Medical Detection Dogs

Supporter Experience Officer Location: MDD Centre, Great Horwood, MK17 0NP (Primarily office-based, with opportunities for hybrid working subject to organisational needs) Salary : £27,500 to £29,000 per annum Vacancy Type: 37.5 hours (9am 5pm), full time with some evening and weekend work as required. Requests for part-time hours can be considered. Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives. We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving Medical Alert Assistance Dogs to people with complex health conditions across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease. Fundraising is vital to our ability to train life-saving Medical Alert Assistance Dogs and further our Bio Detection research and we rely on the generosity of our donors and supporters. Main Purpose And Scope: This newly created role will sit within our Individual Giving team whilst also working closely with the wider Fundraising and Communications team. In an increasingly competitive funding landscape, it is essential that Medical Detection Dogs continues to provide our supporters with an excellent experience at every stage of their involvement. The Supporter Experience Officer will be vital in helping us to create and deliver inspiring journeys for all our supporters, that will increase the value of their lifetime giving. This is a fantastic opportunity for a proactive individual with excellent organisational skills to contribute to a growing and ambitious Fundraising Team. Responsibilities of the Role: Supporter Experience Work closely with the Fundraising Team and Communications Team to plan, develop and implement excellent supporter experience journeys for different audiences across the charity. Analyse our existing supporter journeys across key digital touchpoints, including email, website journeys, mailing list sign-ups and donation journeys, ensuring alignment and integration with relevant teams to deliver a completely seamless experience. Help co-ordinate incoming fundraising enquiries and fulfil or allocate them to the appropriate team members. Work collaboratively across the whole charity to ensure all our supporters receive an excellent experience at every touchpoint. Individual Giving Work closely with the Individual Giving Manager to support the development and documentation of the donor engagement processes. Provide direct responses to individual giving enquiries where appropriate, maintaining a high standard of communication and service. Ensure timely and personalised acknowledgements (thank you letters and certificates) are sent to donors. Support fulfilment and progress updates related to our regular giving programmes, such as Sponsor a Puppy and Name a Puppy. Communications & Digital Acquisition Alongside the Individual Giving Manager and Head of Communications & People Engagement, help convert a rapidly growing social media following into new donors. Work closely with the Head of Communications & People Engagement to support key and timely messaging on social media platforms. Support the creation and delivery of strategic communications such as our e-newsletters, impact reports, supporter emails and magazine. Coordinate a communications schedule across the Fundraising team, to support the Communications team with planned Fundraising content. Data, Reporting and Administration Develop and maintain appropriate segmentation of our data to provide bespoke supporter experiences for our donors. Monitor and collate performance data from Medical Detection Dogs online platforms and CRM database. Report quarterly on a list of KPIs to help us improve supporter experience and provide insight to support our Fundraising strategy. Accurately record all supporter interactions and correspondence on the CRM database, in line with GDPR. Conduct regular data cleansing and updates on the CRM database to ensure supporter records are maintained accurately. Assist with other administrative tasks that support fundraising and communications activity. Other tasks or ad hoc duties agreed with your line manager required to ensure the successful running of the charity. Experience Essential Minimum of two years experience in a similar role or relevant experience. Experience supporting fundraising, marketing, supporter engagement or customer experience activities that have driven engagement and positive outcomes. Ability to interpret performance data and use insights to improve supporter engagement. Experience producing reports and analysing trends. Well-organised, good attention to detail and proactive. Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritise multiple tasks to meet deadlines. Excellent communication skills; both verbally and written. A team player who is happy working independently and collaboratively. A high level of competency is required in MS Office packages such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Desirable An up-to-date knowledge of charity legislation and government initiatives relating to the charity sector and work to the Fundraising Regulator s Codes of Practice and General Data Protection Regulations. Prior experience of using CRM systems. An understanding of the legal obligations of Charity Law and regulation. Benefits Sick Pay Health Cover 26 days holiday, increasing with service 5% Employer Pension Contribution Free On-site parking Life Insurance Enhanced Maternity Cover Finally, the successful candidate will also be expected to: Hold a full UK Driving Licence Provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the UK Undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check Flexibility to work evenings and weekends You must have the willingness and ability to travel UK wide and be able to work independently outside of the office Comfortable with dogs in the workplace/office Diversity, Equality & Inclusion We are a welcoming, diverse and inclusive charity. Medical Detection Dogs thrives when everyone feels comfortable bringing their best self to work. We celebrate difference, whilst striving to create an environment where colleagues feel respected and valued for their unique potential. We are committed to our values on equity, diversity, and inclusion. To Apply If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Medical Detection Dogs, please do not hesitate to apply.

