Job Opportunities in New Zealand

Job Description: Stablehand
To provide horses (and occasional farm animals) with their daily feeding
Position Purpose:
requirements and maintain the stalls, paddocks and other hospital areas at
an acceptable level of hygiene standards.
Department: Tāwharau Ora - School of Veterinary Science
Location: Palmerston North
Reports to: Senior Equine Veterinary Technician
Responsible for: Nil
Delegations: Nil
Job Title: Stablehand
Key relationships: Internal External
Equine and Farm Clinic staff and Nil
students
Massey University: We are a world-leading university in many academic disciplines and fields
of research. Our point of difference is research that is connected to
community and industry. Our researchers are developing expertise and
skills to advance human knowledge and understanding. Working together
across disciplines and locations, we solve national and global problems
through fundamental, applied, and interdisciplinary research, while
culturally and artistically enriching our world.

We are deeply committed to being a Te Tiriti-led university, demonstrating
authentic leadership in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand as we uphold
Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding document of our nation, and its principles
through our practice. We embrace this not just as an obligation but as a
real opportunity for the nation and its people.

Our educators are preparing a new generation of global leaders. Our
students are diverse and are attracted to Massey because they want to
achieve their personal goals or make their mark in the world. They
experience world-class learning that recognises their intellectual and
cultural strengths, expands their horizons and prepares them to contribute
to a rapidly transforming world with skills, critical and creative thinking and
leadership.
We will be renowned for our passion and caring attitude. All Massey
campuses will be innovation ecosystems, acting as magnets for smart
enterprises. Wherever we are, we will operate in partnerships founded on
respect, trust, and mutual benefit. Massey is not only defined by what we
do, but by how we do it.
1

About this area Massey’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility offering
New Zealand’s most comprehensive veterinary expertise. We are open to
the public offering routine animal health checks, specialist diagnostic
procedures and treatments and a 24/7 Pet Emergency Centre. Specialists
cater to many different types of animals including pets, farm animals,
horses and native wildlife.
Massey core capabilities
At Massey we are Tiriti-led, upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles through our practice, we:

• Demonstrate awareness of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand

society

• Understand the relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in relation to the work of the University and the

people we serve.

• Embracing Te Reo in relevant and practical ways in our workplace interactions and engagement

with external stakeholders, giving expression to Tikanga Māori and protocols that demonstrates
that we respect and value Māori conventions in appropriate settings. At Massey we work together with mutual respect and caring. we:

• Act with integrity and trustworthiness and give credit to others for the work they do.
• Work cooperatively and inter-dependently to foster and promote the One University approach
• Share knowledge and communicate professionally with courtesy and mutual respect.
• Are ethical in all transactions, working within the parameters of our policies and procedures.
• Are direct, truthful and maintain confidentiality.
• Seek to understand and appreciate our differences.
• Are ethical in all transactions, working within the parameters of our policies and procedures.
• Are direct, truthful and maintain confidentiality.
• Seek to understand and appreciate our differences
• Keep ourselves and others safe; work together to embrace with the University's health, safety

and wellbeing policies, procedures and programmes; display commitment by actively supporting
all safety and wellbeing initiatives: and by actively engaging in health and safety improvement
opportunities.
At Massey we are future-focused, results- oriented and strive for excellence. we:

• Take ownership and responsibility for delivering results to support achievement of University

objectives.

• Provide the best quality services to our customers (internal and external) ensuring our

students/ stakeholders are at the heart of everything we do.

• Deliver or support world-class research, teaching and learning and citizenship.
• Take personal responsibility for our performance, take pride in doing our job well, and

commit to ongoing personal and professional development.

• Are motivated and create a positive working environment where our values are reinforced.
• Anticipate and respond with agility and resilience to the changing needs of the University

and the communities we serve.
2

• Seek ways to improve our services to deliver in an efficient and effective way.
• Embrace technology and apply this innovatively to better meet the needs of those we serve.
• Challenge ourselves to reach our potential and help bring out the best in others.
• Understand how what we do contributes to the objectives of the University.

Accountabilities
The duties may include any of the following depending on various
factors such as the number of patients hospitalised, the academic


year cycle, season and staffing levels. The balance between various
activities may change and considerable flexibility is required on the
part of the incumbent. Specific accountabilities include:


Clinical Assistance • Provide appropriate restraining/ handling of the patients for various
procedures if asked by clinician on duty e.g. Physical examination,
bandage changes, medication administration or injections,
nasogastric tubing, walk out, trot ups, etc as required.


