Director, Animal Welfare (New York metropolitan area)

Summary : Overview :

Are you passionate about promoting an inclusive work environment? Do you find inspiration in improving the lives of animals? Do you envision yourself implementing plans for successful, innovative population management and leading your team in the provision of high-quality animal care and enrichment? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic and complex environment, and consider yourself a people-centered leader? If so, consider the role of Director, Animal Welfare (Adoption Center).

Who We Are :

The Adoption Center & Kitten Nursery provides intake, holistic care, including medical and behavioral support and outcomes for animals in New York City that need us most.

Our population consists of five groups of animals :

• Animal victims of cruelty and neglect brought to us by the NYPD
• Animals brought to us through our Community Engagement team
• Underage kittens and other medically compromised stray animals
• Animals surrendered by their owners and in need of adoption into new homes
• Animals transferred in from shelter / rescue partners

The Adoption Center & Kitten Nursery teams utilize and develop best practices for providing care and innovative placement strategies for these specialized populations.

What Youll Do :

In this position, youll work with your team to ensure all animals receive timely services and interventions to move through the care of the Adoption Center, into safe and loving homes. Youll closely partner with the other Adoption Center Directors to position the Adoption Center as a learning hub that encourages public involvement as ambassadors for the ASPCAs mission through volunteerism, fostering, and adoption. You will lead a high-performing team dedicated to the care of approximately 2,000 at-risk pets each year, working effectively with internal and external stakeholders to achieve the ASPCAs ultimate goal : ensuring that all animals live fulfilling lives.

To succeed in this role, the Director will be an excellent manager, teacher, supervisor and coach. The Director will lead their team in championing canine and feline populations equally and enthusiastically, supporting the health of animals in the Adoption Center by interacting with animals in their daily life to detect potential problems or changes in their medical or behavioral health and communicating those effectively to clinical professionals, administering certain medications, providing daily care, engaging in behavioral enrichment activities, and documenting / maintaining records of all activities. Success also hinges on the Directors ability to partner effectively with medical and behavior subject matter experts to balance the social and psychological needs of animals with best practices in herd health and shelter medicine to ensure an enriched and healthy shelter environment is maintained at all times.

Where and When Youll Work

What Youll Get

Compensation

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 Compensation Team will review internal candidates current compensation, to determine if an offer beyond the target hiring range may be applicable. Click here to review the Internal Open Positions Pay Range Sheet

Benefits

At the ASPCA, you dont have to choose between your passion and making a living. Our comprehensive benefits package helps ensure you can live a rewarding life at work and at home. Our benefits include, but are not limited to :

Responsibilities :

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to :

Animal Welfare and Operational Leadership (50%)

In partnership with Senior Director and leadership team, ensure the Adoption Center prioritizes the welfare of animals in our care by attending to their physical and emotional health and comfort and operate within the Association of Shelter Veterinarians Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters as guiding principles for animal care

Lead daily Medical, Behavior, and Sheltering population rounds (MBS Rounds) ensuring all teams are focused on moving animals through the Adoption Center efficiently, and develop the decisive MBS voice among all Animal Welfare Managers

Partner effectively with Director, Medical and Director, Behavior to evaluate and improve the involvement of the Integrated Care Assistants in animal observation, treatments and interventions

Oversee space allocation for Adoption Center animals, including forecasting to determine capacity for care and to guide intake decisions

Be an early adopter, champion and teacher of organization-wide priorities for animal care and placement

Provide a safe and compassionate environment for animals in our care, our staff, and for our clients by using low-stress handling techniques

Instill the guiding principle that everyone canand shouldactively support the animals behavioral and mental health in everything they do.

Ensure that all team members have received training and mastered the skills to handle in a low stress manner, and that they implement these handling techniques consistently in all their interactions with animals

Play an integral role on the Adoption Centers response team to implement and enhance an effective emergency mobilization plan (e.g. storms and large-scale animal intakes) including overnight management presence as needed

Support the departments successful engagement in Adoption Center-related research opportunities

Design and implement improved processes or operations to manage animal flow

Direct the implementation and maintenance of effective feline and canine enrichment programs, ensure that staff are trained and compliant, adequate supplies are on hand and animals are receiving an appropriate variety of items and experiences to support and enhance behavioral health

See that staff send timely medical and behavior observation reports and support the maintenance of accurate shelter records in relevant shelter systems, e.g. : PetPoint

Ensure Adoption Center animals grooming needs are met

Act as Adoption Center representative in interdepartmental meetings as directed

People Management (50%)

With Senior Director and leadership team, nurture a culture of learning at the Adoption Center, including ensuring a respectful and welcoming environment, active participation in goal setting and monitoring, clear expectations, and regular practice of feedback and after-actions

Provide robust training, supervision, modeling, coaching, development opportunities and ongoing guidance for direct reports and the Adoption Center ICA team

Maintain adequate staffing levels at all times; assign and / or re-assign appropriate responsibilities, as well as direct workflow in order to maximize productivity and maintain coverage in the event of planned absences, call outs, injuries, increased volume, etc.

Guide the team in welcoming, training, supervising and coaching volunteers in their deep support of animal welfare-related functions< /