Job Description

A Northwest leader in protecting animals since 1967, the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) shelters homeless animals, rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife, and empowers people to demonstrate compassion and respect for animals in their daily lives.

Position Title:    Shelter Animal Care Manager

Starting Wage: $26.00 per hour

Full Range:       $26.00 to $37.44 per hour

Position Summary:

The Shelter Animal Care Manager is a member of the PAWS’ Companion Animal Services (CAS) management team, reporting directly to the Shelter Operations Manager. They manage and direct the care and housing for each of the animals in the PAWS’ domestic animal care shelter. Responsible for the PAWS dog and cat behavior program ensuring enrichment and training is delivered appropriately to dogs and cats housed at PAWS. The Shelter Animal Care Manager will maintain a safe and healthy environment for animals and stay within PAWS facility capacity at all times dedicated to the excellence of our animal sheltering mission.

VALUES
All employees and volunteers exemplify the values of PAWS and exhibit mindful demonstration of:

           Commitment – A champion for animals no matter the difficulty.

           Compassion – Acting to ease pain and distress.

           Kindness – Demonstrating caring toward all living beings.

           Respect – Welcoming to people of all backgrounds and identities.

           Trust – Believing in the ability and positive intention of others.

Essential Responsibilities:

In accordance with organizational policies, duties include but are not limited to:

• Supervises the scheduling, daily activities, and performance of shelter staff delivering direct animal care.
• Coordinates scheduling and training of staff in all areas of animal care.
• Works closely with the Volunteer Program Manager to ensure training of volunteers handling dogs and cats.
• Maintain open lines of communication, including routine shelter animal care meetings.
• Coordinates with all CAS Managers to provide appropriate training to staff and volunteers in animal behavior and handling following written SOP’s and progressive positive reinforcement training methods as directed by the Animal Care Manager.
• Works under the general direction of the Shelter Operations Manager and collaborates toward further development of the PAWS dog and cat behavior program. Training and leading animal care staff towards incorporating behavior and enrichment into their daily care routines.
• Provides expertise and focus on infectious disease identification, management, and prevention.
• Oversees and works with staff to assess and evaluate individual animals to determine specific needs, including appropriate housing.
• Collaborate with the foster department to determine animals in need of foster placement.
• Responsible for daily behavior program success and growth; responsible for the evaluation, implementation, paperwork, and behavior intern program support materials.
• Supervision of the behavior interns; responsible for the recruitment, onboarding, training, evaluation, implementation, paperwork, and behavior intern program support materials.
• Responsible for the day-to-day quality of care of all animals that are at the PAWS CAS Shelter.
• Responsible for ensuring the proper cleaning, organization and safety of all animal care areas including the dog kennels, cat housing areas, receiving, isolation wards, dog visitation yards.
• Supervise the daily activities of the Animal care leads; ensuring ordering and inventory of supplies for animal care including safety equipment, chemicals, cleansers, food, cat litter and equipment are ordered in a timely manner.
• Coordinates with shelter veterinarian and clinic staff on medical care and medical issues. Oversees the administration of vaccinations, medications and treatments of all companion animals as prescribed by the veterinarian or as provided in written policies and procedures.  Coordinates with the medical staff to schedule spays/neuters and other surgeries as needed.
• Oversees the shelter staff, ensuring post-surgery recovery cages are clean and available.
• Coordinates the euthanasia of domestic animals, with the Shelter Manager’s support, and provides staff with the proper training of euthanasia. Provides animal care staff with information regarding the disposition of animals ahead and after the euthanasia with clear and thoughtful communication.  Accurately records euthanasia drug use and ensures all paperwork in in order daily.

Other Responsibilities Include:

• Maintains flow of animals through the facility.
• Oversees and manages the dog offsite program in collaboration with the Volunteer Program Manager.
• Works with the Adoption and Client Services Manager and adoptions team to make recommendations for successful placement of dogs and cats.
• Assists with the management of the transfer program, behavior evaluations, medical quarantines, and coordination of animal transfers between other rescue agencies/shelters.
• Assists Sr. Director, Shelter Operations Manager, and other members of the CAS management team in the creation of written policy and procedure manuals for all facets of shelter operations and animal care.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Controls over Work:

The Shelter Animal Care Manager is a member of the CAS Management Team and reports directly to the Shelter Manager and is expected to perform the established duties and essential functions without direct supervision.

Written performance evaluations will be given after the first three months and first twelve months of work and annually thereafter.

Physical Demands:

Ability to lift a minimum of forty (40) pounds.  Work is performed both in and out of the shelter, which requires lifting, bending, stooping, pushing and other moderately strenuous activities.  Must be able to sit or stand for long periods of time, including working at a computer.

