Resign from the job with pets back feathers (4,4)
I believe the answer is:
step down
'resign' is the definition.
(I know that resign is a more specific form of the action resign)
'with pets back feathers' is the wordplay.
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'back' is a reversal indicator.
'feathers' becomes 'down' (down can mean bird feathers).
'pets' backwards is 'step'.
'step' put next to 'down' is 'STEP-DOWN'.
'from the job' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for step down that I've seen before include "Withdraw from" , "Get off one's soap-box" , "decrease in output" , "Leave office" , "Give up or retire from a position" .)