Job Description

Role: Riding Groom

District/Department: Operational Support Unit

Location: Barnsley

Salary: £25,242 - £27,204

Hours:37 hours (working Monday to Sunday 7am- 7pm on a rolling shift pattern)

Contract Type: Permanent

As a Riding Groom you will provide general equestrian service to meet the care and welfare, grooming and exercising needs of the horses to enable the mounted unit to achieve its maximum operational potential.

Key responsibilities:

• Assist on the yards with daily tasks as required to a high standard as directed.

• Strap and quarter horses to prepare them for service or exercise and after service or exercise as directed.

• Exercise sick, lame or spare horses by riding, lunging or walking in hand as directed.

• Exercise and school on the lunge/riding, long-reining or work in hand horses as directed by the training staff and in accordance with their training plan.

• To exercise by riding and lunging/long-reining or in – hand work any other loan/police horses that require work.

• Maintain a log of all exercise done with any loan/police horse and in line with the horses training plan OR Action plan.

• Comply with the requirements of SYP's policies on Drug and Alcohol testing – requirements in respect of specific posts/ roles are described in the policies which are available on the Intranet/SharePoint. Carry out other duties which are consistent with the nature, responsibilities,and grading of the post.

Skills and experience:

• Experience and confidence in handling, from the ground, a variety of horses and have knowledge of in hand training techniques.

• BHS Stages 3/Riding Groom or equivalent qualification OR practical experience.

• Worked as a Groom in a large-scale stables/riding school.

• Dealt with basic emergencies and horse heath care.

• Safely lunge/long-rein a trained horse.

• Knowledge of horses including handling, leading, welfare, safety/security and general care.

• Knowledge of dealing with basic emergencies e.g. medicines/dressings.

• Able to carry out duties including lifting, bending, stooping, climbing, loading/unloading, carrying. (This post is subject to medical examination).

• Flexible approach to areas of work according to rostered schedules.

• Prepared to work an alternating/ rotating shift system.

Skills and experience as documented in the role profile need to be evidenced in your application to be considered for interview.

For more detailed information relating to the role, skills and experience for this role, please click here to view the role profile.

What we offer:

We offer generous entitlements and supportive policies to enable a better work-life balance, some of which are listed below:

• A highly competitive salary and access to a generous pension scheme

• Generous annual leave allowance

• A wide range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave

• Flexible working arrangements including flexi-time and hybrid working

• A transparent and collaborative team culture underpinned by our core values of Fairness, Integrity & Trust

• Comprehensive range of development and leadership courses to develop your career with South Yorkshire Police

• Employee Assistant Programme (accessible 24/7) offering confidential support and advice

• Flexible lifestyle benefits such as: Blue Light Card, Company Shop, Cycle to work scheme

• Committed to embedding sustainability: South Yorkshire Police Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 (yhrn.police)

• Membership to the Sports and Social Club

• Access to a wide range of staff support groups and networks

Eligibility:

Applicants must meet the minimum requirement checkable history criteria, which must be taken into account for individuals applying to work with South Yorkshire Police in any capacity. A minimum checkable history of 3 years is required for this role and successfully undergoing recruitment vetting procedure is a pre-requisite of employment with South Yorkshire Police.

Appearance & Standards:

South Yorkshire Police is committed to striking a proportionate balance between self-expression and the need to maintain role sensitive professional standards in dress and appearance. Officers, staff, and volunteers of South Yorkshire Police are permitted to have tattoos visible whilst on duty provided the tattoo is not considered to be unacceptable or otherwise inappropriate. Tattoos will be reviewed as part of the recruitment and selection process.

South Yorkshire Police’s overarching aim is to deliver an excellent police service to support safer communities. The public’s assessment of our excellence is influenced by the level of trust and confidence in us, as an organisation and as individuals. In comparison to the general public, police officers and police staff are held to a higher standards of behaviour and accountability. In applying to join the police, applicants are accepting of these higher standards and understand the implications on their right to privacy.

South Yorkshire Police’s Key Values:

At South Yorkshire Police we have 3 key values which run through everything we do Fairness, Integrity & Trust, the attached document details the key behaviours we expect all employees to adhere to.

Smarter ways of Working:

South Yorkshire Police is committed to developing working practices which assist staff to balance their personal and professional lives, whilst meeting the needs of the organisation. This in turn enables SYP to provide an outstanding service to the community.

There are 3 different categories as part of this which are: Fixed, Field and Hybrid.

This role has been evaluated as a Fixed role.

Fixed: This is a traditional arrangement, applicable when the work is mostly required to be undertaken at a fixed single place of work (on police premises) for most of the time. The work can only or is more effectively delivered from a police premises or other agreed organisational/partner premises.

Contact details:

For further information about the role, please contact: Collette Hunter on 01226 736334.

Closing Date: 15 July 2026

Closing dates are not normally extended, other than in exceptional circumstances and agreement is made between the Recruitment Manager and the Line Manager for the role.

Candidate Information:

Please note that, should you be successful at the interview stage and before appointment, the relevant pre-employment checks are required. These include references, medical clearance, vetting clearance and sickness absence criteria check.

Diversity & Inclusion:

Applications are particularly welcome from female and ethnic minority candidates.

It is really important to us that the department represents the community we serve, in order for us to provide the best service, utilising a range of backgrounds, experience and skills. We support and value all officers and staff and the unique experiences they bring to the role. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from these valuable underrepresented groups.

If you are from an underrepresented group and want to find out more about the support we can offer, please contact our dedicated team on positiveaction@southyorks.pnn.police.uk

In addition, we will look to support anyone who requires Part Time/Job share working hours.

Documents to Review:

For the Police Staff Recruitment Vetting Handbook - Please Click here

For Application Guidance and Tips - Please Click Here

For the FIT Values of South Yorkshire Police - Please Click Here

View our recruitment video:

https://youtu.be/2dGn5qti7_c