Senior Manager, Volunteers and Responders

Summary :

The Senior Manager, Volunteers and Responders facilitates deep engagement in the mission of the ASPCA through recruitment, management, retention, support and celebration of dedicated volunteers and responders.

At the CRC, a dedicated team of sheltering, veterinary and animal behavior staff work together to serve animals rescued in ASPCA national cruelty cases and disaster responses.

This team works closely with the ASPCA’s National Field Response (NFR), Veterinary Forensics, Legal Advocacy & Investigations (LAI), Behavioral Sciences (BST) and Shelter Medicine Services (SMS) teams to ensure well-coordinated operations and high-quality care for animal victims of neglect, abuse and natural disasters.

The CRC team also provides care for animals housed in ASPCA temporary field shelters.

Under the direction of the Senior Director, Operations, the Senior Manager works alongside the Operations teams and plays an integral role, focusing on the development and oversight of the volunteer program that will augment staff positions and provide additional support throughout the CRC.

Using best practices, innovative programs and measurable outcomes, the Senior Manager is responsible for developing a robust, local volunteer program, supporting volunteers through positive engagement and making sure all departments have volunteers to meet their needs.

The Senior Manager will also be responsible for collaborating with Volunteer Managers and Responder Liaisons across the PRE division ensuring trained responders, non-local volunteers and professional responders are scheduled and utilized as needed to meet the demands of the animal population.

To succeed in this role, the Senior Manager, Volunteers and Responders will possess exceptional people and organizational skills.

The Senior Manager will be skilled in managing volunteers directly as well as coaching and providing guidance to staff who will also directly supervise volunteers.

This position will be required to show professionalism, discretion and leadership in a variety of situations. One of the most critical functions of the Senior Manager will be to serve as part of a harmonious, united management team of shelter operations, shelter medicine and animal behavior experts, all dedicated to collaborating to provide balanced, integrated care.

Responsibilities :

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to :

Volunteer Program Development, Leadership and Management (50%)

• Develop and oversee the CRC’s volunteer program and manage its ongoing operations
• Establish program plans, tactics and key results in partnership with the Vice President, CRC and Sr. Director, Operations
• Develop and implement effective strategies to recruit, engage and retain effective volunteers
• Launch targeted recruitment efforts to develop a robust team of local volunteers to support the Columbus operation
• Develop and oversee the CRC’s volunteer program application process and serve as primary liaison for individuals interested in learning more about the CRC volunteer program, providing timely and quality customer service
• Ensure all volunteer applications, documentation and credentials are managed, updated and organized
• Communicate with volunteers via phone and email to provide general updates and respond to inquiries
• Cultivate positive and productive relationships between staff and volunteers to support positive animal outcomes and foster a productive working environment
• In conjunction with Operations, Medical, Behavior departments, schedule all volunteers, adjusting scheduling to meet changing staff needs
• Update database information to ensure the CRC is adequately supported by volunteers
• Liaise between medical, behavior and sheltering staff and volunteers to ensure protocol compliance
• Collaborate with Responder Managers and Liaisons on best practices, protocol and infrastructure development to ensure volunteer programs, policies and communications are streamlined and compliant with internal policies
• Continuously seek out, learn and implement best practices in the field related to volunteer recruitment and management
• Develop a Retention Program to effectively retain volunteers who enroll in orientation and training
• Collaborate with PRE-Volunteer Managers and the Media & Communications team to develop volunteer and responder communication strategies
• Develop a recognition program to reward long-term volunteers and those who go above and beyond for their dedication and commitment
• Develop reports to provide monthly statistics on volunteer hours and work
• Attend workshops for animal welfare professionals to expand the sheltering, rehabilitation and recovery work of the ASPCA;

share learning with the entire team upon return

• Host information booths at various Columbus area community events to spread awareness of the ASPCA’s work and recruit potential volunteers
• Collaborate consistently with other ASPCA departments, prioritizing alignment in operations practices across departments
• Maintain strict confidentiality when dealing with criminal cases
• Manager expenses and reimbursements in adherence to policy

Volunteer and Responder Training and Support (30%)

