The Kennel Club - Chief Financial Officer

About us

We are the largest organisation in the UK devoted to dog health, welfare and training. Our purpose is to make a positive difference for dogs and their owners.

Our history milestones

The Kennel Club was founded on 4 April 1873 by S.E. Shirley and twelve other gentlemen. They wanted to have a consistent set of rules for governing the popular new activities of dog showing and field trials. It was the first national kennel club in the world.
In 1874, the first Kennel Club Stud Book was published. It listed the results of all dog shows and field trials since 1859 and included sets of rules for running dog shows and field trials. The Kennel Club Stud Book has been published every year since and provides a record of results for all championship dog shows, field trials and other dog activities, such as obedience and agility.
The Kennel Club owns and produces the worlds greatest dog show- Crufts, which started in 1891.
In 1988, we published the Canine Code and in 1992 The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme was set up to promote responsible dog ownership, to enhance our relationship with our pets and to make the community aware of the benefits associated with owning a dog, and to ensure that dogs are welcome throughout society.
The Young Kennel Club (YKC) was established in 1985 to help young dog lovers aged 6-24 years learn new skills, build confidence and make new friends.

Today

We are still first and foremost a member’s club, with just under 1500 members who are able to make use of our club facilities at Clarges Street in Mayfair, benefit from other activities including special events, a range of Kennel Club publications and are able to vote at the AGM on key matters.

Our 250 staff are based in the Clarges Street offices; our call centre at Aylesbury, or home based. Our Emblehope and Burngrange Estate is a centre of excellence for working dogs based in Northumberland.

Looking to the future

At the end of 2022 we launched our new strategic direction, designed and approved by our Board of Directors, to staff, members and the dog community. Evolving our previous mission we articulated our new purpose as Making a positive difference for dogs and their owners.

The six strategic aims that support it are:

Champion the well-being of dogs

We continue to lead and stimulate national conversations about breed-related health issues and how to minimise them, as well as general dog wellbeing. Last year we generated over 15,000 pieces of press coverage on dog health and wellbeing.

Safeguard and enhance the future of pedigree dogs, addressing breed-associated health issues

We promote the benefits of pedigree dogs, support breeders and last year relaunched our canine DNA testing service – which in partnership with Wetherbys, aims to improve and protect dog health, promote responsible dog breeding and even eradicate inherited diseases.
One of our key income streams is though the registration of puppies and transfer of ownership.
We own the UK’s largest registration database for pedigree dogs and an activity register for crossbreed dogs.
We run the Petlog database, which is one of the UK’s biggest reunification services for microchipped animals.

Protecting the future of dog activities together with our grass roots network

We work closely with UK breed clubs and societies and the showing community licensing more than 4,500 other dog shows and events annually. But with everyone feeling the effects of our financial climate we are looking at how we can do more to support this area of our dog world.
Crufts 2023 featured over 24k dogs from the UK and around the world with 155k attendees and 8.7 million viewers; 2 million live stream views and 32 million minutes watched on YouTube.
We run the UK’s largest dog training programme, The Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Training scheme.

Become more relevant to dog owners to increase our impact

Last year we conducted a large brand awareness survey with the general UK public. The results told us a great deal about how we need to reposition ourselves in the months and years ahead to raise recognition of our brand so people recognise The Kennel Club, understand what we can offer them, and provide a clear set of products and services that appeal to the wider dog owner.

Deliver an excellent member experience and widen our community

Following a large member survey last year we understand we need to provide a great membership experience to our current members and look at options for widening our community.

Ensure we are financially secure and stable

As we celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2023, it has to be our goal to be here for another 150 years. To continue making a positive difference for dogs and their owners in the years to come, we need to protect our existing revenue by making our products and services more relevant and valued by customers. We’re also looking to add new products and services to grow our income and enable us to improve the wellbeing of dogs.
Read more about The Kennel Club’s new strategic direction and the activities that underpin it here.

Please view our management accounts here.

Please view our annual report here.

Please view our organisational chart here.

The role

Chief Financial Officer (AQ1783)

Apply now

Job Title Chief Financial Officer
Department Finance
Responsible to Chief Executive
Responsible for Finance, Risk
Job Purpose Primary accountability for recommending finance and risk management strategy to the Board, and to its committees, and for ensuring implementation thereof, leading teams to ensure successful planning and delivery, and ensuring Kennel Club long-term financial sustainability and risk assurance.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Accountabilities

The Board
Finance Committee
Risk Assurance Committee
Chief Executive

Main duties

Overall leadership of the Kennel Club’s financial and risk management strategies, supporting the Club’s overall strategy, and ensuring accurate and timely reporting to the Chief Executive, executive, the board and its committees.
Play a leading role in the development and implementation of Kennel Club strategy, working closely with the Chief Executive, [Interim] Strategy & Implementation Executive and other colleagues, evaluating and reporting on anticipated financial outcomes therefrom, and on the risks inherent in such strategies and routes to mitigation.
Lead, develop and manage a high-performance team to deliver these objectives.
Other responsibilities as are required to satisfy the job purpose and which may not be explicitly set out.

