Volunteer team leader role jobs

JOB TITLE:HR Coordinator

LOCATION:                        Great Horwood, Buckinghamshire (minimum 4 days in office per week)

SALARY: £35 - £40k per annum, depending on experience

JOB TYPE: Permanent, 5 days per week (37.5 hours)

Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives.

We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving Medical Alert Assistance Dogs to people with complex health problems across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease with our Bio Detection Dogs.  We have an exciting new opportunity to join this small, but ambitious charity that is a world leader in its specialist innovative field.

MAIN PURPOSE & SCOPE OF THE ROLE:

The HR Coordinator will provide specialist and proactive support to other departments within the charity to ensure organisational compliance in all relevant areas relating to HR.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Reporting to the People Engagement Manager, you will be supporting the Charity to set and deliver on its People Strategy. You will be responsible for providing operational HR services, advice, and guidance with a primary focus on HR transactions, employee relations management, engagement, recruitment and performance management.  You will identify, analyse and utilise HR data to inform decision making and identify more efficient ways of working.

Reports to: People Engagement Manager

ABOUT THE ROLE

• You will lead the development and implementation of a best practice approach to recruitment.
• You will advise managers on best practice techniques for monthly one-to-one meetings and annual appraisals to ensure staff feel confident to openly discuss challenges as well as successes.
• You will review and update our existing HR policies and procedures, ensuring they not only comply with current HR law but importantly promote best practice.
• You will also work with the senior leadership team to develop a set of organisational values that prioritise equality, diversity and inclusion and reflect best practice, ensuring these are then communicated to all staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.
• This is a rare opportunity to join a charity that wants to strengthen the support it provides to its staff and volunteers.

Responsibilities of the Role

• Maintain all HR policies and procedures ensuring they are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect relevant legislation and best practice.
• Ensure managers and staff are aware of and understand policies and procedures, communicate changes, and provide support to managers when interpreting policies as required.
• To work in collaboration with the CEO and Senior Leadership Team in leading Medical Detection Dogs towards our vision of becoming a staff-centric charity.
• Provide an efficient service to deliver HR transaction activities throughout the employment lifecycle, from offer to off-boarding.
• Provide support, guidance, and advice for managers in conducting and concluding employee relations cases, including absence, performance management, disciplinary and grievance cases, ensuring adherence to policy.
• Manage, maintain, and deliver the charity’s onboarding induction to new members of staff.
• Always maintain the highest levels of discretion and confidentiality.
• Be a role model within the charity demonstrating MDD’s values and behaviours at all times.
• Monitor completion of performance appraisals and one to one meetings, issuing reminders and offering support to managers as required.
• Coordinate and support the delivery of employee engagement surveys, including planning, analysis, reporting and follow up actions.
• Produce regular HR reports and people data metrics for the Senior Leadership Team (e.g. turnover, tenure, sickness absence trends, performance outcomes).
• Maintain and update the HR system (Breathe HR), ensuring employee records are accurate and up to date.
• Prepare and submit monthly payroll changes to the finance team in line with payroll deadlines.
• Manage staff benefits including the health cash plan, life assurance, pension scheme and long service awards.
• Produce and circulate internal HR communications such as staff newsletters, HR updates and policy changes.
• Coordinate and support learning and development activities, including booking and maintaining training records and delivering HR related training for managers and staff (e.g. one to ones, appraisals, HR systems).
• Assist in developing employee engagement initiatives.
• Contribute to wellbeing and inclusion initiatives.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• CIPD Qualified and a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a similar role or currently undertaking the qualification.
• Employee relations (e.g. performance, absence, disciplinary, grievance, redundancy, etc) case management in line with current UK employment legislation
• Management of end-to-end recruitment activity, supporting hiring managers and focussed on candidate experience
• Excellent interpersonal, networking and communication skills
• Experience of managing relationships with staff at all levels

Desirable

• Experience of reward and recognition practices
• Experience of managing and inspiring staff, including encouraging innovation and improving ways of working to build a resilient and high performing team culture that delivers results
• Effective organisation and administrative skills gained within HR
• Experience on use of HR database (BREATHE)

Knowledge & Skills

DESIRABLE

• Ability to work independently and under minimal supervision in a fast paced and demanding environment, exercising good judgement, and using own initiative.
• Ability to work supportively and effectively within and across teams and build good working relationships
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when appropriate
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills
• Good influencing and negotiation skills
• Strong people management skills with the ability to train and develop individuals and create a ‘one team’ ethos

