Cats Protection
Cat Welfare & Operations Director
Salary: Competitive
Location: Homebased with travel when required
Cats Protection is the UK’s leading cat welfare charity, powered by a nationwide network of volunteers supporting cats and the people who care for them. With more than 180 volunteer-led branches, 30 adoption centres, 70 retail shops, and a strong national presence in policy, research and education, the charity helps around 150,000 cats every year and reaches millions more with expert advice and advocacy.
As it approaches its 100th anniversary, Cats Protection is part way-through an ambitious 10-year strategy, building on a strong track record of change and impact. Financially sustainable, values-led and increasingly influential, the charity is now seeking an exceptional Cat Welfare & Operations Director to lead cat welfare excellence across its UK-wide operational network.
As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will provide visible, accountable leadership for frontline welfare and operational delivery. You will oversee a complex, federated model spanning community-based volunteer teams, centres, nationally managed services and specialist functions, ensuring the highest standards of welfare across care, rehoming, neutering and microchipping. By leading a team expertly grounded in veterinary insight, research evidence and recognised Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) and veterinary standards, you will champion consistency, quality, continual improvement and innovation, closely linking Cats Protection’s advocacy, influencing research work with direct delivery and action.
You will foster a culture that is truly All for Cats, strengthening capability, professionalism and compassionate leadership across the charity You will shape delivery models that deepen collaboration, inspire people and balance national priorities with local need, while ensuring robust safeguarding and regulatory compliance. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will contribute to cross-organisational strategy and champion unity, collaboration and collective responsibility, because We Work as One.
You will bring substantial senior leadership experience, either within animal welfare or a similarly complex quality driven service delivery environment, with a track record in performance improvement, change leadership and budget management across multi-site and virtual (telephony) structures. Experience working with regulated professional bodies, delivering through volunteer-powered models, integrating direct and indirect models, and holding safeguarding responsibility will be highly valued. You will be a collegiate, agile and resilient leader, able to build alliances, use data to inform sound judgement, and challenge constructively at the highest levels.
Cats Protection welcomes applications from leaders who share its commitment to creating a society where every cat can live their best life.
If you would like to know more about the role or selection process, please visit our microsite at https://micro.green-park.co.uk/cats/ or contact Tessa Catt at Green Park: Tessa.Catt@green-park.co.uk
Closing date: 11:59pm Sunday 22nd February 2026
Please submit your application using your personal email address to ensure you receive acknowledgement of receipt. Please note that, to ensure confidentiality, applications submitted from a work email address will not receive an acknowledgement.