Kennel & Trustee Liaison Manager
Location: Nantwich, Cheshire
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week, working 5 days from 7
Driving Requirements: Full UK driving licence and access to your own transport essential
Experience: Previous kennel or rescue experience essential
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced and highly organised Kennel & Trustee Liaison Manager to support the management and administration of our rescue kennels.
This is a key management position responsible for staff management, kennel administration, compliance, fundraising coordination and communication between the kennel team and the charity's trustees.
This is not a hands-on dog care role. Our Kennel Hands will continue to be responsible for the day-to-day practical care of the dogs. The purpose of this position is to provide the management, organisation and administrative support required to ensure the kennels operate effectively. There may be occasion and opportunity for secondary kennel tasks to be undertaken under this role.
A strong understanding of kennel environments and dog welfare is essential, as the successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing processes relating to the dogs, staff and site.
Key Responsibilities
Staff Management
You will have day-to-day management responsibility for the kennel team, including:
- Preparing and managing staff rotas
- Managing annual leave and holiday requests
- Supporting disciplinary and other formal employment processes
- Onboarding new members of staff
- Performance management
- Conducting regular 1-to-1 meetings and development plans
- Coordinating staff training and compliance
- Processing and submitting staff travel expenses
- Providing clear expectations, guidance and support to the kennel team
Kennel Management & Compliance
You will oversee the administrative and operational management of the kennel site, including:
- Maintaining positive relationships with the landlord and neighbouring properties
- Preparing the site and documentation for annual inspections and other visits
- Monitoring site cleanliness and ensuring required repairs and maintenance are identified and addressed
- Supporting compliance with Health & Safety requirements
- Preparing for Health & Safety and other regulatory visits
- Coordinating meet and greets for prospective adopters
- Ensuring appropriate feedback is provided following adoption meet and greets
- Identifying operational issues and ensuring appropriate actions are followed through
Dog Administration & Welfare Coordination
Although this is not a hands-on dog care position, you will have responsibility for ensuring important dog-related administrative processes are completed accurately and on time.
This will include:
- Creating and maintaining a schedule of dog assessments
- Ensuring assessments contain an appropriate level of detail and are useful to the teams relying on them
- Ensuring completed assessments are uploaded to the relevant systems promptly
- Scheduling veterinary appointments when required
- Monitoring vaccination dates and other routine veterinary requirements
- Coordinating trainers and behavioural support where required
- Assigning adoptability grades using consistent criteria including sociability, resilience, behaviour, training requirements and home-matching considerations
- Working closely with the adoption and foster teams to communicate individual dogs' needs, risks and suitable placement requirements
- Ensuring agreed training or management plans are followed by the kennel team
Fundraising & Cost Coordination
The role will support fundraising for kennel-related expenditure outside of core rent, wages and utility costs.
This may include fundraising towards:
- Veterinary treatment
- Dog transport costs
- Trainers and behavioural support
- Food and kennel supplies
- Seasonal and festive activities
- Team events and meals
- Other exceptional kennel or dog-related costs
Trustee Liaison
A key part of this position is acting as the communication bridge between the kennel operation and the charity's trustees.
Responsibilities will include:
- Providing trustees with clear updates on kennel operations
- Briefing the trustee board on shifts and developments across the charity's kennel operations
- Clearly identifying concerns, required actions and outstanding issues
- Escalating matters requiring trustee input or decisions
- Ensuring responsibilities between the kennel team, management and trustees are clearly understood
- Following up agreed actions and ensuring they are completed
- Maintaining clear communication between operational and governance teams
The role will require an understanding of where operational responsibility ends and trustee responsibility begins. For example, final decisions regarding a dog's future may sit with trustees, while ensuring an agreed muzzle-training programme is completed would sit with the kennel team.
About You
We are looking for someone who:
- Has previous kennel, rescue or relevant animal welfare experience
- Has experience managing staff and day-to-day operations
- Is confident dealing with performance, disciplinary and other staff-management matters
- Is highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities
- Has strong written and verbal communication skills
- Is confident using digital systems and maintaining accurate records
- Understands the importance of confidentiality and professional communication
- Can identify problems, establish clear actions and follow them through
- Is comfortable communicating with staff, volunteers, trustees and external professionals
- Understands the importance of consistent processes within an animal welfare environment
- Can work independently while maintaining regular communication with the trustee team
A full UK driving licence and access to your own transport are essential.
This is an opportunity for someone with strong kennel knowledge who is looking to move into a predominantly management, coordination and administrative position while continuing to play an important role in dog welfare and rescue operations.
Pay: Up to £16.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Nantwich CW5 8AJ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Managerial : 3 years (preferred)
- Kennel: 3 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: In person