Requirements:

• Minimum 3 years of management/lead experience within animal welfare or a related field.
• Demonstrated capability to work daily with companion animals and have a good understanding of the needs and behavior of domestic cats and dogs. Must be able to handle individual animals in a caring, safe, and humane manner.
• Demonstrated experience in injection euthanasia using sodium pentobarbital and must have or be able to obtain a Washington State Certificate for the Administration of Legend Drugs and a PAWS Certificate of Euthanasia Training.
• A college degree and/or additional schooling/experience in the animal care profession are desirable.
• Must have or be able to obtain a valid Washington driver’s license with no major or repeated minor traffic offenses and auto-insurance with required coverage limits.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Outlook; proficient with animal management software and shelter databases (i.e., PetPoint).
• Work cooperatively with people and communicate clearly about PAWS’ mission, the care and treatment of animals, and the safety of the public and other employees. Must be able to always represent PAWS professionally.
• Staying abreast of new developments around behavior certification and training and helping staff develop new skills.
• Organized, flexible, and able to balance concurrent projects and adjust to rapid, changing needs.
• Ability to work maturely and respectfully with diverse groups of people and maintain high quality customer/public relations.
• Possess excellent interpersonal, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills, and able to effectively manage people and provide a positive working environment built on team concepts.

Controls over Work:

The Shelter Animal Care Manager is a member of the CAS Management Team and reports directly to the Shelter Operations Manager and is expected to perform the established duties and essential functions without direct supervision.

Written performance evaluations will be given after 90 days and annually thereafter.

Working Conditions:

Daily lifting a minimum of forty (40) pounds. Lifting of heavier weights with the assistance of another staff. Handling and restraining dogs/cats of various sizes, weights, and temperaments. Work is performed both in and out of the shelter that requires lifting, bending, stooping, pushing and other moderately strenuous activities, and must be able to stand for long periods of time. Ability to be outdoors in all weather conditions year-round. Exposure to noise, odors, chemicals fumes, dust, animal hair/dander, parasites, urine and feces, and transmittable diseases due to equipment and animals. Ability to work 8–10-hour shifts (8 hour per day schedule is typical) on a five day per week schedule, typically days with some evenings, weekends and holidays, and flexibility to respond to emergencies as needed.

Requirements:

• Minimum five (5) years in customer-focused role(s).
• Minimum three (3) years in a management/leadership role or equivalent education/experience.
• Preference may be given to someone with previous management experience at a domestic animal shelter and/or veterinary hospital setting serving shelter animals and experience managing dog and cat shelter operations, programs, and services.
• Working knowledge of animal sheltering practices.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Outlook; proficient with animal management software and shelter databases (i.e. PetPoint).
• Additional schooling and/or experience in the animal care profession are highly desirable.
• Fear Free Shelter certified or ability to become Fear Free Shelter certified within 60 days of employment.
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with volunteers within an animal care environment and communicate in a respectful, appreciative manner.
• Basic understanding of animal learning theory with emphasis on positive reinforcement and force-free training.
• Must be able to manage the emotional aspect of end-of-life services and humane euthanasia, and support employees in high-emotion circumstances.
• Demonstrated experience in injection euthanasia using sodium pentobarbital and must have or be able to obtain a Washington State Certificate for the Administration of Legend Drugs and a PAWS Certificate of Euthanasia Training (CET) within six (6) months of start date.
• Must have or be able to obtain a valid Washington driver’s license with no record of major or repeated minor traffic offenses and auto-insurance with required coverage limits.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrating knowledge of personnel practices as they relate to selecting, training, evaluating performance and supervising employees.
• Adaptable to changing assignments and priorities and manages changes with affected parties.
• Ability to provide structure to a team with tools and processes to achieve best practices.
• Willing and able to work daily with companion animals and have a good understanding of the needs and behavior of domestic cats and dogs.
• Able to handle individual animals in a caring, safe, and humane manner.
• Able to work maturely and respectfully with diverse groups of people and maintain high quality customer/public relations.
• Ability to work cooperatively with people and to communicate clearly about PAWS’ mission, the care and treatment of animals, and the safety of the public and other employees, and always represent PAWS professionally.
• Detail oriented, organized, and flexible, and able to balance concurrent projects and adjust to rapid, changing needs.
• Possess an ability to motivate and excite staff and help realize new and improved ideas for CAS programs.

Benefits:

Generous benefits available including health/vision/dental/long-term disability/life insurance for employees and their families, enrollment in 403(b) plan with employer contribution and match, paid time off (PTO) starting with accrual of up to 15 days annually, 10 paid holidays per year, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), pet supply discounts, and discounts for veterinary services at select veterinary clinics.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

PAWS is an equal opportunity employer. PAWS employment decisions are made based on merit and business needs. PAWS is committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, regardless of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. We celebrate the diversity of individual unique identity, perspectives, and experiences and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We encourage ALL to apply.

All PAWS positions receive written performance evaluations after the first 90 days and annually thereafter.

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: animal welfare, non-profit, and shelter. Salaries: 40,000 - 60,000.

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