Receptionist

A bit about us

Be the first friendly face for animals and people who need us most

At West Hatch Animal & Wildlife Centre, no two days are the same. From rescued wildlife to domestic animals needing care, we're a busy, fast-moving centre making a real difference every day.

We're now looking for a customer-focused, highly organised Receptionist to be the welcoming front door to our centre - someone who thrives in a varied role, enjoys helping people, and can stay calm when things get busy.

If you like the idea of a role where reception meets purpose, and where your work genuinely supports animal welfare, this could be a great fit.

Location: West Hatch Animal & Wildlife Centre, Taunton

Hours: Full time - Weds - Sunday / 35 hours

Are you ready to join our movement?

Our recruitment journey

Here's what the process looks like, no surprises, just a friendly guide:

Application

You'll be asked to answer an application question to give us a sense of your experience, skills, and potential. Don't worry if you don't tick every box - what really matters is what you can bring to the role and the team.

Panel Interview

If your application is successful, you'll be invited to a panel interview with the Hiring Manager and to have a tour of our Centre. This is a chance to:

Share more about what you've done and what you're proud of - We encourage you to ask questions about the role, the team, and the impact you could make. Interviews are a two-way conversation, and we recognise that any career move needs to feel right for you as well as for us.

Show off your skills and behaviours in a relaxed, supportive setting

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, just let us know - we're happy to support you.

What a day might look like for you

You'll be the first point of contact for visitors, callers, and emails, helping to keep the centre running smoothly and professionally.

Your day will include:

• Welcoming visitors and providing a calm, friendly front-of-house experience
• Handling incoming calls and emails, often in a busy and fast-paced environment
• Checking in animals (wildlife and domestic) and supporting intake processes
• Speaking with potential adopters and members of the public
• Supporting administrative tasks including records, data entry, and scheduling
• Creating and sending newsletters and communications
• Working closely with a passionate on-site team to keep everything running smoothly

This is a hands-on, varied role where priorities can change quickly - especially during our busy summer months. You'll be the sole receptionist, with full support from a welcoming team of around 65 across two centres

What will help you succeed in this role:

Essential:

• Experience in a customer service, reception, or front-of-house role
• Strong communication skills - confident, clear, and professional in person, on the phone, and in writing
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities
• Calm, resilient approach when working in a busy or emotionally sensitive environment
• Confident using IT systems, including Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Calendar)
• A positive, proactive attitude and willingness to get stuck in

Desirable:

• Experience with animal handling or animal care environments
• Experience in a charity, rescue, or public-facing service setting

Does this sound like a great match of your skills and experience? If so, we'd love to hear from you!

Successful candidates for certain RSPCA roles will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK - We are unable to sponsor visas at RSPCA

Final note from us & good luck with your application!

We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible

Our vision is a world where all animals are respected and treated with kindness and compassion. Our purpose is to inspire everyone to create a better world for animals. We are building the future of a diverse Society, and our priority is to support animal welfare by finding people from all backgrounds who are committed to our purpose. For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications - in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities - as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA. Your transferable skills & lived experiences could make you a valuable addition to our RSPCA Family!

We're here to support you and encourage you to let us know if you need any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Please feel free to contact us at resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk or 0300 123 0685 so we can ensure the process works for you.