Animal Care and Welfare Manager (Government Rescue Centres)

Purpose of Role

Based in Dak Lak the Animal Care and Welfare Manager (ACWM) provides oversight and technical support to all animal care teams across Animals Asias Vietnam projects ensuring they meet or exceed the organisations standards and internal key performance indicators. While supporting every team this role has a particular responsibility for monitoring and supporting the Government Rescue Centre project including the rescue centre assistant to ensure they have the resources guidance and oversight needed and that Animals Asias strategic objectives are being met.

Working closely with the Veterinary and Behavioural Husbandry Services Director (VBHSD) Sanctuary Managers (SM) and the Captive Wildlife Manager (CWM) the ACWM also drives capacity building and continuing professional development for all animal care addition the role contributes to technical innovations and the implementation of new best-practice procedures for all animals under Animals Asias care.

The animal care staff in the government rescue centres (GRCs) are employed by the centres themselves not by Animals Asia. This means that the ACWM role does not directly supervise an established care team but instead works through advising and supporting external staff who operate with limited resources variable capacity and differing protocols. As a result responsibilities and the ability to implement changes can vary widely across the GRCs and the role requires strong collaboration and expectation management.

Key Responsibilities

• Supports and develops Animals Asias staff working within government rescue centres to ensure our strategic objectives are met. This includes fostering effective partnerships with the centres strengthening collaboration and building capacity through technical guidance learning opportunities and regular communication.
• In collaboration with other ACWMs provides technical support and oversight of all operations and activities of Animals Asias animal care staff and ensures Animals Asias animal care and welfare standards are maintained. Technical support is provided through in-person visits to analyse and assess animal care and welfare and provide learning opportunities as well as remote oversight activities such as report and record reading phone and video calls.
• Supports the VBHSD to carry out health and safety audits and reporting deliver health and safety learning opportunities ensuring protocols have health and safety considerations in place and encourage proactive health and safety reporting.
• Proactively looks for opportunities to develop the professional skills and technical expertise of the Animals Asia animal care team with a particular focus on building capacity within the Vietnamese team.
• Assists the CWM in interviewing and selecting of job applicants training overseeing work participating in disciplinary decisions and actions and establishing and evaluating appropriate performance standards in accordance with Animals Asias objectives.
• Looks for opportunities to enhance Animals Asias operations and capacity building in Vietnam through sharing behavioural technical expertise via presentations lectures seminars outreach and demonstration to a range of audiences both at the Vietnam projects and off-site.
• Actively keeps abreast of industry best practices in behavioural husbandry and where possible implements new protocols and techniques for Animals Asias Vietnam projects with help from specialists where appropriate and feasible.
• Provides feedback and advice on all protocol updates to do with behavioural husbandry animal care and welfare.
• When requested is an active contributor to the departmental strategic plan and workplan including behavioural related key performance indicators and creation of plans for other species Animals Asia may begin to work with.
• As requested provides technical sign-off and review to VBRC behavioural husbandry and management content included in Animals Asias press releases website content newsletters marketing plans promotional materials annual or periodic reports. Also represents VBHS in media and interviews when requested.

• In the absence of the VBHSD when requested one Animal Care and Welfare Manager deputises the Senior Veterinary Nurse to manage the department.

Requirements

• Skills/abilities

1. Strong people management and leadership skills and the ability to motivate and inspire staff.
2. Staff training and development.
3. Strategic planning is desirable.

• Knowledge

1. Technical expertise in behavioural husbandry animal welfare animal training and cooperative care.
2. Experience in developing SOPs demonstrating the ability to contribute to the ongoing review development and implementation of changes to improve the productivity efficacy and efficiency of a team.

• Experience

1. At least five years of hands-on experience in husbandry/behavioural management in a captive wild animal facility or similar.
2. Experience communicating with a diverse range of stakeholders including external parties and the media.
3. Working experience in people management or leadership is desirable.
4. Working with a variety of taxa preferably including primates reptiles and small carnivores.
5. Working experience in Asia preferably in Vietnam is a plus.

• Languages

1. English.
2. Vietnamese is a plus.

• Education/Qualification

1. A university degree in zoology biology conservation animal welfare animal behaviour or related field.

How to Apply

Please send a PDF version of your cover letter and CV to: or click the link:

shortlisted candidates will be notified for interviews.

To find out more:

Animals Asia values candidates with different backgrounds experiences and welcome applicants of everyethnicity age gender identity and expression sexual orientation religion national origin socioeconomic status disability or veteran status. Wearecommitted to buildingan organizationthatcreatesan inclusive environment for all.

Using AI During Interviews

Animals Asia is committed to ensuring a fair and authentic interview process. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools including but not limited to real-time transcription automated response generation or assistance in formulating interview answers is strictly prohibited during any stage of the interview process.

We will take a candidates agreement to participate in an interview with us as confirmation that they will not use AI tools in any form during the conversation. If it is discovered or reasonably suspected that AI has been used the interview will be terminated immediately and the candidate will no longer be considered for the role.

We appreciate your understanding and adherence to this policy which is in place to maintain the integrity professionalism and reliability of our recruitment procedures.

Required Experience:

Manager