Manager, Care & Enrichment

Responsibilities

• Maintains working knowledge of all Care & Enrichment daily protocols, working with the Senior Director, Operations, Senior Manager and Managers, Care & Enrichment to ensure protocols are clear, concise, and up-to-date
• Maintains working knowledge of all relevant regulatory requirements, and keeps accurate records of compliance activities
• Oversee the cleaning and prepping of animal holding area and associated tasks, the provision of enrichment, and the feeding and watering of animals to ensure their daily needs are met
• Arrange daily animal care and enrichment tasks to optimize workflow and ensure efficiency
• Provide consistent floor management throughout the day, supporting Care & Enrichment Technicians with hands-on guidance and assisting with daily tasks whenever needed to maintain smooth operations and high-quality care
• Aid in training and overseeing volunteers as they perform animal related tasks, particularly when directly handling animals, and communicate respect and gratitude for volunteer support
• Collaborate with behavior and veterinary team members, working together to ensure open and ample communication, excellent care, and close monitoring of every animal in the shelter
• Together with the Care & Enrichment Technicians, creatively problem solve and take appropriate initiative to solve day to day issues
• Provide continual feedback to the Senior Manager, Care & Enrichment to improve processes and minimize barriers to efficient work and high-quality animal care
• Contribute to the ongoing development and refinement of daily care and enrichment SOPs, representing the interests of the Care & Enrichment Technicians and working with the behavior and veterinary team to ensure integration
• Audit data entered by Care & Enrichment Technicians on a daily basis to ensure it is accurate, informative, and appropriate to be read in a court of law if internal records were subpoenaed
• Assist in choreographing animal movement into and out of the shelter in a seamless and low-stress manner
• Perform repeated daily checks of animal holding areas, spot cleaning, feeding, watering, and providing enrichment as the need arises, or appropriately delegating the same
• Hold team huddles at regular intervals throughout the day to determine progress on tasks, who needs additional support, and shape the remainder of the day accordingly
• Develop, implement, and execute strategies to keep animal care and enrichment equipment and supplies organized, efficiently located, and in good repair
• Monitor the inventory and conditions of animal care and enrichment supplies, requesting additional supplies before stock is depleted
• Perform daily rounds to ensure all animals are in appropriate seized enclosures, and to evaluate the condition of every enclosures, noting any safety or integrity concerns, bringing them to the attention of the Manager, Facilities

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required, B.S. or B.A. preferred
• Minimum of one year of experience leading a team, directly or indirectly
• At least two years of experience working in an animal shelter in a hands-on role
• Fear Free® Shelter Program certification (approximately 5 hours) required or completed within 60 days of hire
• Valid driver’s license and ability to pass a motor vehicle history check demonstrating safe driving
• Fluent in the use of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint a plus
• Familiarity with shelter software systems or Salesforce a plus
• Familiarity with Airtable or project management system a plus
• Familiarity with Canva or other design software a plus
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Able to regularly witness animals suffering medically and/or behaviorally
• Comfortable with humane euthanasia in theory and in practice
• Displays concern for the safety and well-being of self, animals and others, especially under stress
• Fosters collaboration by creating strong connections with colleagues at all levels and in all areas
• Buys into building strong work relationships based on trust, respect, and listening to understand
• Frees and generously shares knowledge, skills, and expertise with others
• Demonstrates genuine interest in the thoughts, ideas, and expertise of others
• Proactively problem-solves and takes appropriate initiative to implement solutions
• Flexible; can easily adapt to changes and help others do the same
• Resilient; bounces back from difficult and disappointing situations quickly
• Strong and adaptable people leader
• Artfully flexes coaching styles to best support diverse individuals
• Cultivates a climate in which diverse perspectives are solicited, encouraged, valued, and respected
• Ability to set a clear direction and inspire others to work towards shared goals
• Sets a high standard by leading with transparency, integrity, honesty and strong ethical principles
• Unafraid of hard conversations and approaches them openly, quickly, and kindly
• Views conflict as generative, using disagreement to drive innovation, improve communication, clarify and articulate values, and build stronger relationships
• Values training and education for self and team, ensuring ample access to learning opportunities