What are the responsibilities and job description for the Animal Care Manager position at PASADENA HUMANE?
PASADENA HUMANE is a non-profit animal welfare organization looking for passionate professionals to join our team.
JOIN US & MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
THE MISSION
To lead the way toward a compassionate and caring community for all animals.
OUR VALUES
LEARNING: We commit to best practice and professional development through continuous education.
INTEGRITY: We value honest and transparent communication and decision making using evidence based practices.
COLLABORATION: We value teamwork in our organization and partnerships with our community to deliver exceptional service.
KINDNESS: We show compassion, care, respect and empathy to all animals and humans without prejudice or discrimination.
JOB TITLE: Animal Care Manager
FLSA: Exempt
FT/PT: Full Time
JOB SUMMARY
The Animal Care Manager works alongside Health Department Managers, Directors and Health Coordinators to manage the day-to-day functions of the animal care at Pasadena Humane. The Animal Care Manager will achieve defined objectives by planning, evaluating, developing, implementing and maintaining animal care in compliance with established guidelines, codes and regulations and through supervision and development of the animal care team.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Health Technicians who are primarily focused on animal husbandry; Acts as Manager on Duty as required.
GENERAL PURPOSE: Responsible for the implementation and maintenance of operations pertaining to cleaning, care and welfare of animals in Pasadena Humane’s custody as well as the onboarding, training and supervision of the Animal Care team to implement efficient processes, team development and problem-solving skills to deliver the highest level of care.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Healthcare and Live Release
The Animal Care Manager partners with the Senior Director of Animal Care, the Shelter Medicine Director, Chief Veterinarian and other managers in the Veterinary Health Department to develop and implement standard operating procedures that reflect the most current shelter husbandry and behavioral intervention standards and meet department goals and objectives.
Program Development
- Work with managers/ directors across the organization to develop and evolve the role of the health department within the organization
- Work with managers/ directors to incorporate volunteer programs into the daily operation of the health department.
Healthcare
- Partnering and supporting DVMs in providing preventative medicine.
- Partnering and supporting staff when alerting DVMs to animal welfare concerns ensuring accuracy and clarity.
- Partnering with DVMs and shelter medicine to alert, identify and adhere to protocols when identifying illness or behavior problems upon intake or while in care.
- Partnering with DVMs and supporting staff to manage infectious disease.
Live Release
- Work to maximize live release rates.
- Work to maintain adoption driven capacity through interdepartmental and organization collaboration.
- Contribute to defining, educating, and implementing organization wide understanding and practice of capacity for care.
- Work to minimize length of stay.
- Contribute to the accurate and timely entry of any data needed to support live release efforts.
Leadership
The Animal Care Manager collaborates with Senior Directors, Directors and Managers in the Veterinary Health Department in conjunction with the Chief Veterinarian to prepare the team for change. .
Welfare and Advocacy
The Animal Care Manager understands and exemplifies the philosophies of Pasadena Humane and shares expertise in shelter behavior and husbandry for the benefit of:
- animals, staff and volunteers in municipal or private shelters, or rescue groups
- animals and guardians in the community
Talent Management
The Animal Care Manager sets the example for a high functioning and positive work style. The Animal Care Manager collaborates with the Veterinary Health Department Leadership to:
- Work with Veterinary Health Manager to manage animal care staff which includes recruitment, hiring, terminations, payroll, performance reviews, counseling, training and general productivity of the team.
- Develop and implement skill assessments and training programs for onboarding, skill advancement or operational roles
- Create professional development opportunities within or outside Pasadena Humane
- Deliver timely performance documentation to HR
The Animal Care Manager supports the Veterinary Health Department Leadership in supervising the health staff focused on husbandry care. This includes but may not be limited to:
- influencing individual performance through skill training, coaching, feedback, or performance improvement plans
- developing performance metrics that reflect the annual or long term goals of the department and ensuring that the metrics are understood by and relevant to staff
- engaging staff in the work of the Health Department and of Pasadena Humane so as to maximize talent retention
The Animal Care Manager promotes the integration of volunteers into the Heath Department. This may include and is not limited to:
- providing subject matter expertise to the volunteer coordinator/manager/director
- working cooperatively with volunteers
- recognizing the talent, commitment and service volunteers bring to Pasadena Humane
The Animal Care Manager promotes the integration of volunteers into the Heath Department. This may include and is not limited to:
- providing subject matter expertise to the volunteer coordinator/manager/director
- working cooperatively with volunteers
- recognizing the talent, commitment and service volunteers bring to Pasadena Humane
Administrative Duties
The Animal Care Manager along with Veterinary Health Leadership and the Veterinary Administrator keeps the Health Department in full compliance with all state and federal laws regarding the practice of rehabilitation, veterinary medicine, controlled substances, and animal welfare.
REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS
- AA, AS or two years of post-secondary education required. Work experience will be considered as equivalent to education on a case-by-case basis.
- BA, BS or graduate level education preferred CWR, RVT or VTS preferred
- Certified euthanasia training preferred
- Minimum 3 years shelter work experience with 2 years supervising staff preferably in an animal care environment. Specific training in supervision or leadership will be considered in addition to experience on a case-by-case basis.
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The Animal Care Manager must have the ability to
- Elicit teamwork that delivers results from colleagues of diverse professional, cultural and community backgrounds
- Cultivate varied professional relationships
- Deliver specific, measurable results, on their own or working with a team
- Develop and implement operational processes
- Communicate effectively verbally and in writing; including to comfortably speak before groups of people
- Think critically to solve problems, particularly as related to animal care
- Embrace and foster change, able to see value in experimentation
- Perform research and analysis, then present the results
- Acquire knowledge and learn new skills, including learning new software
- Comfortable with conflict and able to work to resolve it in a professional manner
- Skillfully solve problems, make decisive decisions and explain rationale behind actions.
- Seek and incorporate feedback into performance
- Create and develop innovative and engaging training
- Hold a valid driver’s license with a satisfactory driving record
The Animal Care Manager must have the following skills
- Analysis that is mathematics or statistics based
- Computer literate and comfortable working in a paperless environment
- Skilled at creating and delivering innovative and engaging training
- Experience in shelter medicine, herd health and/or animal welfare and shelter operations a plus
Requirements
- Must interact positively with supervisor, management, coworkers, volunteers, and the public to promote a team effort and maintain a positive and professional approach.
- Must come to work regularly and on time, follow directions, take criticism, have a good relationship with coworkers and supervisors, treat coworkers, supervisory staff, members and guests with respect, courtesy, and refrain from abusive, insubordinate and/or violent behavior.
- Ability to meet deadlines and work independently in a fast paced environment.
- Ability to lift 50 pounds.
- Strong sense of professional judgment and ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Able to acquire knowledge and learn new skills; committed to lifelong learning
- Self-motivated, able to initiate and complete tasks alone or as part of a team.
- Strong sense of professional judgement and ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Knowledge of low stress handling and restraint techniques for domestic animals preferred.
WORK SCHEDULE
- Must come to work regularly and on time. Must be able to work early hours according to the needs of the department schedule, including weekends and holidays.
WORKING CONDITIONS
- Fast-paced environment. Employees are exposed to numerous animals (live and deceased), including those with uncertain dispositions. They are required to act in a safe and responsible manner.
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop kneel, crouch, crawl; talk or hear and/or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
Pasadena Humane is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy not to engage in discrimination against any individual, or harassment of any person seeking employment with our organization on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, genetic information or status as a covered veteran including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices, including recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, merit increase, salary, training and development, demotion, and separation. This policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Federal law requires proof of citizenship or "alien right-to-work" status. Pasadena Humane maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing.
