Dog Project Officer

East Suffolk Council, East Suffolk House, Melton, or Riverside, Lowestoft
£31,537 to £38,220 per annum
Band 5/6 (SCP 18 to 27)
37 hours per week
Permanent

Coast and Country Canines (URL) is a new project for the Wildlife Wise (URL) team. Wildlife Wise works with residents and visitors to prevent disturbance and damage to the Suffolk Coasts internationally important wildlife and habitats. An enthusiastic and motivated Coast and Country Canines Dog Project Officer will lead on the project and build on its success in the Thames Solent area by bringing it to the Suffolk Coast.

In this role you will help protect our stunning coastal, estuarine and heathland wildlife sites. This is a unique opportunity to combine wildlife conservation, community engagement and responsible dog ownership in a role that makes a genuine difference to people and nature.

Wildlife Wise is hosted by East Suffolk Council, also working on behalf of Ipswich Borough Council, Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council. East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work, delivering essential local services and making a real difference to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk. This is an opportunity to join Wildlife Wise in East Suffolk Council's Specialist Services team.

The role:

You will deliver the Dog Project aspect of the Suffolk Coastal Recreational Disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (RAMS) (URL), known publicly as Wildlife Wise (URL). Please note that whilst the Suffolk Coast RAMS Strategy identifies the role as part-time and running for five years, the strategy is currently being updated and the role advertised is for a full-time permanent position.

In this varied and rewarding role, you will lead and coordinate the Coast and Country Canines Dog Project, working closely with both Wildlife Wise and the Coast & Country Canines team in the Thames Solent area to engage dog walkers, encourage responsible behaviours and reduce disturbance to wildlife.

You will act as the primary point of contact for dog walkers around preventing disturbance to wildlife across the project, delivering events, workshops, campaigns and training sessions that promote responsible dog ownership and help protect sensitive wildlife and habitats. Build positive, trust based relationships with community groups, vets and dog walking organisations, using strong communication and behaviour change techniques to influence visitor behaviour across coastal, estuarine and heathland environments.

You will produce high quality educational resources, produce social media and website content, support project administration, and contribute to practical onsite improvements such as signage, routing and dedicated dog walking zones.

Collaborate closely with the Wildlife Wise Delivery Manager, Wildlife and Visitor Rangers, local authorities and partner organisations to ensure a coordinated approach to site management and visitor engagement. Support the development of shared initiatives, while contributing to solutions that address visitor pressures. Provide regular progress reporting to be shared with local authority partners and work alongside conservation, access and planning teams to align project activities with wider strategic goals.

Monitor dog related activity on protected sites, assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures and provide clear, data informed recommendations. Maintain accurate, up to date records for evaluation and reporting purposes. Support the monitoring of bylaws and Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) through a positive engagement approach, working collaboratively with council enforcement teams where needed.

What you will need:

You will be passionate about the environment, responsible dog ownership, and helping people enjoy nature while protecting sensitive habitats and wildlife. You will be an ambassador for making a difference across coastal, estuarine and heathland wildlife sites. It’s essential to have experience with dogs, have a good understanding of dog behaviour and an understanding of modern and ethical dog training and handling practices, especially within the dog business sector. The successful candidate will have experience in with face-to-face public or customer engagement and be skilled in building positive relationships, consulting and influencing others, and collaborating with a wide range of partners, stakeholders and communities.

This role requires someone adaptable and physically capable, able to work outdoors in all conditions, walk long distances, and handle equipment. You must be IT literate, confident using Microsoft Office and modern technology, and committed to personal development. The role involves regular travel across a wide rural area, occasional national travel, and working flexibly, including weekends, early mornings and evenings. Access to a car is essential.

If you think you have what it takes to be successful in this role, even if you don’t meet all the essential requirements, please apply, we would love to hear from you.

Why work for us?

East Suffolk Council is a great place to work and there are lots of benefits our employees can access. To find out more about why we are so proud of East Suffolk Council, take a look at our video and hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work.

Here are some of the main benefits:

• Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 24 days a year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays)
• Local government pension scheme
• Flexible working arrangements
• Great opportunities for learning and development
• A wide variety of staff support networks including access to health and wellbeing initiatives and programmes.
• Discounts on mobile phones, computers, holiday and travel, fashion and clothing, health and beauty and many other products and services.

Please see our benefits brochure for further information.

The Wildlife Wise team has a fixed office day every Monday, alternating weekly between East Suffolk House in Melton and Riverside in Lowestoft. On all other days, the team works flexibly, combining home and office working, along with site visits across the project area, depending on service needs and individual preferences. If you would like to discuss how this arrangement might work for you as a successful candidate, please contact the recruiting manager listed at the end of this advert.

For an informal discussion regarding this post, please contact Sam Kench via email [email protected].

Closing date: 23:59pm, Wednesday 8th April 2026
Interview date: Tuesday 21st April 2026