• Vacancy ID:
    750
  • Closing Date: Closing Date:
    22 January 2026
  • All LocationsAll Locations:
    Central Region
  • Advertising SalarySalary
    £85,000 to £95,000
  • Contract TypeContract Type:
    Permanent
  • Directorate:
    Operations
  • Hours Per WeekHours Per Week:
    35
  • About The Role

  • The Head of Guide Dog Service Region helps people with sight loss to live the life they choose by leading the regional delivery of the Guide Dog Service (GDS). Accountable for the end-to-end dog and customer journey across their team, encompassing puppy raising, guide dog training, welfare and partnerships. They will work collaboratively as part of the GDS senior leadership team, shaping the strategic delivery approach and enable the GDS flourish through the provision of inspirational leadership, meeting KPI’s through high performing, effective, engaged teams and enabling life-changing outcomes for people with sight loss.
     
    This role will be based at our Leamington site with a regional remit and frequent travel across our locations.
     
    We offer a generous pension scheme, annual leave, life assurance and enhanced pay for parenting and sickness leave. In addition, we provide an Employee Assistance Programme, flexible benefits package and discounts and cashback scheme to care for our people. 

    More details can be found in the attached candidate pack and job description.

    Candidate requirements

    To be able to fulfil this role, the skills and experience we are looking for in a potential candidate include;
     
    Essential
    Management/leadership qualification or equivalent professional knowledge gained through experience.   
    Degree educated or equivalent experience. 
    Proven track record in leading and managing a multi-skilled / multidisciplinary team of staff working across multiple sites, to achieve results balancing local needs against national priorities.  
    Substantial track record of leadership at senior management level (or equivalent) in an organisation of comparable size and complexity.
    Proven experience of budget management.
    Experience of delivering productivity gains within a service environment.
    Delivering successful project outcomes and organisation change.   
    Track record in supporting organisational change, influencing, building and sustaining relationships to achieve results.
    Demonstrable experience of developing and delivering people centred services to external customers.
    An understanding of customer relations and meeting the needs of a variety of customers. 
    An understanding of the principles required for effective financial management. 
    Demonstrable knowledge of the role of volunteers in effective service delivery.
    Knowledge of the landscape impacting service delivery to people with sight loss.
    Computer literate with proficient Microsoft Office skills. 
    Excellent organisational skills, working under pressure and to deadlines.
    Effective planning and project management skills with the ability to set and work to personal, team and organisational deadlines.  
    Experience managing budgets and liaising with financial teams.  
    Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills with people at all levels.   
    Strong written and oral communication skills including presentation skills. 
    Strong coaching/mentoring skills.  
    Committed to high standards and continuous improvement.  
    Experience of and commitment to continuous organisational improvement and the ability to act as a change agent.  
    Ability to engage, conduct, diagnose, analyse findings, generate options and build commitment to solutions.  
  • About Us

  • If you want to know more about the teams who work at Guide Dogs, you can find it on our Careers Page
     
    Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
     
    Guide Dogs welcomes applications from all sections of the community and actively encourages diversity to maximise achievements, creativity and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality. 

    We encourage applications from people with disabilities as they are currently under-represented in the organisation and guarantee an invitation to interview for all applicants with disabilities who demonstrate, within their application form, sufficient evidence to meet the essential criteria for the job.
     
    If you are successful you will need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK via our digital ID checking supplier; in addition, we cannot offer visa sponsorship at this time.
     
    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.
     
    Guide Dogs follow Safer Recruitment practices to ensure we are safeguarding the vulnerable people we work with. As part of this, we require a full work history with any gaps accounted for & a minimum of 2 professional referee details fully covering the past 5 years. If you are applying for a disclosure role, please note that you will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and sign up to the DBS update service.
     
    How to apply 
     
    You may have particular needs to be able to complete your application, If you would like support please contact our Recruitment Team on 0118 3540345 or [email protected]
     
    As part of your application ensure you provide evidence and examples of how your skills & experience meet the criteria as set out in the attached job description. 


     

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