Other Requirements

• A full current driving license
• Comfortable with dogs in the workplace/office

DIVERITY, EQUALITY & INCLUSION

We are a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive Charity. Medical Detection Dogs thrives when everyone feels comfortable bringing their best self to work. We celebrate difference, whilst striving to create an environment where colleagues feel respected and valued for their unique potential. We are committed to our values on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Charity Values

All employees are expected to uphold the charity’s core values in their daily work. This includes demonstrating respect through open and considerate communication, fostering cooperation by working collaboratively, maintaining honesty in all interactions and ensuring fairness through just and transparent decision-making.

Benefits

• Sick Pay
• Health Cash Plan
• 26 days holiday, increasing with service
• 5% Employer Pension Contribution
• Free On-site parking
• Life Insurance   

WORKING WITH US

The founder and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We have, over the past thirty years, implemented ideas and initiatives that have transformed the opportunities of pupils from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Harris academies are widely recognised as a force for social mobility. We are immensely proud of the role that our alumni are now beginning to play in the world and of what we believe our current generation of pupils will go on to achieve.

We now have over 50 schools educating more than 40,000 young people across London and Essex, and employ over 5,000 staff across our academies and head office. With the majority of our academies located in areas of high socioeconomic disadvantage, a high-quality education is key to the futures of the pupils we serve.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.

Our work will impact many generations to come, and our staff come from all backgrounds and walks of life, coming together to inspire young minds. We promote an inclusive culture that embraces the valuable and enriching contribution that all of our community make. We continue to be proactive in uplifting and supporting all voices at Harris.

To discover more about our culture, ethos and what it is like to work here, visit the page.

ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

You will be the first point of contact for apprentices, training providers and internal stakeholders, helping to drive engagement and ensure high-quality delivery.

This is a varied role ideal for someone confident with systems, data and stakeholder management, who is passionate about creating opportunities for learners and supporting staff development.

If you’re organised, proactive and excited about improving apprenticeship experiences across a large, high-performing education trust, we’d love to hear from you.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Reporting to the Apprenticeship Manager you will be responsible for:

• Acting as the first point of contact for apprenticeship queries, training providers and internal stakeholders
• Helping promote apprenticeship opportunities internally and supporting recruitment and upskilling initiatives across the Harris Federation
• Providing support to manage the Harris Federation apprenticeship levy, tracking costs, progress and compliance with funding requirements
• Organising and promoting Apprenticeship events and information sessions across the Federation and academy sites, supporting senior leaders in promoting apprenticeships and recruiting future apprentices
• Supporting internal and external marketing for apprenticeship activities as part of wider employer branding and promoting engagement events to increase awareness and understanding of apprenticeships
• Facilitating an apprenticeship network and supporting development opportunities such as award nominations
• Maintaining and advising on safeguarding compliance, including neuro-inclusion, in alignment with the Ofsted framework, especially for under-18 apprentices
• Supporting the Apprenticeship team with projects focused on implementation, procurement, quality assurance and evaluation to expand levy use or facilitate levy transfer
• Working with the marketing team to create marketing materials, update the Apprenticeship SharePoint, produce event leaflets and share internal communications promoting Apprenticeship programmes

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• The ability to establish a new role in the Harris Federation and work collaboratively with key stakeholders to deliver successful apprenticeship programmes
• Strong project management skills with experience of complex projects with multiple stakeholders
• Experience of working across a large organisation, developing and delivering initiatives and maintaining stakeholder relationships
• The ability to travel to Federation academies in and around London and Essex as required
• Experience of managing a Learning Management System within the FE sector and working with the third-party service provider to ensure the platforms are user friendly and up to date
• Supporting with tracking of tickets within the learning management system and working together with the third-party service provider to resolve any issues and ensuring the platform is fit for purpose
• Experience of ILR monthly declaration and its analysis using various MIS platforms

For a full job description and person specification please download the Job Pack.

APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION

If you would like to discuss the opportunity further, or if you have any questions, please contact us via email to arrange a conversation.

Before applying please ensure you download the job pack from our careers website, this will help with completing your application. Please note that we only accept applications submitted online before the closing date.

