Job opportunities

The Kennel Club is committed to activities that promote the culture of equality of opportunity. We recognise the worth of every individual and appreciate the benefits to be gained from making full use of people's talents to enhance our business performance.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion procedures result in no job applicant or employee receiving less-favourable treatment on the grounds of:

• race
• age
• gender reassignment 
• religion or belief
• disability
• marriage or civil partnership
• sex
• sexual orientation 
• pregnancy or maternity

The Kennel Club's objective is to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and otherwise treated solely on the basis of their relevant aptitudes, skills and abilities. All employees are responsible for ensuring that our equal opportunities policy is adhered to.

To work for The Kennel Club you need to be passionate about making a difference for dogs. We believe that the unique skills and dedicated work of our staff should be rewarded. Below are some of the benefits we offer our staff:

Salary

We offer salaries that reflect the market we operate in and regularly check ourselves against similar roles in other organisations.

• Employer pension contributions double the percentage of your plan earnings, up to 8%
• Life assurance equivalent to three times your basic salary (two times your basic salary for non-pension scheme members)

Work-life balance

• 23 days annual leave, increasing up to 27 days, in addition to statutory holidays. Staff may also receive additional days for any approved business closure days over the festive period in December
• Option to buy up to five days of annual leave per year
• Flexible working – formal and informal flexible working arrangements. The options available will depend on individual circumstances, and the demands and priorities of the department in which employees are based
• Family leave; including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, parental and dependant leave
• Sabbatical leave

Health and wellbeing

• Healthcare cashback programme with a fixed contribution paid for by The Kennel Club
• Free eye tests with a voucher towards the cost of your spectacles
• Employee assistance programme, providing access to independent advisors and counsellors for staff and their immediate families
• Occupational health which we can refer staff if there are any health concerns
• Flu vaccination vouchers
• Discounted gym membership
• Cycle to work scheme

Learning and development

We aim to create an environment where individuals are able to take responsibility for their own learning and development; an environment which recognises learning as an important element of organisational and individual achievement. We aim for continuous improvement in everything that we do.

• Dedicated Senior Learning and Development Officer
• Learning Management System which consists of over 500 courses
• Open Training Programme with a spectrum of both in-house and external courses, comprising both practical skills and personal development opportunities which are supported by access to internal coaching
• Financial support for professional and vocational qualifications, with five days' study leave provided
• Free access to The Kennel Club Library and Art Gallery

Financial Benefits

• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Lifestyle discounts via our EAP and healthcare cashback programme
• Discounts on The Kennel Club products and services
• Complimentary staff tickets to Crufts and Discover Dogs

Recognition

• Referral program – we are constantly looking for ways to attract and recruit the best talent possible who share our core values and aspirations
• Values nomination – we encourage colleagues to nominate individuals and teams who they believe have displayed behaviour that demonstrates The Kennel Club values
• Long service - to show our appreciation, staff would receive monetary rewards and a thank you card from our Chief Executive for their 10, 20 and 25 years’ service milestone

At The Kennel Club we promote and encourage our oneKC values.  They are called ‘oneKC’ because we believe that all employees are integral in embedding our values in the culture of the organisation.

Our oneKC values are:

Respect

Recognise and appreciate the value that each person contributes and treat each other with dignity.

Growth

Everyone is open to learning and adapting to new challenges and opportunities.

Teamwork

Our collective ambition can only be achieved by supporting, sharing and working together as oneKC.

Ownership

We accept the responsibility for our decisions, workload, and the way we interact with others.

Excellence

We take pride in our work. We aim high and celebrate excellence in achieving and surpassing our goals.

Future Focused

The world is changing faster than ever before. We must be future focussed to remain relevant, impactful and inclusive.

The purpose of our values is to:

• Create a shared set of behaviours
• Help build a common purpose that we stand for
• Enable more transparency and consistency across the breadth of our work
• Provide guidance – we are more likely to make the right decisions in the right way and achieve our vision and goals
• Deliver a stronger framework for recruitment, progression, feedback – the ‘how’ is as important as the ‘what’

An opportunity has arisen in the Canine Activities team for a Breed Shows Liaison Advisor.

The role is responsible for providing an excellent customer experience to participants of breed shows through responding to enquiries both written and by telephone, being the primary contact for breed show participants at The Kennel Club.

What the role involves:

• Acting as the secretariat for and attending Show Executive Committee, Breed and Shows Liaison Councils.
• Responding to breed show enquiries and complaints.
• Processing permission to show applications.
• Liaising with the regional support network to process any post show incidents, including disputes with awards.
• Attending breed shows and events in the region to help build relationships between The Kennel Club and our grassroots.
  

The ideal candidate will have:

• Knowledge of Kennel Club breed shows rules and regulations (or a willingness to learn).
• Knowledge of dog breed showing. (or a willingness to learn)
• Previous experience using a CRM system or similar tools
• Previous experience in an account management style of customer service.
• Previous experience in handling complaints.

We are looking for a Breed Shows Liaison Advisor who has excellent time management and organisational skills in order to be able to support the team effectively. You will also need to be reliable and flexible and be able to deal respectfully with internal and external customers. 

Job Details:

Permanent - Full Time

Location: London/Hybrid (2 days a week in our London office)

Salary: £30,000 - £33,000 (Dependant on experience)

Closing date: 9 December 2024

Please be advised that if you are a member of The Kennel Club and are successful in your application you will be required to relinquish your membership.

We are seeking a Judges Education Manager to lead and inspire a dedicated team. This role offers a unique opportunity to drive excellence in judges’ education across all canine disciplines recognised by The Kennel Club while ensuring adherence to the highest standards in a high-paced, hybrid working environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership: Effectively manage and motivate a hybrid team, ensuring strong performance and collaboration.
• Complaint Triage & Resolution: Utilise excellent analytical and precision thinking skills to assess complaints, interpret Kennel Club regulations, and execute holistic reviews to determine appropriate escalation pathways.
• Communication: Draft clear, concise, and well-reasoned correspondence for outcome decisions and committee briefs, simplifying complex issues into understandable rationales.
• Conflict Management: Confidently handle challenging situations and audiences with objectivity, patience, and resilience.
• Education and Regulations Expertise: Leverage and enhance understanding of Kennel Club rules and regulations relevant to judges of all dog activities, as well as maximising the utilisation of the Kennel Club Academy for education of judges.
• Process Integrity: Uphold a high degree of confidentiality, discretion, and integrity while managing a demanding workload.
• System & Service Management: Use CRM systems effectively and provide account-management-style customer service to internal and external stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Previous experience in a Leadership/Management role.
• Outstanding written communication skills to articulate decisions and prepare high-level briefs.
• Confidence, resilience, and patience when navigating challenging environments.
• A strong understanding of The Kennel Club rules, regulations, and education systems across all canine activities.
• Previous experience in working with CRM systems and understanding customer service principles.
• A genuine passion for promoting excellence and integrity of judges within the canine world.

We are looking for a Breed Shows Liaison Advisor who has excellent time management and organisational skills in order to be able to support the team effectively. You will also need to be reliable and flexible and be able to deal respectfully with internal and external customers. 

Job Details:

Permanent - Full Time

Location: London/Hybrid (2 days a week in our London office)

Salary: £45,000 - £50,000 per annum(Dependant on experience)

Closing date: 2 December 2024

Please be advised that if you are a member of The Kennel Club and are successful in your application you will be required to relinquish your membership.