Senior Manager, Shelter Animal Behavior - ASPCA

Development Phase: The following responsibilities apply to the R&R Center’s development phase, which includes program development, staff hiring, and team onboarding.  

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

Program Development (50%) 

• Rapidly gain familiarity with ASPCA org-wide goals and strategies; learn about the work of partner teams; build new, collaborative relationships with colleagues on other teams and help streamline systems where work intersects  

• Participate in R&R Center program development, focusing on the creation of the behavior program; collaborate with other R&R Center leadership team members to build team-wide structure and systems 

• Contribute to the development of a comprehensive R&R Center SOP package 

• Alongside other R&R Center leadership team members, develop strong relationships with community stakeholders  

• Participate in the creation and execution of a program launch plan, ensuring that staff, program structure, supplies, and equipment are all in place for the start of operations 

Team Development, Hiring and Onboarding (40%) 

• Work with other R&R Center leads and people managers to develop a clear vision for team culture and communication, grounded in an integrative care model and aligned with ASPCA Core Values 

• Interview, hire, and onboard Behavior Specialists 

• Plan and participate in teambuilding activities  

R&R Center Facility Preparation Support (10%) 

• Work with the Senior Director, Shelter Animal Behavior to ensure that all supplies have been purchased, delivered, and organized on time for launch 

• Help create supply inventory and purchase systems 

• As part of a detailed launch plan, work alongside other people managers to ensure that staff become familiar with their new building and receive training on equipment/tools they’ll use during daily operations 

Implementation Phase: The following responsibilities apply to the R&R Center’s implementation phase, which will begin when facility construction is complete and program operations start. 

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

Behavior Assessment, Treatment, Handling & Coaching (50%) 

• Schedule and conduct behavior modification sessions and standardized behavior evaluations; record data to inform decision-making and for research purposes 

• Coordinate and supervise other Behavior Branch activities 

• Continually monitor animal behavior, collecting information from multiple sources to form a comprehensive picture of behavioral health 

• Handle fearful, highly aroused and aggressive dogs as needed, using low-stress and defensive handling techniques (e.g., during intake, medical procedures, animal movement, humane euthanasia) 

• Collaborate with Operations and Medical team colleagues to plan humane euthanasia procedures for difficult to handle dogs 

• Conduct treatment meetings, leading the team through troubleshooting and case progress assessment; make decisions about behavior treatment plan changes  

• Conduct daily behavior rounds of all animals in the shelter and regularly participate in shelter daily rounds with Operations and Medical Branch colleagues to ensure timely, integrated care and open team communication 

• Provide expert input on a robust enrichment program, housing changes, the use of psychopharmaceuticals, and pathway planning decisions 

• Provide coaching and behavior guidance for direct reports, other staff, on-site external learners, volunteers, fosterers, and others 

• Produce or assign/review behavior-related paperwork for dogs (e.g., for adoption/transfer/foster) 

• Plan, supervise and/or conduct playgroups 

• Oversee the collection and organization of footage for behavior video library; provide videos for media, animal placement, and educational uses 

• Adhere to and ensure team use of ASPCA Behavior Alignment Tools (e.g., treatment protocols, eligibility guidelines, quality of life assessment tool, adoptability guidelines); liaise with the ASPCA’s Behavioral Sciences Team 

People Management & Team Leadership (40%) 

• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with direct reports to clearly communicate role and team expectations and to provide feedback/support  

• Consistently utilize ASPCA developmental tools and conduct yearly performance reviews of direct reports to measure progress 

• Create professional development plans and support the career growth of direct reports 

• Participate in yearly team planning and goal setting; coach direct reports to contribute to the achievement of shared goals 

• Develop productive, supportive relationships and with other members of the management team to ensure optimal animal care, aligned messaging, transparent communication, and a healthy team culture   

• In partnership with other leads and managers, communicate animal and program updates; welcome staff questions about “the why” behind decisions, both in group and one-on-one settings 

