• Hybrid role working from our office in Brookvale, and in the field
• Full-time 12-month contract
• Salary negotiable on experience

ABOUT WIRES

WIRES is Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation and has been rescuing and caring for sick, injured, and orphaned native animals for over 35 years. Our ongoing mission is to actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same.

WIRES operate a dedicated Wildlife Rescue Office assisting wildlife and the community across Australia 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, providing rescue advice and assistance for over 130,000 animals annually. WIRES Emergency Response Team currently have 8 Wildlife Ambulances and Emergency Responders operating across Greater Sydney, South-East Queensland and Tasmania.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This role is dedicated to improving our capability to provide fast, professional, emergency rescue services for native wildlife nationally. Your work will involve working closely with our emergency response teams, volunteers, government agencies and relevant stakeholders to establish increased capacity to respond to major emergency events and improve outcomes for native wildlife. This role will involve working in field attending to critical rescues and leading teams during disaster response, in addition to being an integral member of the Head Office Emergency Response Team and assisting with administrative tasks to support our expanding capabilities. We are looking for candidates with emergency response, administration and wildlife rescue experience.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with the coordination of multiple wildlife ambulances, by assessing and allocating critical rescues via our communication platform and managing incoming ambulance job requests
• Assist the Emergency Response Manager and Incident Response Coordinator with administrative tasks
• Act in a Team Leader operational role during emergency deployment, which involves managing and coordinating multiple teams, and ensuring that they are supported, safe and well informed
• Occasionally work as an Emergency Rescue Responder attending to urgent rescues, in one of our fully equipped wildlife ambulances, when required
• Assist with monitoring and responding to emails and requests directed to our Head Office Emergency Response department
• Work closely with our Incident Response Coordinator to manage our Volunteer Emergency Response Teams (VERT), ensuring they complete their prerequisite training and explore opportunities to expand their emergency response capabilities as a team
• Establish effective liaison and cooperation with other relevant organisations, affected communities and external groups, during emergency events
• Liaise and attend meetings with stakeholders and organisations related to emergency response

KEY COMPETENCIES & REQUiREMENTS

• Must have extensive hands-on experience working with native wildlife. Confident and skilled in handling and rescuing wildlife, particularly those that are sick, stressed and critically injured. Minimum 3 years wildlife handling experience
• Experience in managing and leading teams, particularly in emergency response operational activities
• Certificate IV in Work, Health & Safety (highly desirable)
• Adherence to all WHS requirements as well as WIRES policies, procedures and requirements and a commitment to a proactive work culture
• Willing and able to work extra hours when required, and in response to emergency events
• Ability to multitask and work well under pressure
• Willingness to attend practical and online WIRES advanced species training courses, as well as training related to emergency response
• Excellent administrational and record keeping skills with attention to detail and the ability to easily navigate multiple software platforms
• Demonstrated commitment to improve animal welfare outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team, independently and as a leader
• Highly developed communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills including sound conflict resolution and negotiation skills
• Willing to be involved in media activities and community engagement opportunities
• Current Drivers Licence
• Current first aid training

Please note:

• This is a 12-month contract with a probation period, and the potential for extension
• Preferred candidates will be subject to pre-employment checks including police checks and reference checks