* 1st stage interview – w/c 20th April 2026
* 2nd stage discovery session – w/c 27th April 2026
Are you an experienced operational manager, who relishes a challenge, with a passion for pets and people?
We’re recruiting a Centre Manager with strong leadership, organisational and communication skills to lead our Manchester Rehoming Advice and behaviour unit.
This is an exciting time for the Manchester centre with many changes happening and the chance for a dynamic leader to bring their own experience and help shape the future of the centre, for the pets and clients we help through our site, as well as the Manchester team.
More about the role
Based in our high street location since 2018, we are perfectly placed to support our local community and surrounding areas. Our Foster-based care and Home Direct scheme ensures animals find new loving homes without the stress of kennels. This means that we do not usually have pets staying onsite overnight and our roles may not include daily pet care, but no two days are ever the same. As Centre Manager, you’ll be responsible for all aspects of the centre – pets, people, facilities, compliance and finances. Working closely with your Assistant Managers, you’ll inspire and empower your team, embed a culture of continuous improvement and ensure the highest welfare standards. This role is about leading people, bringing teams together and driving performance. We have a skilled, passionate team with great ideas – we now need someone who can take those forward, make things happen, and bring colleagues with them on the journey. There’s also real opportunity to shape the culture of the centre, including rethinking how we can best meet our goals for helping pets. The standard hours for this role are 37.5 hours per week on a locally agreed rota to include weekends and bank holidays. The standard hours are 8:30 - 5 Monday to Friday, working 1 in 3 weekends (Sat and Sun), with flexibility where there is a business need. Want to know more detail? Great! We have attached a job description which hopefully gives you everything you need.
About you
You will be an inspirational leader with a proven track record of motivating, developing and supporting people in a fast-paced environment. You’ll bring strong people management skills – able to set direction, take action and empower others to deliver improvements. Alongside your leadership strengths, you’ll bring sound knowledge of animal welfare and operational excellence from a similar environment. Confident and decisive, you’ll balance the needs of pets, people and resources to achieve outstanding results. Resilient, empathetic and emotionally intelligent, you’ll thrive on challenge and approach every situation with a positive, problem-solving mindset. Knowledge, skills, and experience
* Significant experience of successfully motivating, leading, and developing high performance teams, including setting clearly defined objectives, and managing performance in an animal welfare setting.
* Strong knowledge of animal welfare/care, ensuring operational excellence in a similar animal welfare environment.
* Experience of positively embracing and adapting to change by identifying, leading, and managing change in line with organisational objectives.
* Financially aware and numerate.
* Proven experience of working constructively and collaboratively with colleagues from different teams.
* Interpersonal and consultative skills, including the ability to communicate, present, negotiate, influence, and build credibility with colleagues and external parties.
* Experience of working in a commercial environment where the need to control costs and deliver high levels of service are important.
* The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values.
* Current full driving licence.
How to apply Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Sunday 12th April 2026. The process will include:
* First stage interview – w/c 20th April 2026
* Online Discovery Session – w/c 27th April 2026. This will include scenario-based exercises and group discussions, giving you the chance to demonstrate your leadership style and approach to change while meeting colleagues.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.
Blue Cross benefits
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today. In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are. Our generous benefits package includes:
* Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
* Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
* Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
* Health cash plan
* Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
* Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
* Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
* Life assurance
* 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
* Enhanced family friendly policies
* Recognition scheme
* Annual volunteer days
* Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers
To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website
Salary description
£28481.00 - £33118.00 per year