When applying, you will have the option to import your CV or use a LinkedIn profile which will auto populate the online application.

A reminder to check your junk mail for our email communications and add us to your safe senders list to ensure all future email communication is received.

OUR VISION & VALUES

Our vision, from the start, has been to provide the structure and services needed for our schools to amount to more than the sum of their parts, and to free-up our teachers and leaders to focus on one thing and one thing only: the outstanding education of all their pupils. Our young people and communities are at the heart of everything we do. Our core mission has always been to close the educational gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Our ambition is one where every child in London, no matter their background, has equal access to high quality education, giving them the same opportunities and potential to succeed.

We know there are many challenges facing our young people and the communities we serve, and that’s why we need determined people like you to help us tackle those inequalities. Whilst each of our academies has their own unique cultures and values; as a whole Federation, we have four core values which are central to successfully achieving our vision: Excellence, Collaboration, Support, and Innovation. We are proud of our values because they guide us in how we work allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people, communities, and colleagues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates. We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

Harris has a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

You will also have access to a variety of benefits, support programmes and initiatives including:

• Excellent opportunities for continuous professional development and career progression
• Annual performance and loyalty bonus
• Pension scheme (Teachers' Pension Scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme) with generous employer contribution
• 26 days' annual leave (inclusive of our Christmas Eve closure day) plus bank holidays, rising to 27 days after 2 years' service, or equivalent for staff on term time contracts
• Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan including cover for routine and specialist healthcare
• Employee Assistance Programme for free and confidential advice
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Wide range of shopping, leisure, and travel discounts
• 20% off at Tapi Carpets, exclusive to Harris employees
• Interest-free ICT and season ticket loans

For most non-teaching staff based at our Head Office in East Croydon, we also offer lifestyle friendly working arrangements including flexible start and end times, and hybrid working with two days from home and three days on site.

Head of Development 

Department: Development
Line Manager: Director of Audiences and Growth
Reports From: Development Officer, Freelance Bid Writer
Salary: £43,000 - £52,500

The Belgrade theatre has big growth plans with a vibrant programme; we are proud of our reputation for excellent stewardship and donor care. We are a National Portfolio Organisation, funded by Arts Council England, and enjoy the support of many individuals, trust and foundations and corporate supporters. We are now looking for an ambitious, creative, and energetic fundraiser to help take us into our next chapter. You might be an experienced Development leader or someone looking to take that next step, or perhaps this could be a lateral move from another related sector. We are open to discussing flexible working patterns, and you will be able to shape the role around your particular skills and experience. 
 

You will have the full support of the CEO, senior team and Board of Trustees, and we will work with you to ensure you continue to develop in your professional practice. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that your work is making a real difference in supporting the Belgrade Theatre realise its Story of Change and continue to build on our co-creation model of developing theatre by and with the people of Coventry.

You will be joining us at an exciting time whilst we build the production of our new co-created show Nanny of the Maroons, and your skills and expertise in fundraising and income-generation activity, will support us to launch this production in a way that can have real impact for the people of Coventry; whilst shaping a sustainable future for the organisation, and achieving an annual revenue funding target of £450K. 
 

This is a hands-on role focused on delivering fundraising activity, supporting income generation through campaigns, events, partnerships and donor stewardship. You will build meaningful relationships with donors, partners, and funders, working on strategies that support artistic ambition, creative learning and community engagement programmes, and long-term organisational growth. 
This role will suit someone who is organised, proactive and confident in delivering fundraising activity, and who can bring practical ideas that connect with Coventry’s diverse communities.
 

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Director of Audiences and Growth, CEO, Artistic Director and Director of Producing and Co-creation. This role will line manage the Development Officer and oversee freelance bid writers. This role needs to have constructive relationships with all departments within the business including working closely with the audiences, marketing and communications team and colleagues across Box Office, Finance and Front of House. You will deliver a programme of fundraising activity including memberships, small, mid-scale and larger trusts and foundations, community fundraising, sponsorship and local business partnerships.
 

