Unit Owner

Job description

We are looking for a Unit Owner to join our team!

£20,707 – £25,884 plus excellent benefits

Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition – Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire

 

WALTHAM is the fundamental science centre for Mars Petcare, a £multi-billion privately owned company with leading brands such as Pedigree®, Whiskas®, Kit E Kat® and Cesar®. Waltham focuses on the nutrition and wellbeing of dogs, cats, horses, birds and fish, and their benefits to humans.

Would you like to start a career at Mars?

Working as a unit owner, you will be responsible for ensuring that our animals are cared for in line with our Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition (WPCN) standards. This high standard of care ensures that our animals are fit and fully prepared to participate in our research programme and for the effective generation and collection of data from research trials paving the way for Mars Petcare to produce world-class pet care products.

We currently seeking a unit specialists to join our busy and dedicated team. The role involves some weekend working (1 in 4 weekends) and provides a 5% shift allowance to account for this.

The role is both challenging and rewarding being at the forefront of research and pet care operations at WCPN.  The purpose of the Operation is to produce high quality innovative science data that is conducted in a caring way.  The purpose of this role is to facilitate the needs of WALTHAM research activities by ensuring high quality day to day running of one animal unit to the standards required by the UK Home Office. Secondly, to manage and run all research trials on their unit. The units are integral to delivering this by the provision of data from research trials and the delivery of trial support, including the individual care, development and maintenance of our pets. This will include the following: 

 

·  Manage and be directly accountable for 1 animal unit of up to 150 cats and 70 dogs and direction of up to 15 indirect subordinates. Ensure unit and animals are fit for purpose and that the unit is running to maximum efficiency and effectiveness whilst ensuring all unit tasks are performed to the required standards.
·  Execute up to 5 research trials (varying in duration from 1 day to 1 year) at any one time. Facilitate accurate implementation, including the generation, collection and checking of data. Provide information to the research team and ensure a high quality of research output.
·  Driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance unit capability
·  Perform the role of named animal care and welfare officer (NACWO)
·  Maintain unit consumables, diets and other resources

 

Who will be your Line Manager?

There are three Team Leaders in Unit Operations Team who have a breadth of experience adding up 23 years’ service at WALTHAM. They have a broad experience prior to joining Mars including Research in Microbiology, Companion Animal Research and Nutrition. As high engaged Leaders they are well equipped to help the successful candidate navigate themselves through the introduction to MARS’s unique culture.

 

What are we looking for in our ideal candidate? 

A passion for the care and wellbeing of cats or dogs is essential for the role as is practical experience of doing so either commercial, academic or professional environment. Though not essential, a relevant degree or animal based qualification would be desirable, however we expect a good general education to GSCE standard in Maths, English and Science plus a further qualification in a relevant scientific discipline. The ideal candidate will have a flexible working style with good attention to detail and computer literacy are also key to ensure the accuracy of data collection and data handling through checking and auditing required in the role.

 

Tell me more about Mars…

Mars Inc. is a family-owned company with worldwide annual sales of over £33billion. Since 1932 we’ve been producing iconic brands in the UK, including Uncle Ben’ s, Snickers and Dolmio, in addition to other globally admired products such as Galaxy, Mars Bar and Whiskas . 

 

At Mars we invest in people and really give them the freedom to fly.  So if we’ve just described you and your career aspirations, to apply, please click on the link below. 

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.