Animal Centres Director

The Scottish SPCA is Scotland’s leading animal welfare charity and has been protecting animals from suffering since 1839. Today, more than 90% of Scotland’s population recognise and value the work of the Society, which employs over 300 colleagues and is supported by more than 900 volunteers across the country. The charity generates annual income of approximately £20 million and is supported by almost 45,000 regular donors.

The Scottish SPCA is entering an exciting period of renewal and innovation, with a clear ambition to make Scotland the best place in the world for an animal to call home. From rescuing and rehabilitating animals to educating, campaigning and advocating for improved welfare standards, the Society plays a unique role in Scottish life.

The Opportunity

This is a newly created and strategically important leadership role at the heart of the Scottish SPCA’s mission.

As Animal Centres Director, you will provide strategic leadership for the Society’s network of animal rescue and rehabilitation centres across Scotland. You will ensure every animal in our direct care receives the highest standards of support, with adoption, fostering or release achieved wherever possible.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and operating as a key member of the senior leadership team, you will lead the development of consistent standards, systems and operating practices across our centres. You will work closely with centre managers, clinical teams, behavioural specialists and volunteers to ensure excellence in animal welfare, operational performance and customer experience.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a values-driven leader to shape the future of Scotland’s largest animal welfare charity and deliver lasting impact for animals, colleagues, volunteers and communities across Scotland.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Scottish SPCA’s animal centre network across Scotland.
• Ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality animal care, rehabilitation, adoption and release services.
• Develop and implement effective policies, procedures and systems that drive operational excellence.
• Lead efforts to maximise adoption, fostering and wildlife release outcomes while maintaining appropriate occupancy levels.
• Foster a positive, inclusive and purpose-driven culture across centres, supporting both employees and volunteers.
• Ensure strong governance, health and safety compliance, performance reporting and operational accountability.
• Promote effective collaboration between centre operations, veterinary, behavioural and wider charity teams.
• Drive innovation, continuous improvement and the sharing of best practice across the organisation.
• Contribute to the development of organisational strategy, planning and stakeholder engagement as a member of the leadership team.

Candidate Requirements

They are seeking an experienced and inspiring leader who combines strategic thinking with strong operational leadership and a passion for delivering excellent outcomes.

You may already have experience within animal welfare, rescue, rehabilitation or rehoming services. Equally, they welcome applications from leaders who have developed their careers within other complex operational environments and can demonstrate transferable leadership capability.

They are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:

• Strategic thinking and the ability to develop long-term operational plans.
• Strong commercial and business management skills, including budgeting, activity planning and performance reporting.
• An analytical and insight-led approach to decision-making.
• Experience leading multi-site operations or complex service environments.
• The ability to build engagement, accountability and shared purpose across dispersed teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to navigate complex organisational environments.
• A genuine commitment to animal welfare and the mission of the Scottish SPCA.

Why Join Scottish SPCA?

Few leadership opportunities offer the chance to make such a direct and meaningful difference.

The Scottish SPCA operates more animal rescue and rehabilitation centres than any other charity in Scotland and cares for an extraordinary range of domestic, farm and wild animals. Every year, its teams work tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome animals while influencing wider change across the animal welfare sector.

As Animal Centres Director, you will have a unique opportunity to shape services across Scotland, lead dedicated teams and help deliver the charity’s vision that, by 2032, Scotland will be the best place in the world for an animal to call home.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Scottish SPCA is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where colleagues, volunteers and supporters feel valued and respected. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity throughout our recruitment process.