addressed constructively and confidently.
This is not primarily a day-to-day animal care management role. Our Team Leaders and specialist managers are responsible for operational delivery. Your role will be to set direction, develop their capability, hold them accountable and ensure that our people, resources and services are delivering the greatest possible welfare impact.
What you will be doing
You will:
- Develop and deliver a clear, ambitious and achievable Animal Services strategy.
- Lead complex change, service redesign and cultural improvement.
- Turn ideas and opportunities into robust business cases and deliverable plans.
- Lead major projects, including the development of services, facilities and capital programmes.
- Use data, financial information and sector insight to make informed decisions.
- Establish meaningful measures of performance, quality, welfare and impact.
- Coach and develop managers, building confidence, capability and accountability.
- Address difficult people, performance and change issues with compassion and clarity.
- Build influential relationships with partners, funders, professional advisers and other animal welfare organisations.
- Identify sustainable commercial, partnership and income opportunities that support – and never compromise – animal welfare.
About you
You will be an experienced senior leader who can demonstrate that you have successfully developed strategy, led people through change and delivered measurable improvements.
You will bring:
- Strong and credible people leadership.
- Experience of leading complex organisational or cultural change.
- The ability to develop strategy and translate it into practical delivery.
- Excellent commercial and business judgement.
- Strong project, financial and analytical skills.
- The confidence to challenge established ways of working.
- Experience of coaching managers and managing difficult performance issues.
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
- The ability to balance ambition with affordability, risk and organisational capacity.
Experience or professional knowledge of animal care, welfare, veterinary services, behaviour or rehoming would be valuable. However, this role requires much more than technical animal care knowledge. Your ability to lead people, manage change, think strategically and develop sustainable services will be essential.
Above all, you will share our commitment to improving the lives of animals and be able to bring people with you as we shape the next chapter of Woodside’s development.
If you are an ambitious, compassionate and commercially minded leader who can turn strategy into action, we would love to hear from you.
Questions for applicants
As part of your application, please answer the following three questions.
We are interested in your personal experience and honest reflections, so please use specific examples rather than giving us a textbook answer.
1. Leadership and performance
Tell us about a time when you inherited or led a team or service where performance, culture or accountability was not where it needed to be. What did you personally do, how did you handle resistance or difficult conversations, and what measurable difference did your leadership make?
2. Strategy and change
Describe one significant service transformation, redesign or strategic development that you have personally led. What problem were you trying to solve, how did you decide what needed to change, and what did you learn when things did not go entirely to plan?
3. Your leadership soundtrack
If your leadership career had a soundtrack, which one song would be on it and why? Tell us what the song says about you as a leader – and share a particular moment from your career when it would have been the perfect track.
Recruitment timetable
Applications open: Friday 4 September 2026
Closing date: 9am, Monday 28 September 2026
Informal virtual interviews: Friday 2 and Monday 5 October 2026 (20 minutes)
Face-to-face interviews and assessments: Wednesday 14 October 2026
Pay: £42,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Store discount
Work Location: In person
