Associate Manager, Animal Care

Are you compassionate about animals and have a desire to speak for those who cannot? For over 110 years, the Dumb Friends League has been working to end pet homelessness and animal suffering by providing a strong and steadfast voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. If you work well with people too, join our team and help us provide that voice.

Purpose of Position: Assist in the oversight of the Animal Care department, providing care to animals sheltered by the Dumb Friends League. Support the Manager of Animal Care to develop a compassionate, efficient, resilient, adaptive, and high functioning animal care team. 

Responsibilities

• With the Manager, Animal Care, manages and develops an effective staff: providing effective communication, leadership, guidance and resources. Determines staff qualifications and competency: recruits, interviews, selects, hires, trains, orients, mentors, evaluates, coaches, counsels, disciplines, and rewards. Establishes and monitors staff safety and regulatory compliance.  
• Oversee care and treatment of shelter animals to ensure proper care and services are provided, and processes are smooth and efficient. 
• Oversee department’s animal enrichment program. 
• Ensure internal patron experiences with animal care reflect the League’s brand and core value, compassion always. 
• Schedule staff and review productivity to best align people resources. Work with Team Leaders to create daily work plans ensuring maximum efficiency while maintaining high standards of animal care. 
• Train staff and volunteers and assist with the creation of training plans and ongoing evaluation. 
• Manage external vendors to provide services as needed. 
• Inform budget and ensure expenditures stay within the operating budget. 
• Serve as a safety officer for the department, responsible for understanding and ensuring compliance with OSHA, PACFA, and other applicable state and local agencies. 
• Manage supply and product inventory and ordering. 
• Oversee upkeep and maintenance of shelter equipment in use within department. 
• Assist with the development of SOPs to ensure that they are current and communicated to and followed by staff and volunteers. 
• Contribute to and lead initiatives to improve processes and procedures.  
• Manage department resources to maximize value, control expenses and minimize waste. 
• Perform euthanasia and related tasks. 
• Regularly perform shelter opening and closing duties as needed.  
• Represent the organization internally and externally with integrity, serving as an ambassador of the League’s mission and brand. 

People Care

People are the key to fulfilling our mission. Making internal and external patrons and their needs a primary focus is expected in all situations. This position interacts with and collaborates with employees at all levels of the organization. Communication occurs through face to face, telephone, and electronic interactions and may also include contact with the general public and League business partners. Communication and contact must be clear, understandable, cooperative, professional and respectful in all circumstances. Employees are expected to actively support a positive team environment, directly address conflict, and appropriately express concerns. 

Competencies

Competencies are work behaviors and expectations necessary for successful job performance. They encompass knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and actions. Additional definitions for competencies may be obtained from Human Resources 

Organizational Key Competencies

• Integrity and Ethics 
• Adapting to Change and Ambiguity 
• Customer and Community Focus 
• Emotional Intelligence 
• Excellence 

Leadership Key Competencies

• Developing Direct Reports 
• Building and Leading Effective Teams 

Position Key Competencies

• Project and Process Management 
• Delivering Results  
• Analytical Thinking 
• Conflict Management  
• Financial Acumen 
• Fiscal Responsibility 
• Strong Management skills 
• Innovation 
• People Development 
• Project Management 
• Strategic Thinking 

Supervisory or Managerial Responsibility 

• Team Leaders 
• Animal Care Associates 
• Shelter Assistants 
• Animal Groomers 
• Volunteers 

Shift schedule: Full-time, five 8 hour shifts.  

Travel

• This position may require travel to different work sites 

Full Time Benefits – Please visit our website for a comprehensive list of all offered benefits.

• Benefits (medical, dental, and vision)
• Flexible spending accounts
• League-paid Life and Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Sabbatical
• Holiday Pay
• 401(k)
• And more!

Compensation: $56,610-$61,000 annually (starting pay commensurate with market, experience, and equity)

Work Conditions and Physical Requirements

Performs work primarily in an office setting. Potentially prolonged periods of sitting and repetitive motion. May work in an area with high noise level. Potentially subject to animal bites and scratches. Exposure to cleaning chemicals, fumes, dust, animal dander, and feces. Occasional lifting with reasonable accommodation. 

Job posting will remain open until filled, with a minimum posting period of 5 days. 

Position Qualifications

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Demonstrated success in customer service  
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office required 
• Must possess excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills 
• Demonstrated capability to organize work efficiently, set priorities and establish plans or timetables for achieving goals 
• Demonstrated effectiveness as a leader capable of influencing and motivating others to success toward a common goal 

Required

• Education: High School Diploma or equivalent 
• Work Experience: Two years of experience leading the work of others 

Desired

• Experience working with volunteers and the public 
• Experience in veterinary medical field or animal shelter environment 
• Experience developing and monitoring budget