Head of Canine and Membership Engagement

The Royal Kennel Club is recruiting a Head of Canine Activities and Engagement, a leadership role at the operational heart of all canine activities.

We want to hear from people with deep roots in the dog community who understand canine activities from the grassroots and are motivated to strengthen trust, participation and quality across the sport.

Reporting to the Chief Canine and Membership Engagement Officer, this role provides senior operational leadership across canine activities, judges education, ensuring delivery, performance and continuous improvement.

You will provide visible, credible leadership, act as the senior point of escalation for complex operational or reputational issues and ensure the dog community’s voice and experience inform organisational decision making.

• Building strong trusted relationships with exhibitors/participants, breed clubs, show secretaries, judges, volunteers and partners
• Leading operational delivery and continuous improvement of senior operational teams, ensuring high standards, consistency and compliance
• Working with sporting committees to support development, participation and long-term sustainability
• Strengthening regional support networks to increase local engagement and impact
• Balancing participation, quality and financial viability across activities

This is a highly visible, hands-on role for someone with credibility, empathy and practical understanding of how canine activities operate in practice.

We welcome interest from within the dog community who bring the right experience, judgement and commitment to dogs.

Please be advised that we cannot provide sponsorship for this role.

If you are a member of the Royal Kennel Club and are successful, you will need to relinquish your membership.

The Kennel Club welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. All appointment will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process in line with the Equality Act 2010

Formed in 1873, The Kennel Club exist to make a positive difference for dogs and their owners. Our key areas of activity include:

• Helping potential dog owners find the right dog for them, and work with the dog breeding community to ensure those dogs are healthy and happy.
• Supporting dog owners to access high quality training and pet insurance and provide a range of advice and support to help ensure the ongoing wellbeing of dogs.
• Working with breeders, judges, competitors and exhibitors to organise world-class events and to develop the resources they need to thrive.

The primary objective of the Royal Kennel Club is to improve in every way the welfare, health, and general wellbeing of all dogs throughout their lives, by means of various research and educational programmes, and our Charitable Trust. The Kennel Club is an organisation committed to promoting and protecting dogs’ varied roles in society and defending the interests of all dog owners.

Benefits: 25 days annual leave, which will increase by one day for every full year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days). Employees contribution a minimum of 3%, while we contribute double the percentage, up to a maximum of 8%. Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay. Discounts on The Kennel Club products and services. Discounted gym membership. Free eye tests.

Complimentary staff tickets to Crufts.