External: Trusts and Foundations, Donors, High Net worth individuals, Members, Individual Giving, Stakeholders, Volunteers and Business Networks
 

Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership 

• Develop and deliver a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with organisational priorities 
• Lead on income diversification across individual giving/membership, major gifts, legacies, trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, campaigns and events 
• Set and monitor annual income targets with clear KPIs and reporting structure

Fundraising Campaigns & Income Generation

• Develop and deliver audience-focused fundraising campaigns that support theatre programming, community engagement and audience development.
• Identify and implement practical income opportunities, such as round-up donations, maximising Gift Aid and testing messaging at key audience touchpoints.

Events & Community Fundraising

• Plan, promote and deliver fundraising events including donor evenings and follow up donor cultivation, community fundraising activities and donor profile events 
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and volunteers to ensure events are well organised and provide a positive supporter experience.

Trusts, Memberships & Partnerships

• Research, write and submit applications to small, mid-scale and large trusts and foundations aligned with The Belgrade’s artistic, co-creation, educational and community activity to ensure we meet our target of 10% of turnover against fundraising activity 
• Review and refresh The Belgrade’s s membership schemes, sponsorship offers and local business fundraising opportunities.
• Develop proposals to support income from individuals, trusts and community partners.
• Establish and Develop a Legacy programme with the associated campaign 

Donor Stewardship & Supporter Care

• Support and steward donors, members and supporters through appropriate communication, recognition and reporting.
• Ensure donor recognition is accurate and visible across digital, print and in-venue materials.
• Experience of managing a varied pipeline of fundraising prospects, including identification of key internal and external milestones

Digital Fundraising & Communications

• Work with the Marketing team to create fundraising content for email, web and social media.
• Use storytelling to promote THE BELGRADE ’s charitable activity and encourage supporter engagement.

 
Monitoring, Reporting & Compliance

• Maintain accurate donor records.
• Track fundraising income and prepare reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure all fundraising activity complies with GDPR, Gift Aid requirements and Fundraising Regulator guidance.

Planning, Collaboration & Good Practice

• Contribute to the delivery of agreed annual fundraising plans, supporting our Audiences and Marketing team by tracking activity and progress against targets.
• Stay informed about THE BELGRADE ’s artistic programme and community work, working with colleagues across departments to support clear and relevant case for support.
• Build and maintain networks with fundraising colleagues in the arts and charity sectors, sharing learning and good practice with THE BELGRADE particularly at a local and regional level
• Contribute positively to THE BELGRADE ’s inclusive, collaborative and community-focused culture, supporting volunteers involved in fundraising activity where appropriate.
• Set company wide strategies to maximise individual giving around our Making Memories campaign for Pantomime and our Stage for All campaign that supports co-creation. 

General

• Keep up to date with emerging technologies and industry trends to improve efficiency and fundraising potential.
• Maintain a strong applicable knowledge of the theatre’s programme, strategy and business plan.
• Attend staff meetings / training as required.
• Adhere to policies and procedures and act as an ambassador for best practice.

 
What Success Looks Like

• Reaching our fundraising target of £450k
• Growth in philanthropic income year-on-year
• Strong donor engagement, both recruitment and retention
• Increase in size and diversity of membership base including renewal of lapsed bookers
• A motivated, high-performing development team 
• Clear, compelling fundraising messaging around The Belgrade’s case for support embedded across the organisation 
• A sustainable funding model that supports artistic excellence and community impact

The postholder will be required to work from the theatre in Coventry, although some flexibility for occasional working from home is available subject to the needs of the business.  This role may require working weekends and evenings for attendance at Guest Nights and Stakeholder Events etc. from time to time for which time off can be taken in lieu. 

Please note the job description for this position may be reviewed and amended to incorporate future business needs.

Person Specification:
Essential - the successful candidate will meet the majority of these requirements.

• Experience delivering fundraising campaigns.
• Experience stewarding and supporting donors or supporters.
• Experience writing successful funding applications.
• Experience planning and delivering fundraising or community events.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Understanding of fundraising compliance, including GDPR and Gift Aid.
•  Awareness of current fundraising trends and inclusive fundraising practices.
• Proactive, organised and hands-on approach.
• Confidence building and maintaining professional relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Commitment to inclusivity, ethical fundraising and community values.
• Collaborative, adaptable and solution focused.
• Experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors or supporters
• Experience using CRM or database systems to manage supporter data
• Willingness to embrace the Belgrade’s Brand Values
• A genuine interest in inclusive arts, music and social impact

Desirable

• Experience of developing new fundraising initiatives from conception to realisation
• Experience of budget responsibility and reporting on achievements against targets
• Knowledge and experience of major gift fundraising

Apply Now
Upload your CV and Cover Letter
In your cover letter, tell us: 

• Why you want to work for The Belgrade Theatre?
• What experiences and skills do you have that you feel will illustrate your suitability for the role 

Our Commitment to Equality
 

The Belgrade Theatre is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment for everyone. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences—including but not limited to individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, faiths or beliefs, disabilities, and neurodiverse conditions.

