Position: Training Assistant

Location: Yorktown Heights, New York
Reports To: Interdepartmental Program Coordinator

About the Role

A highly motivated and organized individual to support our Placement Specialist, RGDMIs, and Field Services and can demonstrate, understand and apply the values of Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Guiding Eyes has two classes of students scheduled each month. You will be picking up or dropping off students at the airport, which may require an early start to the day. On average, you will work one Sunday and one Saturday each month. There may be exceptions when you work more than one Saturday or Sunday a month.

Hours are 7:30 am to 4:30 pm or 8 am to 5 pm, depending on the day (airport days may require an earlier start time).

Other key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Your day-to-day activities will vary depending on the needs of the Training Department. For example, you might assist our Foundation GDMIs in the am and pm with the free running of our dogs in Training.
• You will assist with the picking up and dropping off placement-ready dogs to our RGDMIs who live across the United States (Driving and Air travel).
• You will assist with the picking up and dropping off of graduate’s dogs which will require travel in the United States and Canada (Driving locally and Air travel).
• You might assist our Veterinary Department with picking up and dropping off dogs in training at local Veterinarian Hospitals.
• The Sunday hours will involve being with our students on campus as this is their day off from training.
• If you like variety, love to travel, love dogs, want to make a difference in others’ lives, and want to see the United States, this is the job for you!

Skills and Competencies

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Dog handling experience
• Strong organizational skills
• Valid Driver’s License

Key Performance Indicator:

• Yearly Performance Review: 50% is job performance, and 50% is the ability to demonstrate, understand and apply the values of Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Travel Requirements

• Day trips as needed or assigned
• Overnights 0-30 per FY (may include weekends)
• Airline travel in the U.S. and Canada

Physical Demands

• Able to lift 40 pounds and handle large active dogs
• Stand, and walk long distances indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions

Education and Experience

• Post-secondary education is desired but not required
• Dog experience
• Salesforce savvy

Values

Demonstrate, understand and live the values of Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

• Kindness, Empathy, and Respect We treat our colleagues, clients, volunteers, and dogs with kindness, empathy, and respect, creating a culture of trust.

• Collaboration and Teamwork We listen to diverse opinions and work together in an inclusive way to achieve our common purpose.

• Innovation and Openness to Change We continuously learn, grow, and evolve our ways of working to enhance the quality of our services, our dogs, and our training. We are resilient in the face of change.

• Accountability We own our work, our words, our actions, and results, in a reasonable way, while supporting those in our care.

• Client-focused We put our clients first and seek to exceed their expectations by supporting them with exceptional dogs trained to meet their unique needs.

• Passionate We have unrelenting passion for matching the right dog with the right person so they can live the life they want to live.

Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination Status

Guiding Eyes requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated for at least two weeks before commencing work, unless they meet a legally required exemption. New hires are required to present proof of their vaccinated status, such as their CDC Covid-19 Vaccination Record Card or an official immunization record from the jurisdiction, state, or country where the vaccine was administered; or a New York State Excelsior Pass, or a New York City COVID Safe Pass.

Please forward resume along with salary requirements to Linda Stanley, Recruitment Manager, lstanley@guidingeyes.org