Manager Breeding, Veterinary, and Puppy raising program, Member of the Management Team

Contact at organisation: Richard Dorstijn, KNGF Geleidehonden

Phone: 0031204969333

Email: r.dorstijn@geleidehond.nl

VACANCY
Manager Breeding, Veterinary, and Puppy raising program, Member of the Management Team
Employment: Full-time (38 hours per week)
Organization: Royal Dutch Guide Dogs Foundation (KNGF Geleidehonden)
Location: Amstelveen, The Netherlands

We are looking for a strategic and people-oriented Manager to oversee our Breeding, Veterinary, and Puppy raising programs. You are responsible for the quality and growth of this crucial early-stage program – guiding our puppies from breeding through to 14-15 months, and continuously developing this program. It is a key role with significant impact. Are you ready for this opportunity?

The position
The Breeding, Veterinary & Foster Families Manager (FV&P) at KNGF manages and oversees the ‘front end’ of the primary process and contributes to achieving the organization’s growth objectives. The position requires a people-oriented, strategic leader with sharp analytical skills, who also helps shape organization-wide policy from as part of its MT role. Important themes include the growth of the number of assistance/guide dog teams, excellent collaboration with the process chain, data-driven analysis and management, and improving efficiency. The manager also plays a key role in recruiting and retaining foster families and in ensuring the welfare, health, and quality of (future) assistance dogs. The manager is part of the KNGF Guide Dog Management Team, and reports to the CEO.

The team
The FV&P department consists of approximately 30 employees, including breeding specialists, veterinary case managers, puppy raising family instructors, and a service desk team. Together, they care for approximately 200 dogs per year, from whelping until the official start of their training to become assistance/guide dogs. Around 300 closely involved breeding and foster families play a crucial role in the first phase of the puppies’ lives and receive intensive guidance in this regard. Within the department, there are 15 direct reports who, together with the manager, ensure close cooperation, good communication, and a strong focus on the quality and welfare of our dogs.

You

• have extensive experience as a manager in an executive, process-oriented organization and preferably also experience with volunteer management;
• have demonstrable affinity and (professional) experience working with dogs or other animals; a completed veterinary or cynological education is an important advantage;
• have a helicopter view, can operationalize strategic objectives, and are able to distinguish between main and side issues;
• think in terms of opportunities and outside the box, and can therefore initiate and support innovation;
• are energetic, ambitious, and results-oriented (quantity and quality) and have good numerical insight;
• are socially aware, empathetic, organizationally sensitive, and focused on collaboration;
• have a coaching and connecting leadership style, recognize talent, encourage further development, and empower people;
• can put things into perspective with a healthy dose of humor and create a pleasant working and team atmosphere;
• have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree
• are proficient in Dutch.

About us
KNGF Geleidehonden is the largest supplier of assistance dogs in the Netherlands. But we are more than just a training institute for dogs. Our mission is to give as many people with disabilities as possible a better life. With the help of our professionally trained dogs, we offer new perspectives and create space to discover new things. For some, that means being able to go shopping, for others it means going on vacation again after years. Differences are worth their weight in gold. This also applies to the workplace. That is why there is room for everyone within our organization. Together, we are committed to others, but also to our own team. We see ourselves more as coaches, both internally and externally: we encourage, motivate, persuade people, and celebrate successes. Because every step forward counts. In this way, we continue to ‘open up’ new worlds.

What do we offer you?
A unique and varied job in a passionate team. You will be working in an inspiring and results-oriented environment. We strive to be an inclusive and diverse organization. The position of the Manager/MT member is placed in scale 13 of the salary table, with a salary of €7,156 to a maximum of €9,173 gross per month based on a full-time employment contract. There is an end-of-year allowance of 8.3 percent of your year salary, and KNGF invests in the training and development of its employees. You will work 38 hours per week, and the employment contract will start with a one-year contract. The location is Amstelveen, in the Netherlands.