We believe that a diverse workforce enriches our creative community and strengthens our connection to the audiences we serve. Our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do, and we strive to ensure that all employees and applicants feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring their full selves to work.
 

If you require any adjustments, accommodations, or assistance at any stage of the recruitment or application process, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will work with you to provide the support you need to make your application journey as accessible and comfortable as possible.

If you are applying through the Disability Confident Scheme, please reference that in your cover letter or application

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FORM

The Belgrade Theatre is committed to ensuring equal opportunities, aiming to attract and work with staff from a wide diverse pool. The information that you give us on this form will be treated confidentially and stored on our HR database as statistical information only. This will be used to help monitor the diversity of applicants and to enable us to continue to develop policies and procedures regarding diversity and to submit required data to our funders. The information you supply will not be made available to anyone in any form other than anonymous data.

At the Belgrade Theatre, we are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone has equal opportunity to thrive and contribute to telling powerful, diverse stories that reflect us
as a vibrant community.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Family Caseworker to join the Victims of Terrorism Unit (VTU) Hub team in our national hub for 37.5 hours a week.

Do you want to be of a dynamic team and make a difference to victims and survivors of terrorism? Do you want to contribute to change & improvement for those who need it? Do you have resilience & adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care?

If yes, then we'd love to hear from you…

What we offer

At Victim Support, we are committed to attracting and retaining the best talent. Our competitive rewards and benefits package includes:

• Flexible Working Options: Including hybrid working.
• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 33 days plus Bank Holidays, with options to buy or sell annual leave.
• Birthday Leave: An extra day off for your birthday.
• Pension Plan: 5% employer contribution.
• Enhanced Allowances: Enhanced sick pay, maternity, and paternity payments.
• Exclusive Discounts: High Street, retail, holiday, gym, entertainment, and leisure discounts.
• Financial Wellbeing: Access to our financial wellbeing hub and salary-deducted finance.
• Wellbeing Support: Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.
• Inclusive Networks: Access to EDI networks and colleague cafes.
• Sustainable Travel: Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loans.
• Career Development: Ongoing training and support with opportunities for career progression.

About the role:

You will provide trauma informed support to service users impacted by terrorism. Service users are at the heart of the work we do; working with the family, you will undertake a comprehensive needs assessment to agree a bespoke Support Plan that will include exploring the needs of children and young people within the family.

You will manage a caseload, completing actions agreed on Support Plans and reviewing needs with service users on a regular basis. You will advocate for service users with external stakeholders, agencies and aspects of the criminal justice system. You will build constructive relationships with these stakeholders whilst maintaining the highest standards of confidentiality and work collaboratively across VS.

You will support the Team Leader and Operations Manager in delivery of training and information presentations across a range of stakeholders both in person and online. This may require substantial travel and overnight stays.

Key Responsibilities:

You will have resilience and adaptability; understand the importance of professional boundaries; possess strong listening skills and the ability to demonstrate empathy.

You will enjoy the challenge of a busy caseload and will be able to demonstrate the excellent organisation skills essential to managing a demanding and diverse workload.

As a fully trained Homicide Family Caseworker you will be responsible for managing your own complex caseload to the highest quality standards.

You will need:

• Understanding of the impact of crime on victims.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven track record of successfully delivering services and working directly within a statutory, voluntary or multi agency setting(s).
• Ability to balance competing needs and priorities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• A successful track record of building effective working relationships across internal and external stakeholders.

About Us:

Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people affected by crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. We put them at the heart of our organisation and our support and campaigns are informed and shaped by them and their experiences.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

At Victim Support, we're proud to celebrate diversity and create a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We're committed to being an antiracist organisation, and we actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those from Black and Asian and other minoritised communities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we will offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet all essential criteria for a job where it is practicable to do so. We are also happy to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment and selection process.