Volunteer Coordinator Location: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (minimum 3 days in office per week) Salary : £29,000 - £32,000 per annum Vacancy Type : 12 month contract, Full time 37.5 hours per week Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives. We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving Medical Alert Assistance Dogs to people with complex health problems across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease. We have an exciting new opportunity to join this small, but ambitious charity that is a world leader in its specialist, innovative field. Main Purpose & Scope of the Role : The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for the coordination, delivery and ongoing support of volunteer activity across the charity, ensuring volunteers have a positive, meaningful and well supported experience. This role combines hands on volunteer coordination with people engagement activity, supporting engagement, communication and safeguarding processes across both volunteers and staff. The postholder works closely with colleagues across the organisation to ensure volunteer involvement is well planned, compliant and aligned with operational needs. What You ll Do: You will coordinate the end to end volunteer journey, from recruitment and onboarding through to ongoing support, engagement and departure. You will act as a key point of contact for volunteers, support teams to work effectively with volunteers, and ensure accurate records, communication and safeguarding processes are maintained. Reports to : People Engagement Manager About the Role This is an operational, people focused role suited to someone who enjoys building relationships, organising activity and supporting others. You will work closely with staff, volunteers and external partners, ensuring volunteering activity runs smoothly and consistently across the charity. The role requires excellent organisation, strong communication skills and confidence. Responsibilities of the Role Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement Coordinate volunteer recruitment activity to meet charity needs Support the delivery of volunteer marketing campaigns across social media, recruitment platforms and community networks Build and maintain relationships with community groups, schools, businesses and partner organisations Represent the charity at volunteer recruitment events and community activities Support interviews and suitability assessments for prospective volunteers Ensure references and checks are completed in line with policy Volunteer Onboarding, Training & Support Coordinate induction processes for new volunteers Ensure volunteers receive appropriate role specific training, working with internal teams Maintain regular communication with volunteers to support engagement and retention Act as a key point of contact for volunteer queries or concerns Support volunteers leaving the organisation and gather feedback Volunteer Engagement & Communication Support clear and consistent communication with volunteers across the charity Maintain and update volunteer communications via Assemble and other platforms Support the Volunteer Forum and other engagement initiatives Develop and maintain guidance and resources for staff working with volunteers Compliance & Administration Ensure volunteer activity complies with safeguarding, GDPR, health & safety and volunteer management standards Maintain accurate and up to date volunteer records on Assemble Monitor volunteer data and prepare basic reports on recruitment, engagement and retention Escalate safeguarding or compliance concerns to the appropriate manager Fundraising & Cross Departmental Support Coordinate volunteer involvement in fundraising events and campaigns Work closely with fundraising, operations and HR colleagues to ensure volunteer support is effective and well planned Promote good practice in volunteering across teams Person Specification Experience & Qualifications Essential Experience in volunteer coordination, people engagement or a related role Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail Confident communicator with the ability to build positive relationships quickly Experience working with databases or volunteer management systems Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams Understanding of safeguarding and confidentiality principles Good IT skills including Microsoft 365 Desirable Experience working in the charity sector Knowledge of volunteer management systems (e.g. Assemble) Experience supporting training or group facilitation Interest in animal welfare, assistance dogs or medical research Other Requirements Willingness to travel occasionally to attend recruitment events or meetings Diversity, Equality & Inclusion We are a welcoming, diverse and inclusive charity. Medical Detection Dogs thrives when everyone feels comfortable bringing their best self to work. We celebrate difference, whilst striving to create an environment where colleagues feel respected and valued for their unique potential. We are committed to our values on equity, diversity, and inclusion. To Apply If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Medical Detection Dogs, please do not hesitate to apply.

JOB TITLE: Centre Based Assistance Dog Instructor (Maternity Cover) LOCATION: Based at our Centre in Milton Keynes, with travel up to 3 hours SALARY BAND: £26K - £32K per annum, depending on experience. Line management experience desirable. JOB TYPE: Full time and Part time applicants considered. Fixed Term of 12-18 months REPORTS TO: Interim Head of Assistance Dog Programme Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives. We train specialist dogs to detect the odour of human disease, providing life-saving alert assistance dogs to people with complex health problems across the UK and collaborating with NHS Trusts and other researchers and Universities both in the UK and internationally to advance the early diagnosis of disease. We have an exciting new opportunity to join this small but fast-growing charity that is a world leader in its specialist innovative field. The Role We are looking for a passionate and driven person who has previous proven experience and skills working as an Instructor within an Assistance Dog organisation, who has worked with clients and partnerships. The role includes supporting both clients who have had a MDD dog placed with them and also our own dog applicants with their puppies and young dogs to ensure they receive the highest standard of socialisation and early training in terms of obedience, public access and developing an alert to the applicant s condition, with the aim to reach an accreditable assistance dog partnership status. The role will also include carrying out client specific and odour training for MDD own dogs, placing these dogs with their new clients and looking after a number of established partnerships. This role would suit somebody residing up to an hour from our centre in Milton Keynes. Duties that encompass the role of an Instructor include: Be the first point of contact for the allocated partnerships in your area. To provide guidance and instruction to applicants who have applied to the charity to have their own dogs considered for the training programme guidance and instruction on handling, behaviour and obedience and odour training as well as newly placed partnerships. Alongside the Instructing team, to run puppy classes, public access training, recall sessions in small groups for applicant own dogs that are in line with the charity s quality standards and in accordance with timescales and targets. To also carry out support visits and home interviews for applicants and clients that have been allocated to you. Regularly monitor progress of any young dogs and partnerships in training in your area and provide detailed, evidenced feedback to Interim Head of Assistance Dog Programme. To carry out client specific training with any MDD owned dogs that have been matched, including the required odour scent training. Instructing, guiding and supporting new assistance dog clients in managing and handling a Medical Alert Assistance Dog effectively, via pretraining, placement training and aftercare visits. Supporting partnerships in training in successfully reaching an accreditation standard and in maintaining this standard throughout the life of the partnership. To support a number of established partnerships in the form of aftercare, refresher training and yearly re-accreditations, assisting further afield on occasions as required. Responsibilities To escalate issues and problems to the Interim Head of Assistance Dog Programme as appropriate. To carry out scent assessments on any MDD dogs in socialising as and when required with the support of the rest of the Instructing Team. To plan, organise and deliver practical and theoretical training to clients, meeting their individual needs in line with agreed standards to include areas such as dog welfare, appropriate handling, commanding and overall management. This will involve working with the parents as Team Leader and child as Client and working with adult clients. Assess the team dynamics of the family & balancing the needs of all family members as well as those of the dog. Assess the individuals preferred learning style and amending as relevant to aid a client. To accompany the client into all regular environments that they will take the dog to, ensuring the dog behaves in an acceptable manner and that the client and others are aware and clear in terms of where they dog should reside and behave for e.g. public transport, place of work. To complete a check list of environments for any applicant own dogs in training who are on the programme to be assessed within. To support and advise clients in transferring the odour training from pot training and recognising alerting behaviours to establish real life alerting. To ensure all partnerships are in line with the ADUK regulations with regards to behaviour, obedience and welfare and branding. Due to the nature of the role, flexible working hours may be required in some instances to facilitate the effective delivery of the work e.g. working during the school holidays with school age clients. To monitor the correct and false alerting percentages of allocated partnerships via data analysis, advising where necessary until the correct alerting levels are achieved. To complete comprehensive reports and paperwork for any time spent with applicants or partnerships in training or established. Maintain accurate records by providing verbal and written information with agreed timescales about clients, dogs, applicants and apprentices as appropriate. To work alongside allocated partnerships with the aim of the partnership reaching an accredited standard and feeding back to the Interim Head of Assistance Dog Programme if there are any concerns that the accreditation cannot be achieved. To provide clients with appropriate aftercare services at regular intervals in their own homes in the form of annual visits, support visits or at refresher workshops run at the Centre to agreed standards. This will include continual re-assessment of the dynamics of family and dog, formulating and training on appropriate solutions, as well as offering additional dog training advice. To deliver handling days as part of an applicant s pretraining to include Introduction to Assistance Dog Advanced Handling and Family Handling. To scent train and seizure proof advanced dogs in preparation to be partnered with an adult or child client and ensure that applicant own dogs have received this at the earliest opportunity. To maintain the ongoing public access training with any advanced dog in scent training that has been allocated to them. To liaise with Independent Contractors as relevant. To provide support to the Charity s public relations and fundraising functions as required, specifically in your area. To act as the contact person for the assistance dog programme in relation to training policy procedures with clients and their families, other professional service providers and members of the public. This will include on-going research and development of the project. As required, to liaise and provide support for Volunteers of the Charity. Other Share best practice with colleagues across the charity. Any other duties or tasks that are required to ensure the successful running of the Medical Alert Assistance Dog Department and the Charity overall. PERSON SPECIFICATION SKILLS AND ABILITIES Excellent interpersonal and communication skills High level of preparation, organisational and co-ordination skills Strong and clear teaching and instructing skills Experience of running puppy classes, carrying out public access training and recall sessions Able to develop training plans for any dogs in training under your care High level of self-motivation and planning Approachable, calm and empathetic to children and adults with debilitating and life-threatening conditions Happy to travel alone within the UK to visit any clients as necessary Willing to be on call for partnerships as and when required Willing to stay away from home in local accommodation when client locations are too far to travel back home Happy and able to have Medical Alert Assistance Dogs in training reside in your home Good team player, but equally able to work independently Positive, empathetic and calm attitude Able to embrace a constantly evolving organisation Flexible KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE Essential Previous Assistance Dog Instructing and Dog Training experience Knowledge of AD(UK) and ADI regulations Law in relation to dogs Knowledge of medical conditions relevant to puppies between 8 weeks and 2 years of age Knowledge of dog and human psychology Proven evidence and experience of dog handling and training skills Previous experience of teaching and instructing Sound dog training and dog behaviour knowledge IT literacy and report writing skills Proficient in Microsoft Office, Teams, Zoom and SharePoint Full UK driving licence Pass a DBS (CRB) check due to regular contact with children Preferable Knowledge of debilitating medical conditions and understanding of how they can impact people, both physically and psychologically . click apply for full job details