Dog Welfare Assistant

**Hours**: 37.5 hours per week on a 6 week rolling rota, including weekends and bank holidays

**Closing date**: Wednesday 22nd October 2025

**Purpose**:Join our passionate team and help make a real difference in the lives of dogs in our care and to their future families

**Responsibilities**:

- **Be a team player** - Support the Centre Management team with a variety of tasks, depending on your training and experience.
- **Care for our dogs** - Provide loving, welfare-focused care including feeding, grooming, cleaning, enrichment, exercise, & medication.
- **Keep things spotless** - Help maintain high standards of hygiene & cleanliness across the site and vehicles.
- **Support adoptions** - Guide potential adopters through our Meet & Match® process, offering friendly, tailored advice for each dog & person.
- **Help dogs thrive** - Deliver training plans to dogs who need a little extra support, as directed by the Centre Trainer & management team
- **Stay organised** - Keep accurate records of dog care, behaviour, vet visits, medication & other important details.
- **Pitch in at reception** - Assist with admin tasks and customer service for both the rescue & enterprise services such as boarding and facilities hire.
- **A friendly face** - Provide a warm, professional service to visitors & callers.
- **Champion our cause** - Promote fundraising opportunities & encourage donations, volunteering, and support.
- **Handle tough moments with care** - Support colleagues & maintain professionalism during sensitive situations across the organisation.
- **Add value to the experience** - Promote our shop, insurance partnerships, and enterprise services to enhance customer satisfaction.
- **Stay safe** - Follow all Health & Safety guidelines & report any concerns promptly, including during lone working situations.

**Be flexible** - Take on other reasonable duties as needed to support the team & our mission.

**Organisational Skills and Values**
- _**JGDR upholds the organisational Values of Kindness, Compassion, Honesty & Purposefulness in all aspects of the work of the Charity**_.
- You understand what our visitors are looking for, especially when it comes to finding their perfect match through our **Meet & Match®** process.
- You are a great communicator - warm, honest, and helpful - and you leave people feeling supported and valued.
- **Proactive & Flexible** - You take initiative, spot ways to improve how we work, and are happy to adapt when needed, sometimes even outside your usual hours.
- **Emotionally Resilient** - You are self-aware and able to manage stress in a busy, sometimes emotional environment, staying calm and focused.
- **Respectful & Supportive** - You work well with others, value different roles and perspectives, and handle sensitive conversations with kindness and clarity.
- **Determined & Caring** - You bounce back from challenges and help others do the same, offering reassurance and stability when it’s needed most.
- **Trustworthy & Reliable** - You do what you say you’ll do, and you’re always ready to go the extra mile for the dogs, your team, and our visitors.
- **Physically Capable** - You’re able to maintain the level of fitness needed to carry out the practical aspects of the role

**Role -specific knowledge and skills**

**Qualifications & Experience**

**Essential**:

- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to discuss dog welfare confidently with colleagues and the public.
- Qualified to National Diploma Level or NVQ 2 or equivalent in animal care and/or experience (paid or voluntary) in a dog rescue or animal welfare environment.
- Understanding of dog welfare standards, with a person-centred approach to individual care.
- Ability to contribute to dog assessments and care plans.
- Physically fit to meet the demands of the role.
- Willingness to work flexibly, including outside contracted hours when needed.
- Accurate record-keeping and adherence to Health & Safety procedures.
- Full, clean UK driving licence held for at least one year (minimum age 21 due to insurance).

**Desirable**:

- Customer care qualification or experience.

Experience working within a team environment, including volunteers.

**Performance Measure and Relationships**

**1. Dog Welfare & Care** Consistently delivers high standards of care and enrichment, ensuring dogs’ safety, physical & emotional needs are met follows individual care plans & contributes to their development through accurate observations & assessments.

**2. Customer Experience** Provides friendly, informative, & compassionate support to visitors, supporters and adopters.

**3. Teamwork & Collaboration** Works effectively with colleagues & volunteers, contributing to a supportive & respectful team culture whilst communicating clearly & professionally across all levels. Supporting during challenging situations with empathy and resilience. Supports our live-in management employees to have uninterrupted time away from work,