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 a great opportunity for a proactive and flexible team player to join our busy Estates and Facilities team as a Site Support Worker. You will provide support to the Sidmouth site, in areas such as the grounds, gardens, tracks, willows, hedges, and memorial trees. Office based support and movements. Preparation and dismantling for special events and volunteer experience days. Engaging with the public and visitors to the charity to enhance their visitor experience.

About you:

•    Able to demonstrate previous site support experience, including basic maintenance tasks and garden maintenance.
•    Experience of operating gardening machinery.
•    Experience of setting up equipment, organising and preparing for large onsite events.
•    A practical and safe working knowledge of Health and Safety, in particular, manual handling principles.
•   Able to demonstrate excellent customer service experience, which includes dealing with enquiries and complaints from the public.
•    UK full valid driving licence.

About the role:

Your principal duties and responsibilities will include –

•    Grass cutting, weeding and strimming; hedging, planting, Stewardship schemes, woodland management and maintaining memorial trees.
•    Carrying out maintenance tasks which includes painting, the upkeep of benches and memorial plaques.
•    Assist contracted company with the locating and cleaning of foul water drains and septic tanks.
•   Maintaining the recycling areas including recycling of paper, cardboard, plastics, metal, stone, soil and garden brush waste.
•    Regularly assist internal departments in loading and unloading stock, transporting equipment and furniture.
•   Assist with preparation and dismantling before and after special events such as Candlelight, Donkey Week, Memorial Day.
•    Support Conservation and volunteer events.
•   Whilst undertaking daily work, positively engage with visitors and members of the public by providing appropriate and accurate information to enhance their visitor experience whilst at The Donkey Sanctuary.
•   Maintain a safe working environment by risk assessing daily activities and following Health and Safety regulations and communicate this positively to visitors to minimise risk of accident and injury.

What we offer in return:

Based in Sidmouth, Devon – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – this is a full-time, permanent contract starting as soon as possible, working 35 hours per week, 08.30-16.30, 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.

Closing date for completed applications: Tuesday 22 September 2026.

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.

Before submitting your application, please ensure you read our candidate journey page, in particular our FAQs section – https://jobs.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/jobs/candidate-journey/