Foster Coordinator

Foster Coordinator

Application Deadline: 30 April 2026

Department: Rehoming & Fostering Services

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Southampton

Compensation: £24,976 - £27,643 / month

Description

Contract: Permanent, 37.5 hours per week

Salary: £24,976 - £27,643

Location: Southampton SO30 2HL

Closing date: Thursday 29th April 2026

Interview date: Tuesday 12th May 2026

We're looking for a passionate and organised pet Foster Coordinator to join our Rehoming & Fostering team in Southampton. This is a rewarding opportunity to play a vital role in helping pets find safe, loving homes while they wait for their forever families.

Our fostering service is central to our mission, supporting more pets by providing temporary homes through a dedicated network of volunteer fosterers. In this role, you'll help grow and support that network, ensuring both pets and people have the best possible experience.

More about the role

As a Foster Coordinator, you'll recruit, support, and manage a diverse network of volunteer fosterers across your local area. Working closely with the Adoptions Coordinator, you'll monitor foster capacity, match pets to suitable homes, and ensure a smooth and effective fostering journey.

You'll also build strong relationships within local communities and with partner organisations, promoting fostering opportunities and attracting new volunteers. Alongside maintaining a high-performing fostering service, you'll ensure fosterers feel valued, supported, and confident in their role.

This is a full-time position, working Monday to Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm, plus one in three weekends (with two days off in lieu during the week).

About you

You're a confident communicator with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with people from all backgrounds. You'll have experience managing or supporting volunteers, particularly in remote or community-based settings and understand how to motivate and guide them effectively.

You're collaborative, proactive, and solutions-focused, with a genuine passion for helping others succeed in their roles. You're comfortable working in a fast-paced, sometimes emotionally challenging environment, and bring resilience, empathy, and sound judgement to your work.

Knowledge, skills, and experience

• Demonstrable experience of supervision or management of volunteers.
• Experience of having worked in an animal welfare environment.
• Good experience of running and marketing recruitment campaigns for volunteer roles.
• Experience of working with local communities and promoting volunteer opportunities.
• Experience managing or supervising volunteers.
• Proven ability to plan and deliver volunteer recruitment campaigns.
• Strong interviewing and selection skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload.
• Experience managing relationships with volunteers, clients, or stakeholders.
• Background in a customer-focused environment delivering high standards of service.
• Experience supporting or implementing change initiatives.
• Excellent written, verbal, and numerical communication skills.
• Strong organisational, administrative, and analytical skills.
• Confident using computerised systems.
• Full UK driving licence.

Desirable (but not essential)

• Knowledge of animal behaviour and rescue environments.
• Understanding of relevant animal welfare legislation.
• Experience working collaboratively across teams.
• Strong influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Awareness of safeguarding principles.

Benefits

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays).
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support.
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family.
• Health cash plan.
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme.
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution.
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
• Life assurance.
• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance.
• Enhanced family friendly policies.
• Recognition scheme.
• Annual volunteer days.
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers.