Canine/K9 Divisional Director

OCS; Leeds; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland is seeking a K9 Divisional Director to lead a national canine security operation across Yorkshire and the North, with regular regional and national travel. You will provide strategic direction on operational delivery, client relationships, compliance and commercial performance.

The role requires senior operational security experience, SIA licensing, and the ability to drive growth through tenders, with accountability for budgets and KPI achievement.

Qualifications

• Right to work in the UK
• Senior operational management experience in security
• Full UK driving licence and valid SIA licence
• Proven multi-site security operations leadership
• Experience leading large, dispersed teams
• Strong commercial awareness with budgets and contracts
• Excellent client relationships and stakeholder management
• Understanding of SIA licensing, BS7858 standards, canine compliance and security legislation
• Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a national operation

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop a team of Operations Managers, Supervisors and K9 Handlers
• Take overall responsibility for the operational performance of the national K9 division
• Ensure all contracts are delivered safely, compliantly and to the highest standards
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, delivering excellent levels of customer satisfaction
• Support business growth through tenders, mobilisations and new opportunities
• Monitor financial performance, profitability and KPIs
• Lead training, competency and compliance programmes for handlers and operational teams
• Oversee audits, regulatory compliance requirements and continuous improvement initiatives
• Provide leadership and support during operational incidents and contribute to strategic business planning
• Drive operational consistency and best practice across dispersed teams

Skills

Strategic leadership

Team development

Client relationship management

Budget & profitability management

SIA licensing knowledge

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Organisational skills

Driving licence

Education

IOSH/NEBOSH qualification (desirable)

Job description

About The Company:

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values -Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS:

Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.

Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.

Retail Perks With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.

Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!

Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)

About The Role:

Days of Working: This permanent, full-time position is itinerant, with responsibility for the Yorkshire and North region and regular regional and national travel.

As a K9 Divisional Director, you will lead and drive the successful delivery of a national Security Canine (K9) operation. The role is responsible for providing strategic leadership across operational delivery, client relationships, compliance, commercial performance and business growth.

The K9 Divisional Director will play a key role in developing and enhancing K9 services, ensuring exceptional standards of service delivery, operational excellence and regulatory compliance across a national portfolio of contracts.

As part of your role, your key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Lead, motivate and develop a team of Operations Managers, Supervisors and K9 Handlers.
• Take overall responsibility for the operational performance of the national K9 division.
• Ensure all contracts are delivered safely, compliantly and to the highest standards.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, delivering excellent levels of customer satisfaction.
• Support business growth through involvement in tenders, mobilisations and new business opportunities.
• Monitor financial performance, profitability and operational key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Lead training, competency and compliance programmes for handlers and operational teams.
• Oversee audits, regulatory compliance requirements and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide leadership and support during operational incidents and contribute to strategic business planning.
• Drive operational consistency and best practice across geographically dispersed teams.

The ideal candidate should meet the following criteria:

• Right to work in the UK
• Previous experience of senior operational management within the security industry.
• A full UK driving licence.
• A valid SIA licence.
• Proven experience managing security operations within a complex, multi-site environment.
• Experience leading large, geographically dispersed operational teams.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience managing budgets, contracts and profitability.
• Excellent client relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• A thorough understanding of SIA licensing requirements, BS7858 standards, canine compliance requirements and relevantsecurity legislation.
• Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and drive performance across a national operation.

Desirable:

• IOSH or NEBOSH qualification.
• Change Management qualification.
• Relevant K9 operational qualifications.
• Experience supporting contract mobilisations and service transformations.
• Knowledge of tender processes and business development activities within the security sector.

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.