Finance

Primary responsibility for accounting, finance, annual budgets, forecasting, financial strategic planning, banking arrangements, cash flow management, credit control, deal analysis, financial aspects of negotiations, taxes, pension schemes, treasury policy and investment portfolio strategy. Responsible for all financial transactions and processing systems with strong systems of internal financial control taking account of the risks and resources of the Kennel Club.
Overall responsibility for overseeing preparation for annual audits and of annual report & accounts and monthly management accounts.
Lead the annual budgeting, reforecast and medium/long term financial projections exercises, balancing operational requirements with financial rigour in use of company resources to ensure effective delivery of Kennel Club strategy. Work closely with the Finance Committee and the Chief Executive in agreeing core underlying assumptions to deliver budgets/financial plans which command executive, committee and board support.
Lead on tax planning and compliance across corporation tax, VAT, PAYE and any other tax considerations, taking advice and commissioning reviews as appropriate.
Executive ownership of the appointment of and lead relationship with relevant professional advisers, including auditors, tax advisers, investment managers, bankers, insurance brokers and (together with the [Interim] Membership Services & Property Executive) business rates advisers. Oversee policies for retendering and rotation of advisers as appropriate.
Lead the development and stress testing of business cases for new investments, new or existing products and services, pricing decisions, contracts and other initiatives proposed by the Club, either initiated and written him/herself or increasingly supporting / coaching / constructively challenging colleagues from across the organisation to do so.
Support Head of Kennel Club Finance in the provision of financial management services to the Kennel Club charities, as required.
Ensure that company financial systems are robust, compliant with regulatory requirements for financial and tax reporting, and are fit for purpose in supporting current and future operational requirements. As part of continuous improvement, provide leadership to the Head of Kennel Club Finance in reviewing systems and processes to ensure they remain fit for purpose, making process improvements as required.
Responsible for all corporate finance matters regarding capital requirements, debt, treasury, disposals and acquisitions, as appropriate.
Executive ownership of the scheme of delegation for financial/contractual matters, carrying out annual review as to its effectiveness and recommending any changes to the Chief Executive/Finance Committee/Board; and oversight of compliance with the scheme.

Risk

Lead the putting in place of an overall risk management framework for the Kennel Club, together with appropriate policies, to be recommended to the Risk Assurance Committee and approval by the Board.
Lead the development of the risk framework to agree the identification, and ongoing review, of strategic, corporate and operational risks across reputational, regulatory, financial and other risk categories.
Agree the governance structures for oversight of the risk framework with the executive and Risk Assurance Committee.
Lead the creation of risk registers, building on the current documentation, to support the risk management framework so as to manage risks to agreed levels over time – working with the executive and other staff to agree likelihood and impact metrics, current and target risk scores, mitigations in place and to be put in place, and with specific personal accountabilities across the Kennel Club for delivery thereof.
Ensure that review processes are in place to monitor implementation of mitigations to agreed timescales.
Work with the Risk Assurance Committee and the executive do develop assessments of risk appetite against each strategic, and then corporate, risk and assess the effect risk appetite has on risk scores, mitigations and targets.
Direct responsibility, working with Kennel Club insurance brokers, for ensuring that adequate insurance programmes are put in place, balanced with financial affordability, and which support the relevant risk mitigations set out in the risk register Direct responsibility, working with the property and digital transformation teams, for putting in place robust business continuity plans, together with regular reviews, training and exercises.
Work with colleagues in property, legal and other functions to obtain assurance on compliance with regulatory risks – Health & Safety, Data Protection etc.
Ensure consistency of approach between Finance Committee and Risk Assurance Committee on management of financial risks.
Carry out/commission such other assurance work as is required, subject to budgetary constraints, to satisfy risk objectives.

Budgetary Responsibility

Overall responsibility for all Financial, risk and other matters in accordance with scheme of delegation.

Working Conditions

Office and Homebased as required.
To attend outside events and meetings as required.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

All of the following criteria are essential.

Qualifications

Degree Qualified Accountant (or equivalent).
Chartered Member of a professional body (ACCA, ACA, CIMA, CIPFA).

Experience

Board level experience, with the ability to clearly articulate business plans to others and develop strategy.
Experience of operating at a senior/corporate level with finance responsibilities.
Experience of developing and assessing business cases for investments, products, and services.
Experience of organisational risk management.
Previous senior experience within a ‘purpose-led’ and complex organisation e.g., a membership organisation, educational, commercial or charity.

Knowledge and Skills

The ability to initiate and build effective relationships at all levels and influence key stakeholders.
Sound understanding of planning, financial and accounting matters, specific Charity and VAT legislation, Corporate Governance, risk management, legal, insurance, fiscal and investment monitoring experience.

