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The Guide Dogs Academy is home to our world-class training programmes aimed at recruiting, training and developing our expanding specialist workforce of Guide Dog Trainers (GDT) and Guide Dogs Mobility Specialists (GDMS).

These roles are crucial to ensure Guide Dogs meets the needs of people living with sight loss and supports them in living the life they chose.

The Academy is currently recruiting for three Academy Guide Dog Mobility Specialists to join our training programme in Atherton starting in October 2023.

What is a Guide Dog Mobility Specialist?

Our GDMSs aim to successfully create a long-lasting partnership between a Guide Dog and a person with sight loss. This takes a huge amount of time, skill, patience and dedication. It is also one of the most rewarding jobs you could have.

This is not your normal 9 to 5 role, and no two days are the same -one day you may be in planning meetings, another day walking in the wind and rain training dogs, or you could be working with a service user resolving challenges.

In the following video Natalie, one of our GDMS, tells you why she loves her role: Natalie - Guide Dog Mobility Specialist

What does the training involve?

The Academy GDMS role offers full training in becoming a qualified GDMS. Using our industry leading learning platform ‘Guide Dogs Learning’ you will work under one of our Technical Learning Specialists in a cohort of three learners to become proficient in every aspect of the GDMS role including dog training, sight loss awareness, creating and implementing training plans and completing coursework and research projects as required.

Once you have completed the learning and development programme in the Academy, you will join your local in Atherton.

As an Academy GDMS your starting salary will be from £22,660 to £28,000 per annum dependent on experience. Throughout your training you will receive competency-based gradual salary increments. Once you are fully competent and graduate from the Academy (usually within 3 years of starting training), your salary will increase to £34,122.

What are we looking for?

The GDMS is an important and special role and requires a very special person to become one! We’re looking for people with a determined and positive mindset who have a passion for supporting and empowering people – and of course, you also need to love dogs! You’ll be active, professional, and committed to providing the best service to our service users. We take your professional development seriously and you’ll be working with world-leaders in the dog behaviour space, so be prepared to learn and add to your current skills.

Should you be shortlisted you’ll be required to attend an initial virtual online interview to take place week commencing 10th July 2023 and may subsequently be invited to attend our Assessment Day in Atherton due to take place week commencing 24th July 2023.

To be successful in this role, ideally you will have:

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  Previous practical experience working or volunteering with adults and/or young people and/or animals in a supportive capacity.

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  Experience of teaching, coaching and mentoring individuals and/or groups.

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  Understanding of positive training approaches and techniques in the development of human or animal behaviour.

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  You'll be empathetic and understanding of individual’s needs, as well as demonstrate resilience working in a challenging environment and being flexible to change.

For the complete list of all criteria necessary to be successful in this role please see the Job Description below. There is also a FAQ document and tips on making a great application.

Due to the element of working with our service users there may be restrictions regarding when you are able to take annual leave. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that holidays can be taken during school holidays for example. During your training there will be other times where annual leave will be limited.

During your learning programme you will be allocated a vehicle to ensure the safe transport of dogs and people to various locations for training and development purposes. The vehicle may also be used for private use outside of working hours (subject to benefit in kind tax and you will be required to repay your private mileage at the HMRC advisory fuel rate (AFR rate).

More information about Guide Dogs Academy and the role can be found here:https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/about-us/careers/guide-dogs-academy/

How to apply

Our recruitment system has a one-hour time limit; therefore, we would advise you to prepare everything first and then copy and paste into the online form once finalised.

The application form is made up of 3 mandatory elements;

1 – Upload a current CV.

2 – Upload a cover letter. Use clear examples to demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the criteria as specified within the job description.

3 – Fully complete the online form. This includes providing the details of professional referees (minimum of 2) to ensure a full 5-year professional referee history is provided.

Diversity

Guide Dogs’ welcomes applicants regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. We are a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role.

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.

We reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date.

We cannot provide sponsorship for this role. If you have any questions please contact our Academy Recruitment Team on 0118 3540345 or [email protected]