The working pattern for this role in Monday - Wednesday
To facilitate the learning process by supporting staff and students in an effective learning environment.
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To provide direct support to teaching staff by maintaining and promoting lively working environment and practices
- To work with and ensure that staff and students have access to animal rooms, greenhouses, growing areas, workshops and 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 animal enclosures and be responsible for the security of enclosures, equipment and tools
- To assist with the supervision of students working on project work, work experience, marketing events or Animal Academy
- Assist in the planning of crops and flowers at the Middleton Campus
- To operate equipment such as sprayers, rotavator, seed cleaning equipment, seed counters, harvesters, irrigation equipment, pruning tools and tractors etc
- To assist in the planning of growing programmes both for sustainability and food sources
- To maintain all horticulture areas within the animal care and equine department
- To assist with the maintenance of borders and ornamental plantings at the Middleton campus
- To ensure that accurate records of plants and materials are kept
- Be flexible in supporting the sections requirements and cross college tasks
- Be responsible for stock taking and reporting stock requirements to the Animal Centre Co-ordinator
- To follow the current animal care and equine standard operating procedures
- To be responsible for the day to day care of all the animals within the animal care and equine department
- Review and develop operating systems in liaison with the Centre Director, Programme Manager and Animal Centre Coordinator
- Maintain animal food stock levels to ensure all animals have food and water available as stated in the standard operating procedures
- To assist in the planning of breeding programmes both for sustainability and food sources
- To maintain all animal areas within Animal Care and Equine to include the internal animal rooms 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
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.
How Identified: By application
Desirable Criteria
A full clean UK driving licence and your own transport with business insurance is essential along with the ability to drive the college minibus.
How Identified: By application
Experience
Essential Criteria
Experience of handling/ caring and maintaining a wide range of animals to include companion animals, livestock, equine, exotics, mammals and birds.
Experience of producing and maintaining ornamental and commercial horticultural areas to support the management of an animal collection and curriculum delivery.
How Identified: By application
Desirable Criteria
Experience of supervising groups of students completing practical work, work experience or activity sessions.
How Identified: By application
Specialist Knowledge
Essential Criteria
The daily responsibilities of an Animal Centre Technician to cover the animal and horticultural requirements.
Knowledge of current legislation including the Animal Welfare Act, Health and Safety at Work and Keeping Children Safe in Education.
How Identified: By application/ interview
Desirable Criteria
Awareness of commercial activities that can be carried out to support the delivery of the curriculum and contribute to financial savings within the department.
How Identified: By application/ interview
IT Skills
Basic Level in Microsoft applications particularly Word, Outlook and Excel. Willing to undertake training appropriate to the role.
Use of college wide specialist management information systems such as Animal Care Software, Promonitor, EBS and Its Learning.
How Identified: By application/Interview
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 College’s 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.