How to apply:

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date. If you have already registered & started an application, then we will contact you to advise of the amended closing date wherever possible.

JOB TITLE:                         Centre Based Assistance Dog Instructor (Maternity Cover) 

LOCATION:                        Based at our Centre in Milton Keynes, with travel up to 3 hours 

SALARY BAND:                 £26K - £32K per annum, depending on experience. Line management experience desirable.

JOB TYPE:                          Full time and Part time applicants considered. Fixed Term of 12-18 months 

REPORTS TO:                    Interim Head of Assistance Dog Programme 

Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives. 

We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving alert assistance dogs to people with complex health problems across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease.

We have an exciting new opportunity to join this small but fast-growing charity that is a world leader in its specialist innovative field. 

The Role 

We are looking for a passionate and driven person who has previous proven experience and skills working as an Instructor within an Assistance Dog organisation, who has worked with clients and partnerships. The role includes supporting both clients who have had a MDD dog placed with them and also our own dog applicants with their puppies and young dogs to ensure they receive the highest standard of socialisation and early training in terms of obedience, public access and developing an alert to the applicant’s condition, with the aim to reach an accreditable assistance dog partnership status. The role will also include carrying out client specific and odour training for MDD own dogs, placing these dogs with their new clients and looking after a number of established partnerships. This role would suit somebody residing up to an hour from our centre in Milton Keynes.  

Duties that encompass the role of an Instructor include:  

• Be the first point of contact for the allocated partnerships in your area. To provide guidance and instruction to applicants who have applied to the charity to have their own dogs considered for the training programme guidance and instruction on handling, behaviour and obedience and odour training as well as newly placed partnerships.

• Alongside the Instructing team, to run puppy classes, public access training, recall sessions in small groups for applicant own dogs that are in line with the charity’s quality standards and in accordance with timescales and targets. 

• To also carry out support visits and home interviews for applicants and clients that have been allocated to you.  

• Regularly monitor progress of any young dogs and partnerships in training in your area and provide detailed, evidenced feedback to Interim Head of Assistance Dog Programme.

• To carry out client specific training with any MDD owned dogs that have been matched, including the required odour scent training.

• Instructing, guiding and supporting new assistance dog clients in managing and handling a Medical Alert Assistance Dog effectively, via pretraining, placement training and aftercare visits.

• Supporting partnerships in training in successfully reaching an accreditation standard and in maintaining this standard throughout the life of the partnership.

• To support a number of established partnerships in the form of aftercare, refresher training and yearly re-accreditations, assisting further afield on occasions as required.

Responsibilities  

• To escalate issues and problems to the Interim Head of Assistance Dog Programme as appropriate.

• To carry out scent assessments on any MDD dogs in socialising as and when required with the support of the rest of the Instructing Team.

• To plan, organise and deliver practical and theoretical training to clients, meeting their individual needs in line with agreed standards to include areas such as dog welfare, appropriate handling, commanding and overall management. This will involve working with the parents as Team Leader and child as Client and working with adult clients.
• Assess the team dynamics of the family & balancing the needs of all family members as well as those of the dog.
• Assess the individuals preferred learning style and amending as relevant to aid a client.
• To accompany the client into all regular environments that they will take the dog to, ensuring the dog behaves in an acceptable manner and that the client and others are aware and clear in terms of where they dog should reside and behave for e.g. public transport, place of work. To complete a check list of environments for any applicant own dogs in training who are on the programme to be assessed within.
• To support and advise clients in transferring the odour training from pot training and recognising alerting behaviours to establish real life alerting.
• To ensure all partnerships are in line with the ADUK regulations with regards to behaviour, obedience and welfare and branding.
• Due to the nature of the role, flexible working hours may be required in some instances to facilitate the effective delivery of the work e.g. working during the school holidays with school age clients.
• To monitor the correct and false alerting percentages of allocated partnerships via data analysis, advising where necessary until the correct alerting levels are achieved.
• To complete comprehensive reports and paperwork for any time spent with applicants or partnerships in training or established. Maintain accurate records by providing verbal and written information with agreed timescales about clients, dogs, applicants and apprentices as appropriate.
• To work alongside allocated partnerships with the aim of the partnership reaching an accredited standard and feeding back to the Interim Head of Assistance Dog Programme if there are any concerns that the accreditation cannot be achieved.
• To provide clients with appropriate aftercare services at regular intervals in their own homes in the form of annual visits, support visits or at refresher workshops run at the Centre to agreed standards.  This will include continual re-assessment of the dynamics of family and dog, formulating and training on appropriate solutions, as well as offering additional dog training advice.
• To deliver handling days as part of an applicant’s pretraining to include ‘Introduction to Assistance Dog’ ‘Advanced Handling’ and Family Handling.
• To scent train and seizure proof advanced dogs in preparation to be partnered with an adult or child client and ensure that applicant own dogs have received this at the earliest opportunity.
• To maintain the ongoing public access training with any advanced dog in scent training that has been allocated to them.
• To liaise with Independent Contractors as relevant.
• To provide support to the Charity’s public relations and fundraising functions as required, specifically in your area.
• To act as the ‘contact’ person for the assistance dog programme in relation to training policy procedures with clients and their families, other professional service providers and members of the public.  This will include on-going research and development of the project.
• As required, to liaise and provide support for Volunteers of the Charity.

