$55,000 - $62,000 plus 10.5% superannuation
- A key role in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme
- Focused on the planning and administration of farm assessments, and the certification of higher welfare products.
- Full-time, Canberra-based role in exceptional office team and Assessor colleagues based Australia-wide.
The Role
The Certification Assistant, as part of a team, coordinates and supports Assessors and the conduct of assessments of Producers participating in the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme. The role ensures effective day-to-day operation of the RSPCA Certification Body and supports the development of its quality processes towards delivering best-practice internationally recognised higher welfare certification.
While the role is office-based in Canberra, it involves maintaining frequent contact with our team of Assessors, and with Producers who want to make sure their products have the RSPCA Approved certification. Certification Assistants participate in training and professional development that involves visiting farms and working with Assessors several times each year to understand different species, farming processes and how they are assessed.
Additionally, the role provides an opportunity to participate in the strategic development of farm animal welfare in Australia by providing certification support as the RSPCA further develops its animal welfare standards in the coming years.
The Person
To be successful in this role, this team member will need to be quite exceptional. As well as being passionate about and having a strong understanding of farming and the welfare of farmed animals, the successful applicant will also need to be a meticulous and detail-focused evaluator of assessment evidence and reports and effective communicator to engage with farmers on the assessment findings. You will need to be the type of person who can follow detailed quality standards accurately, assess evidence with insight and produce written reports of a high standard.
In addition, you will need to be able to juggle a number of assessment activities at the same time, working closely with the assessors and producers from around Australia to meet demanding timescales. Your management of priorities in terms of reviewing documents and providing support to people in the field will need to be exceptional.
Personally, we need the sort of person who can demonstrate a track record of invariably meeting deadlines, accurate processing, communicating respectfully with clients and who loves working with others in a committed team.
While a degree qualification is not necessarily required, the written communication and data management skills demanded in this role are at a tertiary level. A relevant degree might provide evidence of this, as would years of relevant experience.
About RSPCA Australia
The national office of the RSPCA, where this role is located, is based in Deakin, Canberra. It provides a focus for all the State and Territory RSPCA organisations in the more strategic areas of influence on animal welfare – particularly in working with the Federal Government and other national organisations or companies that rely on RSPCA Approved certification.
The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme is Australia’s leading farm animal welfare certification program. We work closely with farmers to make a positive impact on the lives of farm animals by providing an environment that meets their needs. Millions of hens, pigs, chickens, turkeys and salmon benefit each year from better farm conditions as a result of the work we do.
The RSPCA Australia Certification Body is responsible for assessment and certification activities for each of the Scheme’s programs that includes conducting over 1000 assessments each year in all parts of the country.
The Scheme, and the Certification Body receive, generate, process, analyse and report on a significant volume of information for each program and facilitate discussion and decision making based on this information. The operation of our certification systems is an essential part of our success.
Benefits of Working with RSPCA Australia
As you might expect, RSPCA is an organisation of people committed to animal welfare and this flows through into the type of workplace we all work hard to create – one that is supportive, challenging and friendly – and one driven by strong values of fairness and inclusion.
Having a work environment in which everyone is included, looked after, treated fairly and with respect (including, for example, access to an EAP Service) is of high priority for everyone at RSPCA Australia.
The RSPCA Approved team is also committed to professional development and part of the role will be ongoing training tailored to the individual so they can flourish within their role now and in the future.
And of course, we have dogs in the office.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted via email to recruitment@rspca.org.au with 'Confidential – Certification Assistant' in the subject line.
To apply, send us your detailed Resume and up to date Contact Details, but to make it easier for us, include a Covering Letter or some other document that gives us more specific information about the following:
- The extent of your experience in working with Quality systems or similar regulated standards activities.
- Any training or experience you have in processing, organising and reporting on client-facing processes or databases.
- What is attracting you to apply for this role with the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme.
If you are short-listed for an interview – either face to face or by telephone – we will ask you for the best referees you have that are available and able to describe you at work.
Further Information
You don’t need to talk to the Contact Officer to apply for this role, but if you have specific questions that are not covered by the information above, call Rick Butler on our general office number or send an email to recruitment@rspca.org.au
For further information regarding RSPCA Australia go to www.rspca.org.au, and for further information on the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme go to www.rspcaapproved.org.au
Applications close on Wednesday 12th April (COB)