Job Purpose
To ensure the highest standards of bird welfare are maintained throughout all stages of the production process, from arrival at site through to slaughter, in accordance with company procedures, customer requirements, industry best practice, and relevant legislation.
The Bird Welfare Officer will be responsible for monitoring bird welfare, assessing welfare performance data, supporting compliance with welfare regulations, and driving continuous improvement initiatives across farms, transport, and production operations. The role is critical in maintaining legal compliance, supporting customer and regulatory audits, and promoting a culture of animal welfare excellence throughout the business.
Key Responsibilities
Bird Welfare Monitoring
- Monitor bird welfare throughout unloading, lairage, handling, stunning, and slaughter operations.
- Conduct routine welfare inspections and observations across all production areas.
- Ensure birds are handled in a manner that minimises stress, injury, and suffering.
- Monitor environmental conditions within lairage areas and report any concerns.
- Verify the effectiveness of stunning processes and ensure welfare standards are maintained at all times.
- Identify, investigate, and report welfare concerns immediately.
- Ensure corrective actions are implemented where welfare standards fall below required levels.
- Liaise with Production Management to ensure welfare standards are maintained throughout operational activities.
Farm Welfare Feedback
- Monitor welfare outcomes and identify trends relating to specific farms, flocks, or production systems.
- Review welfare data including Dead on Arrival (DOA), injury rates, condemnations, bruising, and handling-related welfare indicators.
- Provide regular welfare feedback reports to Farm Managers, Area Managers, and Senior Management.
- Support investigations into welfare concerns linked to farm management practices.
- Work collaboratively with Farm Teams to identify opportunities for continuous welfare improvement.
- Participate in welfare reviews and performance meetings where required.
Transport Welfare Monitoring
- Monitor bird welfare during arrival, unloading, and lairage processes.
- Assess transport conditions including stocking densities, journey times, crate conditions, ventilation, and bird condition upon arrival.
- Record and report transport-related welfare concerns.
- Escalate concerns regarding transport practices that may negatively impact bird welfare.
- Work closely with Transport Managers and Haulage Providers to improve welfare performance.
- Analyse transport welfare trends and recommend corrective actions.
Compliance & Legislation
- Ensure compliance with:
- Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing Regulations (WATOK)
- Animal Welfare Act
- Food Standards Agency requirements
- Customer welfare standards and codes of practice
- Company welfare policies and procedures
- Maintain awareness of legislative and industry developments relating to animal welfare.
- Support the Official Veterinarian (OV), auditors, and regulatory authorities during inspections and assessments.
- Ensure all welfare monitoring activities are completed in accordance with legal and company requirements.
Welfare Reporting & Data Analysis
- Complete welfare monitoring records accurately and in a timely manner.
- Produce weekly and monthly welfare reports highlighting key trends and performance indicators.
- Monitor and analyse:
- Dead on Arrival (DOA) rates
- Injured bird percentages
- Bruising levels
- Welfare-related condemnations
- Stunning effectiveness
- Welfare non-conformances
- Investigate welfare incidents and support root cause analysis.
- Identify recurring issues and recommend practical solutions to improve welfare outcomes across the supply chain.
Training & Welfare Awareness
- Support the training and coaching of production operatives in bird welfare practices.
- Deliver welfare briefings and toolbox talks as required.
- Promote a positive welfare culture throughout the site.
- Provide guidance to supervisors and managers on welfare standards and expectations.
- Support the development and implementation of welfare-related Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Audits & Customer Requirements
- Support customer, retailer, regulatory, and third-party audits.
- Ensure welfare records and documentation are maintained and audit-ready.
- Assist in the implementation of welfare improvement initiatives arising from audits or inspections.
- Participate in welfare reviews and continuous improvement projects.
- Support compliance with retailer welfare requirements and industry assurance standards.
Continuous Improvement
- Identify opportunities to improve bird welfare standards and operational practices.
- Monitor welfare performance trends and provide recommendations for improvement.
- Work collaboratively with Production, Technical, Engineering, Transport, and Farm Teams to drive welfare improvements.
- Assist with welfare benchmarking against customer, industry, and legislative standards.
- Contribute to achieving company welfare objectives and continuous improvement targets.
Authority
The Bird Welfare Officer has the authority to:
- Stop any activity that presents an immediate risk to bird welfare.
- Escalate welfare concerns directly to Site Management, QHSE Management, Area Managers, or the Official Veterinarian where appropriate.
- Recommend corrective actions and welfare improvement initiatives across Farms, Transport, and Production operations.
Skills & Experience
Essential
- Strong commitment to animal welfare and ethical food production.
- Excellent observational, analytical, and reporting skills.
- Ability to challenge poor practices and drive compliance.
- Strong communication and influencing skills.
- Good organisational and record-keeping abilities.
- Competent IT skills including Microsoft Office applications.
- Ability to work independently and make informed decisions.
Desirable
- Previous experience within poultry processing, farming, livestock production, or food manufacturing.
- Poultry Welfare Officer qualification or equivalent animal welfare training.
- Knowledge of WATOK regulations and welfare legislation.
- Experience supporting customer, retailer, and regulatory audits.
- Understanding of poultry production systems and welfare performance indicators.
Personal Attributes
- Passionate about animal welfare.
- High attention to detail.
- Professional and confident communicator.
- Calm and decisive under pressure.
- Strong integrity and accountability.
- Proactive and solution-focused.
- Excellent relationship-building skills.
- Committed to continuous improvement.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Compliance with welfare legislation and company standards.
- Welfare audit and inspection outcomes.
- Dead on Arrival (DOA) performance.
- Stunning effectiveness results.
- Welfare-related condemnation trends.
- Completion of welfare monitoring checks and reports.
- Closure of welfare corrective actions.
- Customer and retailer welfare audit scores.
- Continuous improvement initiatives implemented.
- Reduction in welfare-related non-conformances.
Company Values
The Bird Welfare Officer is expected to actively promote and demonstrate the company's values by:
- Prioritising animal welfare in all decisions and actions.
- Supporting legal compliance and ethical production practices.
- Maintaining professionalism, integrity, and accountability.
- Working collaboratively across departments.
- Driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.
- Promoting a culture where bird welfare is everyone's responsibility.
#IND-RE-OS-26
Pay: From £14.66 per hour
Work Location: In person
