Wildlife Practice Manager

About RSPCA Queensland

For nearly 140 years, RSPCA Queensland has been a leading animal welfare charity, dedicated to improving the lives of animals – whether domestic, farmed, or native. We care for over 42,000 animals annually, relying on the generosity of animal lovers like you to fund 91% of our life-changing services.

Our Purpose: We exist for animals to live better lives.

About the Role

At RSPCA Queensland, every animal that comes through our wildlife service has a story. As our Wildlife Practice Manager, you’ll play a critical role in shaping what happens next.

This is a unique leadership opportunity overseeing the day-to-day operations of our Wildlife Hospital nursing team, Eumundi Rehabilitation Centre, wildlife triage, reception function and dedicated volunteer workforce. You’ll lead a passionate and highly skilled team responsible for caring for thousands of native animals each year, while helping drive the next chapter of our wildlife service through improved pathways, processes and patient outcomes.

Working closely with veterinarians, operational leaders and our Wildlife Transformation Manager, you’ll play a key role in informing, shaping and implementing the strategic direction of our wildlife service. You’ll help redesign and strengthen wildlife triage and intake pathways, ensuring animals receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. By translating strategic priorities into operational practice, you’ll drive service improvements, champion continuous improvement, foster a positive and accountable team culture, and help ensure our wildlife services remain sustainable, effective and focused on delivering the best possible welfare outcomes.

This is an opportunity to combine your veterinary nursing expertise, leadership capability and passion for wildlife into a role that delivers meaningful impact every single day.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an experienced people leader who knows how to balance exceptional animal care with the realities of running a busy and complex operation.

You’ll have experience leading veterinary nursing, animal care, healthcare or similarly hands-on teams and be confident managing the day-to-day demands of a high-volume environment where priorities can shift quickly. You’re someone who enjoys bringing structure to complexity, improving systems and processes, and finding practical solutions that help teams work more effectively.

You’ll be a strong and approachable leader who knows how to build trust, set clear expectations and create accountability, while also supporting and developing the people around you. You’re comfortable having difficult conversations when needed, coaching performance, navigating change and fostering a positive team culture, even in emotionally demanding environments.

Beyond operational leadership, you’ll enjoy contributing to strategic direction and translating strategy into action. You’ll be comfortable providing operational insight to inform decision-making, implementing strategic initiatives and driving continuous improvement that delivers sustainable outcomes for both the team and the wildlife service.

Most importantly, you’ll be someone who genuinely cares about animal welfare and is motivated by the opportunity to lead a passionate team that makes a meaningful difference to the lives of wildlife every day.

What You’ll Do

In this role, you will:

• Lead and support the Wildlife Hospital nursing team, Eumundi Rehabilitation Centre team, wildlife triage and reception function, and hospital volunteers.
• Foster a positive, collaborative and high-performing team culture built on accountability, learning and continuous improvement.
• Inform, shape and implement strategic initiatives that strengthen wildlife operations and support long-term service outcomes.
• Drive improvements to wildlife triage, intake and admission pathways, translating strategic priorities into sustainable and effective service delivery.
• Partner with veterinarians, wildlife teams and key stakeholders to inform strategic decision-making, improve workflows, processes and patient outcomes.
• Oversee rostering, workforce planning and resource allocation to meet operational demands.
• Monitor hospital operations, service performance and triage data to identify trends, inform strategic planning and drive continuous improvement.
• Support the development and implementation of operational procedures, clinical protocols and best-practice nursing standards.
• Manage stock control, ordering processes and budget considerations across wildlife operations.
• Ensure compliance with animal welfare, clinical, safety and organisational requirements.
• Coach, mentor and develop team members while supporting ongoing learning and professional growth.

What You’ll Bring to the Role

• Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (or equivalent).
• Significant veterinary nursing experience, ideally including wildlife, emergency, referral or complex clinical environments.
• Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to motivate, coach and develop teams.
• Strong operational management skills, including workforce planning, rostering and resource coordination.
• Experience leading change, continuous improvement initiatives or service delivery enhancements.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across diverse teams.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving capability, with a calm and solutions-focused approach.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A genuine passion for animal welfare and commitment to delivering outstanding care and outcomes for wildlife.
• Physical capability to perform the inherent requirements of the role, including manual handling of animals where required.

Why Join Us?

This is more than a practice management role. It’s an opportunity to influence the future of wildlife care in Queensland while leading a passionate team dedicated to giving native animals the best possible chance of recovery and release.

Every day will bring new challenges, meaningful work and the opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of animals, the people who care for them and the communities we serve.

• Comprehensive Support: Enjoy 8 weeks of paid parental leave, flexible working arrangements, study leave, and even leave for your furry companions. We also provide access to counselling and mental health services.
• Employee Perks: From free on-site parking to exclusive discounts, novated leases, and 50% off Royal Canin pet food, we’ve got you covered! You can also adopt a new furry friend with free adoption options.
• Professional Growth: Access expansive learning and development programs to help you elevate your career and skill set.
• Purpose-Driven Impact: Be part of a mission-driven organisation where every task makes a tangible difference to animal welfare.

Interested?

If this sounds like the perfect opportunity for you, apply today!

Successful candidates will be required to undergo a Police Check for the safety and well-being of the community, staff, and animals. A pre-employment medical assessment may also be required.

RSPCA Queensland acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to a fair and inclusive hiring process, welcoming applicants of all backgrounds, regardless of faith, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity.