Head of Canine Wellbeing

Management of the health and breeding team to operationally deliver the breeder strategy, supporting RKC Geneticist and RKC Veterinary & Research Advisor with operational programme support for the Breeding for Health Framework delivery.

Responsible for:

• Leading the Health & Breeding team.
• Operational delivery of the Breeding for Health Framework and Breeder strategy to ensure the team remains on track throughout the year to achieve strategic goals.
• Facilitating additional revenue streams by introducing new tools and services for breeders and dog owners alongside the Revenue & Brand Department.

What you'll bring:

• Project/Programme management experience, including leading projects to a budget and with multiple stakeholders, specifically health and/or research projects.
• Commercially focused lens on canine wellbeing, with a dog first, customer first approach.
• Ability to act as a spokesperson with training across canine wellbeing topics and co‑ordinate input from the team.
• Demonstrable experience delivering strategic programmes end‑to‑end, including planning, execution, and performance tracking.
• Strong background in stakeholder management, including working with advisory groups, committees, external partners, and industry bodies.
• Experience in developing and implementing policies, frameworks, or schemes ideally related to health, wellbeing, or breeding standards.
• Experience contributing to or leading product or service development, ideally involving education, digital tools, or customer‑facing solutions.

Desirable:

• Experience working within the canine, animal welfare, or veterinary.
• Experience of working with veterinary, scientific, or genetic subject matter experts, translating technical insight into operational delivery.
• Knowledge of genetics, breeding practices, and canine health schemes.
• Exposure to commercial strategy or revenue generation, including developing new services or tools.
• Familiarity with governance structures, advisory boards, or regulatory compliance frameworks.

What you'll be doing:

• Leadership & Team Management: Leading the health and breeding team to achieve its objectives. Managing the RKC Veterinary and Research Advisor and RKC Geneticist to ensure delivery of the Breeding for Health Framework. Ensure the team remains aligned to its organisational goals and is customer centric. Regularly review and assess the performance of health and breeding team, making recommendations for improvement when necessary.
• Health, Breeding & Research Strategy: Overall responsibility for the Breeding for Health Framework to address health concerns as expected from the Kennel Plan Breeder Strategy. Overseeing the management of health schemes & research development including supporting by offering SME input to partnerships. Assess and manage risks relating to health and breeding and report to RAC if required. Supporting Charities within RKC business to advise via team on research priorities and support in SME capacity.
• Product Development, Education & Content: Supporting with SME input the development of the products and services relevant to health, wellbeing, breeding and genetics to support broader organisation and departments with delivery. Working directly with the product team on the development of new health, breeding and genetics related tools and services. Supporting the ongoing development of the canine wellbeing offering within Crufts Club. Management and development of veterinary student education programmes. Including sourcing and implementing other opportunities for the Kennel Club to deliver education at veterinary schools. Oversight and SME support via team of health, breeding, and wellbeing education content across RKC and Crufts brand.
• Stakeholder Engagement, Governance & Communications: Oversight of the Health & Breeding Advisory Group against its TOR. Support to the Health & Breeding Advisory Group and other committees and groups as required. Managing good communication and engagement whilst maintaining a close rapport with key canine wellbeing stakeholders. Acting as the spokesperson and liaison with PR & External Affairs on canine wellbeing topics. Supporting in SME capacity across Canine Wellbeing.
• Organisational Collaboration & Growth: Support our growth strategy and enable the organisation to become more meaningful to dog owners and to enable us to impact the wellbeing of all dogs. Work closely with all departments in the business and develop close relationships for cross departmental collaboration.

Job Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave, increasing up to 30 days, in addition to bank holidays. Staff may also receive additional days for any approved business closure days over the festive period in December.
• Option to buy up to five days of annual leave per year.
• Employer pension contributions double the percentage of your plan earnings, up to 8%.
• Life assurance equivalent to three times your basic salary (two times your basic salary for non‑pension scheme members).
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
• Lifestyle discounts via our EAP and healthcare cashback programme.
• Discounts on Royal Kennel Club products and services.
• 4X Complimentary staff tickets to Crufts.
• Healthcare cashback programme with a fixed contribution paid for by the Royal Kennel Club.
• Free eye tests with a voucher towards the cost of your spectacles.
• Financial support for professional and vocational qualifications, with five days' study leave provided.
• Free access to The Royal Kennel Club Library and Art Gallery.