Are you passionate about animal welfare and want to make a real difference to causes you care about? Do you want to start a career that you can be proud of? Then consider a career with Animal Welfare League NSW.
Animal Welfare League NSW (AWL NSW) is a registered charity that has been operating for over 60 years. We provide expert care to surrendered, neglected and abandoned animals across NSW.
Current Vacancies
Head of Operations
Are you a strategic leader passionate about improving the lives of animals? AWL NSW is seeking a dynamic Head of Operations to lead our Shelter, Foster & Rehoming, and Veterinary Clinic teams. This is a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact on animal welfare across NSW.
About the Role
As Head of Operations, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across all animal welfare services, ensuring excellence in service delivery, compliance with legislation, and continuous improvement. You’ll work closely with internal teams, external partners, and regulatory bodies to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care for every animal in our guardianship.
This role is pivotal in driving operational performance, embedding best practices, and developing policies and procedures that align with AWL NSW’s mission.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee Shelter, Foster & Rehoming, and Vet Clinic operations to achieve organisational goals.
- Develop and implement operational strategies, policies, and SOPs to ensure compliance, consistency, and service excellence.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, professionalism, and continuous improvement across teams.
- Manage risks, WHS compliance, and ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of staff and volunteers.
- Build strong relationships with councils, veterinary partners, community groups, and key stakeholders.
- Monitor and report on key operational KPIs to inform strategic decisions.
- Mentor, coach, and develop staff to build capability and engagement.
Why You’ll Love It Here
At AWL NSW, you’ll find more than just a job — you’ll join a passionate, values-driven organisation where your leadership truly matters.
- Shape the Future: Work alongside a collaborative executive team and influence strategy, culture, and the direction of animal welfare services across NSW.
- Grow Professionally: Access funded professional development opportunities and continuous learning to expand your skills and leadership capability.
- Be Rewarded: Enjoy competitive pay, employee benefits, retail discounts, and access to our Employee Assistance Program.
- Feel Valued: Join a workplace that recognises and celebrates meaningful work and fosters a culture of respect, compassion, and collaboration.
- Make a Real Impact: Every decision you make will contribute to better outcomes for animals, staff, and the community — every single day.
About You
You are a proven operations leader with:
- At least 10+ years of experience in a similar role
- Tertiary qualifications or equivalent experience gained from managing animal welfare operations
- Proven experience in animal welfare and shelter operations, including intake, assessment, adoption, and foster programs
- Strong leadership skills with a track record of managing large, diverse teams and driving change
- Strategic thinking, risk management, and strong decision-making capability
- Experience in project management, budgeting, and operational planning
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
- Commercial acumen and a genuine commitment to ethical animal welfare practices
How to Apply
If you’re ready to make a real difference, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your cover letter outlining your suitability for the role, together with your resume highlighting your experience and qualifications.
For a confidential discussion, please contact Larna Rouillon, Head of People and Culture, on 0400 733 006.
You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia to be considered.
We are committed to equal opportunities in employment and welcome interest from all suitably qualified candidates.
Veterinary Surgeon
Animal Welfare League NSW is looking for a Full Time Veterinary Surgeon to join our growing team.
About Us
For over 60 years, Animal Welfare League NSW (AWL NSW) has been a leading registered charity dedicated to providing expert care for surrendered, neglected, and abandoned companion animals across NSW. We provide expert care to surrendered, neglected and abandoned companion animals across NSW.
The Opportunity
Animal Welfare League NSW is looking for a Full Time Veterinary Surgeon to join our growing team.
The role will primarily be based at our Kemps Creek Veterinary Clinic supporting animals that have been rescued by our Inspectors & Animal Ambulance or surrendered to us by their owners. You can expect to see and respond to a full range of patient needs, primarily domestic cats and dogs.
Responsibilities:
- Provide veterinary care through examinations, diagnosis, and treatment planning.
- Perform surgical and medical procedures, including dental extractions and euthanasia.
- Conduct diagnostic testing, including radiography and pathology.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory, legislative, and WHS requirements.
- Maintain accurate clinical records and communicate updates to clients and stakeholders.
- Prepare evidence for legal cases and represent the organisation in court when required.
- Mentor and guide nursing staff and less experienced team members.
Why You’ll Love It Here
At AWL NSW, we offer competitive pay and benefits, including access to an Employee Assistance Program, retail discounts, and professional development opportunities. Every day, you’ll play a vital role in our lifesaving work. Our mission is to empower our team members, fostering a culture where meaningful work is recognised and valued.