• Nurture a culture of learning, in coordination with the CRC leadership team, including ensuring a respectful and welcoming environment for volunteers that includes setting clear expectations and regular, proactive of feedback and after actions
• Ensure volunteers receive appropriate training, supervision, modeling, coaching and ongoing guidance from staff
• Cultivate positive and productive relationships with staff and responders
• Guide colleagues in working effectively with volunteers; solicit feedback from colleagues on volunteer placement and performance
• Collaborate with the ASPCA People Team and Legal team on risk management to oversee volunteer performance, provide improvement coaching, discipline and termination when necessary
• Address and report confidential and sensitive performance concerns appropriately, managing documentation and following best practices on performance management and working with volunteers to hone skills and continually improve performance
• Provide volunteers with direct, transparent communication about the purpose of their volunteer assignment and help volunteers to understand that humane euthanasia may ultimately be the outcome for animals with medical and / or behavioral risks
• Be a consistent and visible presence with volunteers; be available to answer questions, receive feedback, lend a hand, and ensure a deep understanding of and compliance with CRC philosophy, policy and operations
• Ensure volunteer check-in protocols are followed and records of volunteer hours are maintained according to established procedures
• Address and help resolve any conflicts involving volunteers
• Reward and empower volunteers with programs that encourage their involvement and positive engagement
• Supervise multiple ASPCA staff and responders in emergency shelters and situations in the field
• Define and assign volunteer tasks, ensuring assigned volunteers have the necessary training to perform required tasks
• Utilize innovative tools to develop a streamlined foster orientation process; lead periodic orientations
• Create and continually update a robust volunteer manual
• Develop, refine, and facilitate on-going educational programs and trainings for volunteers
• Become intimately familiar with the operations and protocols used at the CRC in order to effectively train volunteers and ensure operations and protocols are consistently executed
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor

Temporary Sheltering and Resource Unit : (20%)

• Assist with planning and volunteer / responder staffing for temporary sheltering operations in the field
• When appropriate, work within temporary shelters to provide oversight for volunteers and responders
• Support the coordination of responders, mobilizing non-local volunteers and professional responders across various operations, locations and temporary shelters including flights, lodging, roles, ground transportation and diet
• Support communications with responders before, during and in between responses
• Collaborate with NFR and PRE Team leads to identify and prioritize scheduling needs
• Collect, organize and coordinate availability for CRC volunteers and responders
• Maintain reports to track metrics on volunteer and responder operational hours
• Implement current best practices and SOP’s used to increase and enhance responder and volunteer experiences

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 :

• Demonstrated exceptional customer service skills; solution-focused problem solver
• Passion for volunteer management and engagement; proven history of building and maintaining positive and productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong project management skills and ability to meet deadlines, juggle multiple and competing priorities, and still maintain a positive, engaging atmosphere
• Proven excellent people management skills; including conflict resolution
• Administrative and computer skills, including advanced proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint required, experience with CiviCore a plus
• Database management experience strongly preferred
• Ability to prepare concise written reports, policies and procedures
• Ability to manage sensitive information with professionalism and confidentiality and show discretion and leadership in a variety of situations.
• Always treats people and animals with care and respect; must be a compassionate caregiver for animals have a genuine interest in leading others
• Supports fellow team leads; can serve as a loyal member of a united management team
• Maintains a consistently positive attitude; must enjoy working directly with people; respects team members at all levels
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Flexible communicator; ability to interact with diverse personalities and groups
• Meticulous organizational skills; pays close attention to detail
• Works efficiently and calmly in a quick-paced changing environment and can motivate a team to do the same
• Works well under pressure; willing to work long hours
• Adapts to a flexible work schedule and willingness to be on-call for occasional last-minute deployments
• Relishes troubleshooting and problem solving
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• Ability to work closely with medically and behaviorally compromised animals and in an environment where euthanasia is performed on a
• Low stress animal handling and restraint skills preferred
• Ability to walk, bend, stand and reach constantly during a minimum 8-hour day
• Human and animal first aid skills preferred
• Must provide a valid driver’s license upon hire and pass a motor vehicle history check demonstrating a safe driving history;
• Ability to drive a vehicle
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 30% of the time as needed

Education & Work Experience :

• High School Diploma or GED required
• 2 years of direct management experience or volunteer management experience required
• Animal shelter volunteer management strongly preferred
• Animal first aid skills preferred
• Fear Free Shelter certification in required within 60 days of hire
• Low Stress Handling® University Silver-Level certification is required within six months of hire
• Knowledge of and experience working within Incident Command System (ICS) structure preferred
• Completion of IS-.b, IS-.d, IS-.c, and IS-.c training courses within 3 months of employment required

Compensation and Benefits :

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 range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future.

The target hiring range for this role is $71,-$76,.

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

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Qualifications :

See above for qualifications details.

Language : English (Required)

English (Required)

Education and Work Experience :

High School Diploma (Required)

Our EEO Policy :

The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws.

A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA.

Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M / F / D / V).