Head of People and Organisational Services

Join Bristol Animal Rescue Centre as our new Head of People and Organisational Services and play a vital role in shaping the future of animal welfare in Bristol and beyond.

Head of People and Organisational Services
Location: Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, 48-50 Albert Road, St Philips, Bristol BS2 0XA occasional home-working may be possible subject to business requirements
Contract: Permanent
ours per week: Part time, 28 hours per week (out of 35 hours FTE). To be worked usually within the hours of 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday with consideration of team requirements. Flexibility in hours required on occasion (e.g. trustee s meetings 6/pa usually in evening and occasional staff and volunteer meetings outside of standard hours).
Salary: £46k £50k per annum, pro rata depending on experience (£36,800 £40k actual for 28 hour per week)

About Us:

Our mission is to ensure that animals in need within our community receive the compassion, care and respect they deserve. We are committed to helping, healing and homing animals for as long as they need us.

About the role:

The Head of People and Organisational Services is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering the organisation s people strategy, volunteer programme, and core organisational services. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and working closely with Trustees and senior colleagues, the post holder ensures that the organisation has the right people, structures, systems and culture in place to deliver its mission effectively.

The role provides strategic and operational leadership across HR, volunteering, administration, customer service, safeguarding, data protection and compliance. Leading a multidisciplinary team, the post holder drives high standards of people management, employee wellbeing, volunteer engagement and organisational effectiveness, while ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements.

As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Head of People and Organisational Services contributes to organisational strategy, oversees departmental budgets, manages risk, and supports strong governance and stakeholder relationships. The role plays a critical part in fostering a positive, inclusive and values-led culture, aligned with a strong commitment to animal welfare and making a meaningful impact.

About you

• You are an experienced senior leader who enjoys working at a strategic level while staying connected to what s happening on the ground.
• You are a confident, supportive and motivating manager who brings out the best in others and builds strong, engaged teams.
• You have a strong grounding in HR and are comfortable dealing with everything from day-to-day people issues to complex employee relations and organisational change.
• You are highly organised and adaptable, able to juggle multiple priorities across HR, volunteering, administration and customer service.
• You have a good head for compliance and governance, and you take pride in making sure organisations operate safely, fairly and within the law.
• You are comfortable working with trustees, senior leaders and external advisers, and can communicate clearly, professionally and with influence.
• You are data-informed and analytical, using insight to improve decision-making and organisational performance.
• You are innovative and forward-thinking, always looking for better ways to support people, volunteers and the wider organisation.
• You care deeply about wellbeing, inclusion and positive workplace culture, and you want people to feel valued and supported.
• You are a natural relationship-builder who works collaboratively across teams and with partners.
• You are committed to learning and professional development, keeping your skills and knowledge up to date.

Application deadline: Midnight on 1 February 2026

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

Bristol Animal Rescue Centre and Bristol A.R.C. are the working names for RSPCA Bristol & District Branch (a charity registered in England & Wales 205858) and the linked charity the Bristol Dogs and Cats Home (a charity registered in England & Wales 205858-1)

No agencies please.