About You:
- Relevant veterinarian surgeon tertiary qualifications
- At least one years’ experience in veterinary practice
- Registration as a veterinary surgeon in NSW
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
- Proficient in computer skills and ability to learn new software programs
- Understanding of relevant legislation, policies and procedures
- Ability to communicate ideas on complex and sensitive issues clearly in writing, selecting language, tone and format to suit target recipients
If you’re ready to make a significant impact, join our compassionate and skilled team! Please submit a cover letter detailing why you’re a great fit for this role, along with your resume highlighting your experience and qualifications.
You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia to be considered.
We are committed to equal opportunities in employment and welcome interest from all suitably qualified candidates.
Are you looking for a career in an industry you’re passionate about?
Join the passionate team at Animal Welfare League NSW and help care for vulnerable and neglected animals across NSW. If you’re interested in making a difference and becoming part of AWL NSW, simply click here to send an email with your resume and detail why you’d like to join us.
About the different areas of service at Animal Welfare League NSW
Veterinary Services
The Animal Welfare League NSW veterinary team provides care to animals who may be surrendered to our shelter, branches or seized by our Inspectorate. Our veterinary team is responsible for ensuring the best welfare outcomes for the pets in our care, as well as providing routine treatment and surgery to help prepare our shelter pets for their new home. In addition to our standard clinic procedures, our veterinary team has a unique role in providing assistance with our Mobile Vet Truck which travels to regional areas, supporting our branch network to provide community services such as desexing, vaccination and microchipping drives. Our Mobile Vet Truck and veterinary team also act a ‘Rapid Response Unit’ providing urgent medical care to pets, livestock and wildlife affected by bushfires and other disasters.
Animal Welfare League NSW is interested to hear from people who are keen to work in the welfare space. If you are a qualified Veterinary Surgeon or qualified Veterinary Nurses then we would love to hear from.
Inspectorate
As one of only two licenced enforcement agencies in NSW, Animal Welfare League NSW can offer a challenging and rewarding career for those interested in animal welfare. Animal Welfare League NSW Inspectors are qualified and licenced to ensure we follow the laws that govern our operations. A Certificate IV in Government is desired to equip you with the knowledge to investigate matters under the law, and extensive knowledge is also required on the current Companion Animals Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Being an Animal Welfare Inspector is a tough job that requires resilience and the ability to understand the hardships of the role. Seeing animals in poor condition can be confronting and may not only affect your physical health, but your mental health too so a pragmatic approach is essential. A large part of the job is helping to alleviate animal cruelty and neglect by providing education to pet owners, but sometimes a pet may need to be seized and an offender prosecuted.
Animal Welfare League NSW is interested in hearing from people who may already be qualified, or from those who are interested in starting an animal welfare career as an Inspector.
Shelter Services
The Animal Welfare League NSW shelter team is responsible for caring for hundreds of pets that rely on us each year. Our shelter team provides daily care, socialisation and training to help our pets find new forever homes. If you have a genuine interest in working with companion animals and have already obtained a Certificate ll in Animal Services (or are willing to obtain one), then you may be the next member of our shelter team. In our shelter, there are opportunities to advance your career into team leader or management roles, as well as moving into specialist roles which assist our foster care, volunteers and branch network.
If you would like to know more about becoming an Animal Welfare League NSW Animal Attendant then please get in touch.
Marketing and Fundraising
As a registered charity, Animal Welfare League NSW relies on community support and regular donations to be able to run our services and plan for future programs. We look after hundreds of animals every year through our shelters, branches, foster care network, and Inspectorate, and this work is supporting by our Marketing initiatives and promotions. Our Marketing and Fundraising team are also responsible for raising awareness of our vital work through our website, social media, and various events and activities.
If you have the skills and qualifications needed to work in a small and fast-paced Marketing team, and have a genuine interest in animal welfare, then we would love to hear from you.
Administration and Business Support
The rest of the organisation does not function without the dedicated support of the Finance, HR and other support teams. So, if this is where your skills and interests lie, and you are passionate about the welfare of animals, marry the two together by joining our team.
Whatever your skill set and area of expertise, you can express a general interest or respond to any open positions advertised on this page or in the media. You can reach out to us to explore careers opportunities by emailing us.
hr@awlnsw.com.au.