Other 

• Share best practice with colleagues across the charity.

• Any other duties or tasks that are required to ensure the successful running of the Medical Alert Assistance Dog Department and the Charity overall.

PERSON SPECIFICATION 

SKILLS AND ABILITIES 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• High level of preparation, organisational and co-ordination skills
• Strong and clear teaching and instructing skills
• Experience of running puppy classes, carrying out public access training and recall sessions
• Able to develop training plans for any dogs in training under your care
• High level of self-motivation and planning
• Approachable, calm and empathetic to children and adults with debilitating and life-threatening conditions
• Happy to travel alone within the UK to visit any clients as necessary
• Willing to be on call for partnerships as and when required
• Willing to stay away from home in local accommodation when client locations are too far to travel back home
• Happy and able to have Medical Alert Assistance Dogs in training reside in your home
• Good team player, but equally able to work independently
• Positive, empathetic and calm attitude
• Able to embrace a constantly evolving organisation
• Flexible

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE 

Essential 

• Previous Assistance Dog Instructing and Dog Training experience
• Knowledge of AD(UK) and ADI regulations
• Law in relation to dogs 
• Knowledge of medical conditions relevant to puppies between 8 weeks and 2 years of age
• Knowledge of dog and human psychology
• Proven evidence and experience of dog handling and training skills
• Previous experience of teaching and instructing
• Sound dog training and dog behaviour knowledge
• IT literacy and report writing skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom and SharePoint
• Full UK driving licence
• Pass a DBS (CRB) check due to regular contact with children

Preferable  

• Knowledge of debilitating medical conditions and understanding of how they can impact people, both physically and psychologically, particularly when they are unstable and fluctuating
• Previous knowledge of odour/scent training
• Previous line management experience 

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES ​

• Strong and clear teaching and instructing skills 

• Approachable, calm and empathetic to children and adults with debilitating and life threatening conditions 

• Able to embrace a constantly evolving organisation

• You should be supportive of the charitable aims of Medical Detection Dogs and capable of working as part of a team, as well as able to motivate yourself

• You should be adaptable and positively embrace change by not only being flexible towards the ideas of others but also putting forward ideas to colleagues. This will involve creativity in problem solving and making appropriate responses to new ideas and unexpected situations

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• You should be supportive of the charitable aims of Medical Detection Dogs and capable of working as part of a team, as well as being able to motivate yourself.
• You should be adaptable and positively embrace change by not only being flexible towards the ideas of others but also putting forward ideas to colleagues. This will involve creativity in problem-solving and making appropriate responses to new ideas and unexpected situations.

DIVERITY, EQUALITY & INCLUSION

We are a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive Charity. Medical Detection Dogs thrives when everyone feels comfortable bringing their best self to work. We celebrate difference, whilst striving to create an environment where colleagues feel respected and valued for their unique potential. We are committed to our values on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Charity Values

All employees are expected to uphold the charity’s core values in their daily work. This includes demonstrating respect through open and considerate communication, fostering cooperation by working collaboratively, maintaining honesty in all interactions and ensuring fairness through just and transparent decision-making.

Finally, the successful candidate will also be expected to: 

• Hold a full UK Driving Licence 

• Provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK. 

• Undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check 

• Work some evenings and weekends 

• Be willing to travel to the Centre based near Milton Keynes