• Participate in recruiting, hiring and onboarding new staff for open roles 

Other Responsibilities (10%) 

• Participate in the Learning Lab Shelter Partnership Program and Shelter Behavior Apprenticeship Program as a subject matter expert, on-site at the R&R Center and remotely 

• Support national case work by occasionally deploying to provide expertise and other assistance in ASPCA emergency shelters  

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Director, Shelter Animal Behavior 

Exemplifies the ASPCA’s Core Values: 

• Has Commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals 

• Demonstrates Ownership and feels responsible for outcomes 

• Believes in Team – that we are stronger together 

• Seeks to Elevate others and reimagine what is possible 

• Focuses on Impact, specifically making change for animals 

Qualifications: 

• Comprehensive shelter dog behavior knowledge 

• Highly effective people- and team-management abilities; can artfully flex management style to best support diverse individuals 

• Strong coaching abilities 

• Exceptional behavior modification, assessment, and handling skills 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills  

• Comfortable making humane euthanasia recommendations for behavior reasons and participating in euthanasia procedures; able to clearly and compassionately answer staff and volunteer questions regarding euthanasia decisions  

• Good team player; a “people person” who enjoys and excels at collaboration 

• Superior problem-solving abilities; likes to find solutions when facing challenges 

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment 

• Flexible; can easily adapt to changes to plans/protocols and help others do the same 

• Able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds 

• Able to work standing for 8 or more hours and bend, crouch, kneel and move freely to perform responsibilities that include handling potentially dangerous animals in stressful conditions 

• Able to work in physically challenging conditions and able to wear appropriate protective gear, including a protective mask; job responsibilities may entail exposure to chemical and biological hazards, such as feces and blood, exposure to sharp objects, working in noisy environments and working in areas with uneven, wet and slippery surfaces 

• Fluent in the use of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint; familiarity with shelter software systems or Salesforce a plus 

• Must provide a valid driver’s license upon hire and pass a motor vehicle history check demonstrating a safe driving history 

• Available to regularly work 5 days per week, schedule may require working one weekend day; able to work some holidays when needed  

• Ability and willingness to travel up to 5% of the time as needed 

Education and Work Experience: 

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience working as a professional animal behavior expert, handling, assessing, and treating animals with behavior problems required 

• Experience and skill working with fearful, aggressive, and difficult to handle dogs required 

• Minimum of 1 year professional experience working in an animal shelter required (volunteer work may be considered)  

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience managing a team required, preferably in an animal-related field 

• High School Diploma or GED required; B.A. or B.S. in animal behavior preferred 

• CAAB/ACAAB certification, IAABC certification or eligibility for certification a plus 

• CPDT-KA or -KSA certification required within 1 year of hire 

• Sophia Yin Low Stress Handling® University Silver-Level certification required within six months of hire 

• ASPCA Shelter Behavior Apprenticeship participation required within 2 years 

Compensation and Benefits: 

The applicable target hiring range for this remote role is based on where the employee works, which for remote roles is the employee’s primary location of residence, and its respective cost of labor. We have organized the U.S. varying costs of labor index into three geographic zones. As a point of reference, below, we have included our ASPCA locations by geographic zone to illustrate what the hiring range would be in each of the following areas.  

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary ranges for this role are set forth below and may be modified in the future.   

• Zone 1 (For example, Asheville, NC; Champaign, IL; Columbus, OH; Gainesville, FL; Miami, FL; Oklahoma City, OK; Overland, KS; Union, MO; Weaverville, NC): $86,000 - $90,000 

• Zone 2 (For example, Los Angeles, CA): $95,000 - $100,000 

• Zone 3 (For example, New York, NY): $104,000 - $109,000 

For remote positions, you can view which zone applies to you based on your location. For questions regarding other locations not found on the list, please send an email to Careers@aspca.org for more information.     

For more information on our benefits offerings, visit our website. 

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