Feeding • Making and providing appropriate feeds following feeding
instructions for all animals within the equine hospital or paddocks
(and occasionally farm hospital).

• Ensuring all patients have fresh water.

• Cutting fresh grass for hospitalised patients if necessary.

• Accurately record food and water intake for hospitalised patients.

The student
Experience • Interacting with, supervising and providing support to students in
clinics.
Health and Safety

• A good understanding of overall Health and Safety legislation and

regulations in relation to the operations of an Equine Clinic, as well as knowledge of Massey H&S systems and policies.

• An excellent role model to team members and students in health

and safety and acts to minimise threats to the health and safety of themselves, staff, students and patients.

• All accidents, injuries and near misses for themselves or supervised

students are logged in My HR system ASAP after their occurrence.

• Any notifiable (serious accidents/injuries) involving themselves,

direct reports, or supervised students are notified directly to the Equine Practicing Veterinarian ASAP after they occur.

• Knowledgeable of the risks associated with their different work

tasks and passes this knowledge onto students. 3

Planning & Organising • Some autonomy to prioritise own daily/weekly workload.
Resources • Ensure key daily and weekly tasks are completed in a timely
manner whilst allowing time to respond to urgent requests.

• Informing Senior Technician or Administrative staff of when

supplies are low. Governance and • Thorough understanding and application of local rules,
Compliance biosecurity policies and University Health & Safety policies and
legislative requirements; ensuring compliance and setting
standards, e.g. safe working and relevant legal frameworks.

• Report any incidents of non-compliance as appropriate.

Other Duties • Engage in training opportunities to ensure the highest
standards are attained at all times, e.g. Animal handling,
Driving courses etc.

• Other reasonable duties as specified by the Head of School, via

the Equine Clinic Manager or Senior Veterinary Technician. Capabilities - Behaviour
Communication • Must be able to communicate with people at all levels (veterinarians,
Essential professional staff, students and owners).

• Can follow verbal or written instructions and develop a clear,

complete understanding of tasks and problems.

• Conducts discussions in a respectful manner, that are sincere and

professional.

• Adapts listening and facilitation styles to others' communication

styles.

• Ability to use simple tablet applications to convey patient status.

Working Together • Works well within a team and as an individual. Knows when to
Essential apply confidentiality and does so with respect.

• Adapts interaction style appropriate to different situations and

people.

• Works to understand alternative points of view to guide productive

working relationships. Transformation
changes occur in the work environment.
new approaches in response to changes in the hospital
environment.

• Seeks challenging opportunities to expand and develop one's own

knowledge, skills and abilities. Proactive and highly organised. 4

• Takes responsibility for escalating issues that impact on planned

work.

• Supports self during change by remaining flexible, focusing on the

positives, and proactively seeking out opportunities to get
involved. Essential • Applicants must be self-motivated with an interest in
horses/production animals.

• Be able to effectively manage more than one task at a time such

that all tasks get completed properly and in a timely fashion.

• To show initiative by recognising situations where sick animals

need assistance and call for assistance or provide support when
needed.

• Understands own position’s priorities on a day-to-day basis.
• Completes current work according to assigned priorities.
• Recognises changing demands and priorities; validates changes

with management.
Capabilities – Technical


Attention to Detail
attention to maintain a hygienic facility.
Essential • Utilises specific approaches and tools for checking and cross-
checking outputs.

• Assists in developing and using checklists to ensure that all tasks

are carried out in an error-free manner. Essential heavy items at times.

• Sufficient visual acuity (with or without spectacles/contact lenses)

to read case notes.

• Sufficient hearing acuity (with or without hearing aids) so that

electronic warning tones from commonly used equipment,
telephone conversations and spoken orders can be heard. Essential independent means of transport (not rely on public transport).
5

Qualifications and Experience


Qualifications: Nil
Experience: Essential

• Must be experienced in safely handling horses of different

ages/temperaments (mares & foals, colts, nervous or aggressive).

• Experience in mucking out boxes.

• Have small tractor and trailer driving skills (reversing, safe

Manoeuvring.). Training will be provided.

• Be able to use a weed eater (training will be provided).

Preferred

• Be familiar with production animals (cattle, sheep, goats and camelids).

Pre-employment checks


Essential • Requirement to pass a Criminal and Traffic Convictions (Security)
Check performed by the Ministry of Justice.

6