Detector Dog Trainer

Detector Dog Trainer Role type: Permanent full-time Location: Auckland (Māngere) Salary band & range: Border Clearance Services – $86,731 to $92,714 depending on skills and experience About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga As a Detector Dog Trainer, your primary focus is to provide training and support to ensure Border Clearance Services staff in the detector dog programme are trained to a proficient level and maintain that level to effectively undertake their duties and responsibilities. Your key responsibilities include: Provide technical information, instruction and advice to management and frontline staff Mentoring and coaching for Detector Dog Handlers in the operational environment Supporting the Detector Dog Training and Leadership Teams through collaboration, collegiality, and open communication Facilitating validation classes and formal assessments to maintain, improve and review Dog Handler competency Develop and maintain training and competency assessments, manuals and documentation Travelling to different MPI sites to provide training and support across Aotearoa About You - Mōu We are looking for an excellent communicator (both written and verbal) with preferably adult teaching qualification coupled with animal behaviour experience or qualification. This role requires patience, tact, diplomacy and the ability to deal within ambiguity. Teaching and training of both people and canines are key aspects of this role and our ideal candidate must demonstrate this. You may come from an adjacent government detector dog programme or have a background in training working dogs. In addition, our ideal candidate will: Have knowledge of detector dog handling, dog behaviour and animal welfare requirements relating to canines Be experienced in the training, handling and deploying of working dogs Be able to work effectively under pressure Display an exceptional ability to communicate with impact and influence Strong interpersonal skills We offer a breadth of development and learning opportunities and will welcome an application if you think you could make a great fit. About the Team – Mō tō mātou Rōpū You are based at the MPI Centre in Mangere, Auckland and work with other trainers to provide support to our Dog Handlers around the country. You will be working alongside the kennel team, which consists of a Team Leader, dog care specialists and, of course, approximately 60 Detector dogs. About MPI – Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua Our role includes seizing export opportunities for our food and fibre sector, improving sector productivity, ensuring the food we produce is safe, increasing sustainable resource use, and protecting New Zealand from biological risk. Benefits of working at MPI – Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua Ability to purchase extra annual leave Annual Wellness payment Bi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames Career development and internal opportunities across the branch and organisation Drug and Alcohol Screening – Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred candidates(s) for the position will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol pre-employment screening test. Further information on this process can be found on our careers site, here. Are you ready to make a difference? – Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake? We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori. We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all. Cover letter instructions In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce. Applications close at 11:59pm on Wednesday, 5 August. If you have any questions about the role, please email [email protected] #J-18808-Ljbffr