The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare organisation, offering care and protection to donkeys worldwide. Our vision is a world where every donkey has a good quality of life, and our mission is to improve the lives of donkeys every day. We will achieve this by transforming the lives of donkeys in need worldwide by fostering greater understanding, collaboration and support, and by promoting lasting, mutually life-enhancing relationships. 

We have an excellent opportunity for a self-motivated, flexible and professional individual with outstanding leadership, organisational and relationship-building skills to join our dedicated Veterinary Team. As Practice Manager, you will be responsible for the effective day-to-day management of the Veterinary Department, ensuring that people, processes, and resources work seamlessly to support the delivery of high-quality clinical services to donkeys, mules and horses within our care.

About you:

• Demonstrable working knowledge of veterinary clinical service provision.
• Experience of using legislation, governance and professional standards relevant to the provision of veterinary services to equines in the UK.
• Demonstrable experience of effective budget management (including preparing, monitoring and reporting) and ability to work within financial constraints.
• Demonstrable experience of effectively leading a team.
• Able to work calmly under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• Excellent communication, report writing and interpersonal skills.
• Proven computer literacy including database utilisation, email, PowerPoint and Excel.

About the role:

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include –

• Acting as the point of contact with regards to staff, estates and facilities, fleet, security and budgetary matters and working collaboratively across the veterinary department to ensure the delivery of cost effective and high-quality veterinary services.
• Triaging veterinary service calls and laboratory results to ensure urgent cases are addressed promptly while maintaining the flow of routine procedures.
• Managing the duty and out of hours rota to ensure fair and consistent 24/7 cover for veterinary services.
• Coordinating mandatory Veterinary Medicines Directorate/RCVS veterinary medicines inspections and voluntary RCVS Tier 2 Practice Standards to ensure procedures, documentation and protocols are in place. Supporting audits and governance reviews as required.
• Directing and managing the veterinary administration team to uphold excellence in veterinary service provision, ensuring informed advice and consistent communication with external stakeholders, veterinary professionals, and paraprofessionals.
• Effectively managing the department budget alongside Head of Clinical Services (Clinical Director) and the financial business partner to ensure appropriate use of charitable spends, reporting and investigating any variances.
• Handling and approving purchase orders (including capital and overseas payments), processing invoices through procurement/EBIS, and managing stock levels and ordering for farriery supplies.
• Acting as the main point of contact for professional and security contractors including carrying out regular audits of care and standards and reporting concerns to Head of Clinical Services (Clinical Director).

What we offer in return:

Based at our fully equipped veterinary hospital at Brookfield Farm, near Honiton – this is a full-time, permanent contract starting as soon as possible, working 37.5 hours per week, 08.00-16.30, Monday-Friday.

Benefits:  

Competitive pension.

Life assurance.

31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service.

Wellbeing team.

Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.

Long service awards.

Healthshield plan –

• Reimbursement of some medical expenses up to the specified limits per membership.
• Offers, discounts and cashback on shopping, travel and entertainment from participating outlets.
• Access to a 24/7 GP and counselling service.

Free parking.

Subsidised restaurant and shop at our main site at Sidmouth.

Closing date for completed applications: Sunday 8 March 2026. 

Please note:  We reserve the right to close this vacancy before the advertised date and therefore encourage early applications.

The Donkey Sanctuary is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults), and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.

The Donkey Sanctuary also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and, for relevant posts, may request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.

Please note: The Guaranteed interview scheme is only applicable to candidates who consider themselves to have a disability applying for roles based within the United Kingdom.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: We look forward to receiving your application, but we do ask you to complete this in your own words, and not to employ an Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tool or assistant. Applications that are considered not to be an applicant’s own work may not be shortlisted for interview.