Something wag-worthy is happening in Wapping, and we’re looking for an exceptional Lead Groomer & Salon Manager to take the reins.
Dogeast isn’t your average pet shop, we want to be the heart of the dog-loving community in Wapping and East London, bringing premium pet care closer to home. We bring together top-quality pet supplies, expert grooming, and a genuinely welcoming space for dogs and their humans. We’re building a pack, and there’s a real place in it for a groomer who’s early in their journey and keen to grow.
The Role
This is a senior, hands-on role for a groomer who’s ready to lead and run a salon. You’ll set the standard on the table - beautiful, high-quality grooms across all breeds - while leading a small team, managing the day-to-day running of the salon, and making sure every dog and every owner has a great experience. There’s real scope here to put your stamp on a growing business.
Day to day, you’ll:
- Deliver full grooms to the highest standard - bathing, drying, clipping, hand stripping, scissoring, and styling to breed standards or owner preferences
- Set and uphold the salon’s grooming standards, finishing, and welfare practices
- Lead, support, and mentor a small team of groomers - sharing skills and helping them grow
- Manage the salon floor day to day
- Confidently assess coat condition and skin health, and advise owners on aftercare
- Handle every dog calmly and patiently, with welfare always coming first
- Keep the salon and equipment spotless, safe, and to a high hygiene standard
- Work closely with the wider Dogeast team to keep the salon and shop joined up
A Space Built Around Groomers
Our salon is designed around the groomer’s routine, not just squeezed around the dogs. We’ve thought carefully about how the space works for you:
- State-of-the-art grooming stations and high-quality tools provided
- Thoughtful layout with a natural flow from wash to dry to groom
- Natural light, good ventilation, and a low-noise design
- Everything on one floor - no stairs
- Lockers, a changing area, and somewhere safe for your personal things
- A clean, calm, non-chaotic environment to work in
Our Culture
Our culture is built around genuine care - for the pets we look after and the people we work with. We treat every dog with the patience, respect, and attention we’d want for our own, and we hold ourselves to high standards on health, safety, and cleanliness. Just as importantly, we want our team to feel comfortable, supported, and proud of the work they do.
Our Kind of Person
We’re building a team of skilled, reliable groomers who take pride in their work and care deeply about the pets they handle. You’ll fit right in if you’re:
- Passionate about animal care and welfare
- Professional and reliable
- Kind and friendly
- Team-oriented
- Open and transparent in how you communicate
- Always up for learning something new
What We’re Looking For
- Several years’ professional salon grooming experience, with proven leadership or salon management responsibility
- Level 3 dog grooming qualification (or equivalent hands-on training and experience)
- Confident grooming to all breed standards, across every coat type and styling request
- Strong hand-scissoring and clipping skills, with finishing you’re proud of
- Experience leading or managing a salon team - rotas, standards, day-to-day operations
- Calm, organised, and confident running a busy salon’s flow
- A grooming portfolio showcasing your work, and references from previous salon employment
- Eligible to work in the UK
What We Offer
- Competitive pay, based on experience
- Full-time or part-time - we’re happy to be flexible for the right person
- The chance to lead and shape a salon as it grows
- A workplace genuinely designed around its team
- A client base in an underserved corner of East London
- Company pension
Sound Like You?
If you’ve got the skills, the standards, and the warmth to lead a salon - and you want to build something genuinely community-minded - we’d love to hear from you.
To apply, send us:
- Your CV
- Photos of your grooms
Fresh cuts, shiny coats, and happy tails only.
Pay: From £19.50 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
