Position Summary:

Reporting to the Director of Grooming Academy and Services, the Senior Grooming Instructor is the “lead” dog grooming subject matter expert and teaches academy students skills necessary to perform Bather/Brusher and full-service grooming. Bather/Brusher and Groomer sessions are four weeks in length, may consist of eight to ten students per session, and are given at Joybound’s Grooming Academy in Walnut Creek, California. A “second” Grooming Instructor participates with the instruction; however, the Senior Grooming Instructor is responsible for teaching the sessions that are intended to prepare students to successfully enter the job market upon graduation.

The Senior Grooming Instructor prepares lesson plans, conducts verbal and hands-on instruction, evaluates student performance, identifies areas of development, and conducts individual remedial training as necessary to ensure student success.  

Principle Duties:

Grooming Academy

• Interact and communicate with colleagues, volunteers, donors, vendors, and the public in a manner that advances a culture of positivity, professionalism, trust, transparency, empathy, and excellence at Joybound.
• Instruct students in the classroom and hands-on in the skills of full-service dog grooming; bath, touchup, and breed-specific haircut.  
• Prepare lesson plans; establish key objectives for lessons and enhance curriculum to accomplish the set objectives.
• Respond to student questions and provide support to help students succeed.
• Write, administer, and grade examinations that test student’s knowledge.
• Coache students that may have difficulty grasping the lessons and material and conduct individualized training to ensure student success.
• “Reads” dogs’ body language; safely handle all aged dogs and teach the same to students.   
• Cut and style hair, using specific techniques to accommodate the needs of breed standards and client preference. 
• Bathe dogs using safe handling skills, and ensure proper cleanliness is achieved. 
• Assigns dog grooms to students and ensures they are performed safely for them, dogs, and staff.  
• Ensure the academy is clean, presentable, and adequately stocked with grooming supplies. 
• Ensure grooming equipment is maintained and serviced properly. 
• Ensure the academy’s website is performing as it should.  
• Handle student and client concerns and complaints.   
• Reports to the grooming academy director safety issues, injuries, and serious concerns promptly.  

Grooming Salon

• Prioritize grooming requests received from the organization’s Veterinarian Department.
• Communicate the function of the academy and obtain approval from grooming salon clients for students to participate in grooming clients’ dogs.   
• Perform full-service grooming for Salon clients.

Other Duties

• Perform other duties as may be assigned, including occasional assistance with animal care duties or with adoptions.

Experience, Abilities, and Qualities Required:

• A minimum of 12 months instructing/teaching experience, preferably involving animals, is preferred. 
• Minimum of 36 months (abou