Personal Attributes

Highly developed communication, influencing and interpersonal skills.
Excellent people management skills, with the ability to create and develop highly motivated, focused teams, operating in an environment of trust and openness.
Acts with a high degree of personal integrity and credibility, inspiring trust and respect in others.

Apply now

Terms of appointment

Equal opportunities and diversity

The Kennel Club is committed to activities that promote the culture of equality of opportunity. We recognise the worth of every individual and appreciate the benefits to be gained from making full use of people’s talents to enhance our business performance.

We are committed to ensuring that recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion procedures result in no job applicant or employee receiving less-favourable treatment on the grounds of:

race
age
gender reassignment
religion or belief
disability
marriage or civil partnership
sex
sexual orientation
pregnancy or maternity

The Kennel Club’s objective is to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and otherwise treated solely on the basis of their relevant aptitudes, skills and abilities. All employees are responsible for ensuring that our equal opportunities policy is adhered to.

Rewards and benefits

To work for The Kennel Club you need to be passionate about making a difference for dogs. We believe that the unique skills and dedicated work of our staff should be rewarded. Below are some of the benefits we offer our staff:

Salary

We offer salaries that reflect the market we operate in and regularly check ourselves against similar roles in other organisations.

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).

Work-life balance

23 days annual leave, increasing up to 27 days, in addition to statutory 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.
Flexible working – formal and informal flexible working arrangements. The options available will depend on individual circumstances, and the demands and priorities of the department in which employees are based.
Family leave; including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, parental and dependant leave.
Sabbatical leave.

Health and wellbeing

Healthcare cashback programme with a fixed contribution paid for by The Kennel Club.
Free eye tests with a voucher towards the cost of your spectacles.
Employee assistance programme, providing access to independent advisors and counsellors for staff and their immediate families.
Occupational health which we can refer staff if there are any health concerns.
Flu vaccination vouchers.
Discounted gym membership.
Cycle to work scheme.

Learning and development

We aim to create an environment where individuals are able to take responsibility for their own learning and development; an environment which recognises learning as an important element of organisational and individual achievement. We aim for continuous improvement in everything that we do.

Dedicated Senior Learning and Development Officer.
Learning Management System which consists of over 500 courses.
Open Training Programme with a spectrum of both in-house and external courses, comprising both practical skills and personal development opportunities which are supported by access to internal coaching.
Financial support for professional and vocational qualifications, with five days’ study leave provided.
Free access to The Kennel Club Library and Art Gallery.

Financial Benefits

Interest-free season ticket loan.
Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
Lifestyle discounts via our EAP and healthcare cashback programme.
Discounts on The Kennel Club products and services.
Complimentary staff tickets to Crufts and Discover Dogs.

Recognition

Referral program – we are constantly looking for ways to attract and recruit the best talent possible who share our core values and aspirations.
Values nomination – we encourage colleagues to nominate individuals and teams who they believe have displayed behaviour that demonstrates The Kennel Club values.
Long service – to show our appreciation, staff would receive monetary rewards and a thank you card from our Chief Executive for their 10, 20 and 25 years’ service milestone.

Please view our full benefits package here.

Our values

At The Kennel Club we promote and encourage our oneKC values. They are called ‘oneKC’ because we believe that all employees are integral in embedding our values in the culture of the organisation.

Our oneKC values are:

Respect

Recognise and appreciate the value that each person contributes and treat each other with dignity.

Growth

Everyone is open to learning and adapting to new challenges and opportunities.

Teamwork

Our collective ambition can only be achieved by supporting, sharing and working together as oneKC.

Ownership

We accept the responsibility for our decisions, workload, and the way we interact with others.

Excellence

We take pride in our work. We aim high and celebrate excellence in achieving and surpassing our goals.

Future Focused

The world is changing faster than ever before. We must be future focussed to remain relevant, impactful and inclusive.

The purpose of our values is to:

Create a shared set of behaviours.
Help build a common purpose that we stand for.
Enable more transparency and consistency across the breadth of our work.
Provide guidance – we are more likely to make the right decisions in the right way and achieve our vision and goals.
Deliver a stronger framework for recruitment, progression, feedback – the ‘how’ is as important as the ‘what’.

Timetable

Closing date	2nd May
Preliminary conversations with AQ	w/c 15th May
Informal candidate led meetings	w/c 5th June
Presentation (Topic TBC) & interviews	w/c 5th June

How to apply

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to The Kennel Club, an executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisements.

The closing date for applications is 9am on Tuesday 2nd May.

Applications should consist of:

A full CV.
A covering letter (maximum of three pages) outlining how you meet the essential experience criteria of the person specification.
Please include details of two referees in either your CV or covering letter, though please note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent and only should you be shortlisted.

Should you wish to discuss the roles in strict confidence, please contact Elizabeth Theobald on elizabeth@andersonquigley.com, +44 (0)7596 954 388 or Elyse Turner-Pearce on elyse@andersonquigley.com, +44 (0)7808 648 559.

Appointment of the Chief Financial Officer