Dog Groomer – Lead Groomer (Launch Role)
Location: Peckham, South London
Salary: £14.80 to £17 an hour depending on experience (up to £33,00 a year)
Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours / week) or PT options available
Benefits: Monthly team training, team socials, quarterly profit‑share bonuses
Join a team where people and pups grow together... And help us launch something new!
About Us
Paws & Pause is a social enterprise dog daycare with a difference. We provide premium care for dogs while offering structured work experience to people rebuilding their lives after long-term unemployment, often due to mental ill-health or substance use. We believe dogs and humans both thrive in environments that are fun, inclusive, and safe.
We’re proud to be a progressive workplace – that means shared responsibility, open conversations, space to grow, and fewer top‑down rules.
In 2026, we're expanding: we’re opening our first ever grooming space at our Peckham site!
This is not just a grooming job, it’s a chance to help build something from the ground up.
About the Role
We’re looking for a skilled groomer who’s excited by autonomy, responsibility and the chance to shape a brand‑new service.
As our lead (and first) groomer, you’ll be central to launching and running the Paws & Pause Grooming offering. That means:
Grooming & Dog Care
- Delivering high‑quality grooms with welfare at the centre
- Adapting styles to different breeds, coats and temperaments
- Supporting nervous dogs and building trusting relationships with families
- Keeping detailed notes, updates and honest feedback for owners
- Manage bookings and customer service
Process Building & Ownership
- Helping design and refine our grooming processes, service menu, safety standards and client journey
- Informing equipment choices, setup, layout and workflow as we grow
- Shaping best practice for a grooming service inside a busy daycare environment
Teamwork & Values
- Working alongside our daycare team to coordinate dog movement safely
- Welcoming and supporting trainees on site
- Bringing ideas, initiative and a “let’s make this better” mindset
- Upholding Paws & Pause’s inclusive, supportive and progressive culture
Cleanliness & Safety
- Maintaining top hygiene standards
- Following risk assessments and COSHH procedures
- Keeping equipment and tools well maintained
You’ll Love This Job If You…
- Want autonomy and the chance to take real ownership of a new service
- Enjoy grooming but also enjoy building things — systems, routines, relationships
- Have a startup attitude: proactive, solutions‑focused, comfortable with shaping the unknown
- Are passionate about dog welfare and positive handling
- Value inclusive, supportive, values‑driven workplaces
- Communicate clearly and kindly
- Are reliable, organised and confident working both independently and as part of a tight-knit team
What We Offer
- A unique opportunity to grow a grooming service from day one
- Quarterly profit‑share (launched in 2025)
- Monthly in‑house training and access to external learning (can include grooming CPD, first aid, behaviour)
- A supportive, progressive workplace that invests in you
- Opportunities to help shape the future of grooming across Paws & Pause as we expand
- A fun, welcoming environment where dogs, trainees and staff come first
- Real trust, responsibility and space to develop your career
What You Need
(You can edit these depending on your hiring stance)
- 2+ years grooming experience (or equivalent qualification)
- Ability to complete full grooms independently
- Strong welfare-first approach
- Confidence managing a variety of breeds and temperaments
- Good communication and customer service skills
How to Apply
Please send us your CV and a short cover letter explaining:
- Why you’d love to work with us
- What excites you about being the first groomer in a brand-new service
- How your experience and values align with Paws & Pause
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: Up to £33,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Employee mentoring programme
- Profit sharing
Application question(s):
- Please share your professional experience working with dogs
Experience:
- Professional Dog Grooming: 1 year (required)
Work Location: In person
