Puppy Development Advisor

This is a 12-month fixed-term role requiring daily travel across the Kent area. Standard working hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. During the initial training period, travel will also include Sussex and Hertfordshire.

You're passionate about puppy development and positive training techniques, with a solid understanding of canine learning and behaviour modification. You love helping others grow their confidence and skills while making a meaningful impact on the future of life-changing partnerships.

We're looking for someone with hands-on experience in puppy development and volunteer management. You'll have a background in running puppy classes, implementing behaviour modification plans for young dogs, and guiding volunteers to raise puppies for a future career as a Guide Dog.

As a Puppy Development Advisor, you'll support volunteers across your area to raise well-rounded, confident puppies through the Guide Dogs Puppy Raising Programme. From initial placement to preparing puppies for their next steps, you'll provide practical guidance, coaching, and training to ensure every pup gets the best start possible.

You'll build strong relationships with volunteers, offering regular one-to-one support, delivering puppy classes, and hosting group sessions, both virtually and in person. Your role will involve assessing puppy development, addressing behavioural challenges, and collaborating with colleagues to create tailored training and care plans.

Do you have experience in Organizational skills?, * Proven experience in positive reinforcement dog training or canine behaviour modification

• A strong understanding of puppy development
• Ideally, a degree in an animal-related subject such as behaviour, training, or welfare
• Confidence delivering training in various formats and building rapport with people as well as dogs
• Organisational skills and adaptability to respond to different situations

Experience in volunteer management or animal welfare is highly desirable, and confidence using Microsoft Office and databases is important for maintaining accurate records and planning your workload. This is a varied and rewarding role where you'll make a difference every day, supporting people and puppies.

Trebuchet MS with Updated Inkey Blue, Every day is different at Guide Dogs. And no person with sight loss is the same. We work side by side, on our sites and in the community, in schools and on our streets, supporting people to live the life they choose. Our staff therefore also work in different ways to support the delivery of our life changing work. Safeguarding Guide Dogs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk of harm with whom we work. We expect all our employees and volunteers to fully share this commitment. At Guide Dogs, we believe in fair and equitable hiring practices. A criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration for a position. Each case will be evaluated individually, taking into account the nature of the offense, its relevance to the role, and the time that has passed since the incident. We encourage all candidates to disclose relevant information, and we assure you that it will be handled confidentially and fairly.