Vacancy Information
This role is within a unit where Surrey Police and Sussex Police work in collaboration, whilst continuing to be two separate legal entities/employers with different terms and conditions.
Both Surrey Police staff and Sussex Police staff are employed in this unit on their own force terms and conditions.
Successful candidates may be appointed on the terms and conditions of employment of either Surrey Police or Sussex Police, depending on organisational requirements. A discussion will be held with the successful candidate to confirm the details of location, salary, allowance and hours.
Division / Department - Operations Command
Status - Full Time
Contract Type - Permanent
Grade - Surrey Police Band 2 / Sussex Police M2
Salary Grade Range - Surrey Police £38,979 - £56,223 / Sussex Police £47,496 - £51,711
Politically Restricted -
Unsocial Hours Allowance -
Location - Guildford
The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.
The Role
- To promote and support the supply of customer focused, NPCC compliant, quality dog training, whether they are purchasing organisations or individual students.
- Promote the work of the Dog School and Dog Unit via the media engaging with Corporate Communication colleagues.
- To ensure that the Dog School and Dog Unit remain a viable and sustainable option for Surrey and Sussex Police.
- To supervise the day-to-day activity of the Dog Training School ensuring compliance with NPCC Police Dog Working Group and Surrey and Sussex Police policies.
- To engage with customers of the school to ensure training provision remains of a high standard and that any best practise or improvements are acted on.
- To provide a SPOC for Surrey and Sussex Police in relation to Police Dogs training and licencing.
- To provide advice and guidance regarding dangerous dog incidents.
- To professionally manage the Gatwick Airport Dog Unit.
Key Responsibilities
- To be the professional lead for dog related matters for Surrey and Sussex Police to advise on process, policy and dangerous dogs legislation including prohibited breeds and section 3 offences. To represent Surrey and Sussex Police at NPCC groups.
- To own the professional line management of Dog Unit (Operational Dogs, Dog Training School, Kennels and Dangerous Dogs) including welfare and disciplinary matters. To assist staff with their personal development.
- To initiate, co-ordinate and structure courses( training calendar) within the Dog School in order to meet the needs of customers. To ensure that courses run for specialist dogs and handlers reflect the latest intelligence on that specialism in order to keep the handlers are up to date with current trends.
- To ensure that full records are maintained for dogs and teams to comply with NPCC and Surrey and Sussex Police policies, to ensure Surrey and Sussex Police maintain at least the minimum mandated training hours to comply with NPCC requirements. To ensure official training records are kept for a minimum of 6 years as they are subject to disclosure. To undertake regular dip checking of courses and instructors to ensure all instructors are maintaining high standards of training and behaviour.
- Maintain a positive course culture to enhance students learning and development.
- To keep in contact with the Dog Schools customers e.g. external security; Fire & Rescue; department of transport etc., to ensure relevance and continued suitability of courses. To market the Dog Schools services to ensure that the Dog School customer base and income continues to grow.
- To monitor student/dog progress whilst on courses and record in the student’s weekly appraisal books. To identify and address any welfare issues that may become apparent in either staff or students and deal with as appropriate.
- To keep an overview of the number, relevance, suitability of venues used by the Dog School and their compliance with Health and Safety Risk assessments and Insurance.
- To regularly monitor the storage of specialist training aids to ensure compliance with Surrey and Sussex Police policies, regulations, Health and Safety Risk assessments and legislation. To regularly monitor all specialist training aids held by the Dog School and ensure the correct procedures and legal requirements for handling and storage of such items are adhered to.
- To assist with the production, compilation and management of annual budgets to ensure maximum income with the best possible level of equipment and expertise within financial restraint. To sell training to generate income; responsible for procuring dogs; overseeing the breeding programmes and purchasing of equipment.
- To manage the DLO’s role and be a point of contact for the seized dog kennels. To be a point of contact for slow time dangerous dog incidents, offer advice and guidance.
- To regularly monitor the welfare of all dogs (handler’s; under training or assessment and seized) in Surrey and Sussex Police kennels at Guildford and those housed externally, to ensure their health, welfare and wellbeing and the organisations compliance with relevant legislation.
- To undertake other duties appropriate to the grade and character of work as may be reasonably required including specific duties of a similar or lesser grade. To take training when required.
Skills & Experience
Essential.
- Previous experience as an operational dog handler and instructor is essential as the post holder will be required to give advice and recommendations to senior management, other forces and customers on issues.
- A high level of interpersonal skills as the post involves a significant element of personal management
- Leadership ability and credibility, in order to motivate others to perform and build a coherent working unit.
- The ability to demonstrate and use effective verbal and written communication at all levels internally and externally.
- The ability to plan and manage their own and others workload via delegation. Able to prioritise resources and manage a departmental training calendar.
- The capability to respond to rapidly changing and conflicting demands. The ability to work under pressure and deal with multiple complex issues simultaneously.
- The ability to identify, analyse and suggest appropriate solutions to problems, influencing staff at all levels.
- The ability to work under pressure and deal with multiple complex issues simultaneously
- The ability to negotiate and influence stakeholders and customers
- Experience of assessing risk and carrying out risk assessments.
Desirable.
- Be able to demonstrate business acumen with a view to increasing income generation
- It is preferable that the post holder has a DLO qualification or at least a working understanding of the legislation and Surrey and Sussex Police policy.
- Risk assessments for Health & Safety; welfare of dogs and dangerous dogs.
Contact Details
C/Inspector Alan Sproston contact alan.sproston@surrey.pnn.police.uk
T/Insp Tim Bourne contact tim.bourne@surrey.pnn.police.uk
Additional Information
Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly. You may wish to consider adding noreply@surreysussexpolice.as.recruitmail.com to your address/contact list to ensure you receive all communications.
Surrey Police and Sussex Police work together in collaboration for this role, however they remain two different employers, with differing pay scales, allowances and terms and conditions including hours of employment.
If you are an internal candidate and are conditionally offered the role your attendance record and any reasonable adjustments already in place will be discussed with yourself and your current line manager. If you are successful in your application, you may be required to resign and transfer your employment, taking on the Terms & Conditions and pay scales of the Lead Force (if this is not your existing Home Force).
This post is being advertised in parallel with Force redeployment processes. Any redeployees who are identified will be given preference. This may result in the post being withdrawn at any point during the recruitment process.
Surrey Police and Sussex Police Special Constables, Volunteers and Agency Staff (excluding self employed workers) covered under the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) are eligible to apply for internal advertised posts.
Diversity Statement
We are only as good as our people. It's really important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach and skills that diversity brings; all of which help us deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all.
We have multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and Disability Confident, a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.
We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status or religious beliefs, we would love to hear from you.
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