Contract: Fixed-term maternity cover, 35 hours over 5 days Location: Shilton Road, Burford (Hybrid role: 2 days in the office, 3 days remote) Closing Date: Wednesday 20 November 2024 Start Date: As soon as possible At Blue Cross, we are passionate about providing exceptional care for animals, and we’re looking for a Support Services Manager to join our dedicated Veterinary Support team on a fixed-term maternity cover contract, until the end of November 2025. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in a service that truly makes a difference to pets and the people who love them during difficult times. More about the role Since its launch in 2023, the Blue Cross Veterinary Care Fund has been a lifeline for many pet owners struggling with the costs of veterinary care, especially during the current cost-of-living crisis. The Veterinary Support team plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating this essential service, ensuring that Blue Cross continues to provide high-quality support for those who need it most. As our Support Services Manager, Veterinary (internally this role is known as Veterinary Support Manager) you will be leading the Veterinary Support team, ensuring the continued success of the Veterinary Care Fund and maintaining our high standards of customer service. You will help shape the development and delivery of our services, making a real impact on both the team and the pets we care for by overseeing veterinary support processes, systems and development opportunities which streamline workflows, increase efficiency and allow for scalability in the team. A Glimpse into Your Role: Lead and support the Veterinary Support team, fostering a positive and collaborative working environment. Ensure compliance with Blue Cross policies and procedures across the team and our services. Develop and improve processes and systems within the team, ensuring tools are fit for purpose, enhance team efficiencies and allow for expansion of key initiatives within the Veterinary Support team. Oversee the management of the vet care fund and pet care clinic helpdesks, ensuring excellent service standards. Handle service administration, ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of all related tasks. Regularly review and update Veterinary Support policies and procedures to maintain best practice. Collaborate with other teams to develop and deliver client training, raising awareness of our services. Monitor clinic and grant income/expenditure, ensuring financial accuracy. Ensure the timely processing of purchase orders and invoices. Contribute to the development of the Veterinary Support strategy and help manage the team’s budget. Oversee the client registration process for our four animal hospitals. Assist with recruiting partner practices and managing relationships with them. Manage client complaints, ensuring they are addressed swiftly and fairly. Work alongside volunteer teams to enhance support and delivery of services. Implement and manage an annual audit process for partner practices. Collaborate with other departments on cross-functional projects, helping to shape Blue Cross’s wider strategy. About you: This role can be both high-pressure and emotionally charged due to the nature of the work we do and the challenges our clients face. As such, we are looking for someone who remains calm under pressure, handles emotionally intense situations with empathy, and has the ability to manage complex, sometimes urgent, issues in a fast-paced environment. You’ll need strong organisational, administrative, and leadership skills, with an ability to prioritise tasks and manage multiple responsibilities while meeting deadlines. Your ability to communicate effectively will be essential in building relationships with stakeholders and leading your team with confidence and compassion. We’re looking for someone with a proven track record in team management, and a focus on process improvement. Client-facing experience, especially in a highly responsive or emotionally sensitive environment, will stand you in good stead. A genuine passion for animal welfare is highly valued, and your ability to inspire and support your team to deliver consistently high service standards will be key. Above all, you should feel comfortable and capable of navigating a challenging and emotionally demanding environment while maintaining focus and delivering results. Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience Experience working across multiple business functions, including operations, finance, and marketing. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Word). Experience in a client-focused and/or administrative environment. Demonstrable experience of reviewing processes and systems. Demonstrable experience in line management Experience of managing budgets Experience of working with a range of individuals at all levels of the organisation Understanding and application of Blue Cross values. Desirable Qualifications, Skills, and Experience Experience within the charity and/or animal welfare sector. Experience of supervising volunteers. Experience of process mapping and improvements Please note: This is a hybrid role, with 2 days per week based in our office in Burford, OX18 4PF, and 3 days working remotely. As the role requires time in the office, we are unable to consider applications for fully remote working. While public transport to our office is limited, we have plenty of free on-site parking, and we recommend commuting by car for your convenience. How to apply Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Wednesday 20 November 2024. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response. What happens next We will be in contact as soon as possible after the closing date with the outcome of your application. If you are shortlisted, we will arrange an interview for either 25th November or 2nd December 2024. Blue Cross benefits Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it weren’t for their amazing efforts and commitment, we wouldn’t be able to make the difference that we do today. In return, we want to provide you with the best working environment we can. With a wide range of perks aimed at enhancing your life both inside and outside of work, you'll thrive in a supportive and rewarding environment. Our generous benefits package includes: 38 days per year, increasing to 43 with service (including bank holidays). For part-time roles and fixed term contracts, holiday entitlement is calculated pro-rata. Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution Life assurance Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support Free access to GP via MetLife Recognition scheme Annual volunteer days Claim for professional fees Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers. We want you to feel valued and supported throughout your career with us. For more details on our benefits and to see how we invest in our team, visit the 'why work for us' page on our website. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion We believe that every pet should enjoy a healthy life in a happy home, and we always seek to recruit the best people who share our values and commitment so we can continue to help and support pet owners across the UK to achieve this. At Blue Cross, we want you to feel that you belong, without the need to hide any part of who you are. Diversity and inclusion at Blue Cross means creating a workplace where all people, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, nation or country of origin, disability, age, and socioeconomic backgrounds are welcome, respected, supported, and have access to equal opportunities. We are working hard to reflect the world we live in and the communities we serve at every level of our organisation. As much as we have made positive advances, we consider diversity and inclusion to be a work in progress – a continual commitment that remains a priority for all of us. If you would like to talk to us about any reasonable adjustments or changes to our recruitment process to support you to be your best, then please do get in touch. Our values Our values define the way we do things. We use them every day to guide us, and to make sure we put people and pets at the heart of everything we do. Compassionate: We listen, we are non-judgmental, we are kind and caring to the pets and people we encounter, and we offer support in difficult times Courageous: We make brave decisions, embrace change, and encourage innovation, ensuring we always act with integrity – doing the right thing even when no one is looking Inclusive: We value all our relationships and work in an open and positive culture where we celebrate our diverse talents and empower you to be you