Job Description

The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare organisation, offering care and protection to donkeys worldwide. Our vision is a world where every donkey has a good quality of life, and our mission is to improve the lives of donkeys every day. We will achieve this by transforming the lives of donkeys in need worldwide by fostering greater understanding, collaboration and support, and by promoting lasting, mutually life-enhancing relationships.
Could you be committed to making a difference for donkeys and the people that rely on them?
We have an excellent opportunity for a proactive and self-motivated individual with strong time management, interpersonal and collaborative skills to join our busy Visitor Services Team. As Events Coordinator, you will deliver the annual programme of signature events that demonstrate the value of donkeys, reaching new and existing supporters and engendering support and meeting return on investment and lifetime value expectations.
About you:

• A proven track record of planning, managing and delivering successful public events.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills.
• Proven organisational and planning skills, and the ability to make good decisions under pressure, plan and prioritise a number of demanding projects and deliver events within agreed budget and time scale.
• Competent IT skills (Word, Excel, Outlook) and a technical awareness regarding PA and
• sound equipment.
• A willingness and ability to carry and set up event equipment in a variety of venues.
• An interest in digital channels for event delivery.

About the role:
Your principal duties and responsibilities will include -

• Delivering the onsite signature events that support fundraising, including Memorial Day and Carols by Candlelight.
• Delivering at least one successful Junior Vet Day at Brookfield Hospital in 2025, with the aim of holding this activity on an annual basis.
• Working collaboratively across teams to deliver events that capture the essence of the Sanctuary, engender new and existing support.
• Assisting with the innovation and creation of new events that best promote why we care for our donkeys and drive commercial revenue.
• Ensuring all events comply with strict health & safety and safeguarding guidelines, keeping staff, volunteers, members of the public and any on-site donkeys safe.
• Supporting colleagues across the Sanctuary to ensure early communication of planned activity, utilising The Donkey Sanctuary's in-house planning and creation scheduling software.
• Co-ordinate bookings, logistics, budget handling and reporting, to ensure quality events are run within an agreed budget and schedule.

What we offer in return:
Based in Sidmouth, Devon - an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - this is a part-time, fixed term contract starting as soon as possible until 15 December 2025, working 15 hours per week.
This role will combine onsite and home working under our guiding principles for such roles. The working pattern and requirement for onsite attendance will be agreed between the line manager and post-holder.
Benefits:
Competitive pension.
Life assurance.
31 days holiday (including Bank holidays), rising to 34 will each full year of service.
Wellbeing team.
Recorded Pilates and Yoga classes.
Long service awards.
Healthshield plan -

• Reimbursement of some medical expenses up to the specified limits per membership.
• Offers, discounts and cashback on shopping, travel and entertainment from participating outlets.
• Access to a 24/7 GP and counselling service.

Free parking.
Subsidised restaurant and shop.
Closing date for completed applications: Sunday 13 July 2025.
The Donkey Sanctuary is a Disability Confident Employer.
The Donkey Sanctuary is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable people (children and adults), and expects all staff and volunteers to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to safer recruitment processes, including an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where required for the post.
The Donkey Sanctuary also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and, for relevant posts, may request information from applicants' previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.
Please note: The Guaranteed interview scheme is only applicable to candidates who consider themselves to have a disability applying for roles based within the United Kingdom.
NOTE TO APPLICANTS: We look forward to receiving your application, but we do ask you to complete this in your own words, and not to employ an Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tool or assistant. Applications that are considered not to be an applicant's own work may not be shortlisted for interview.