Job Overview
- The Animal Shelter Division Director is responsible for overseeing the daily operations, strategic planning, and overall management of an animal shelter. This role ensures the humane treatment of animals, manages staff and volunteers, coordinates with community partners, and oversees fundraising and budgeting efforts. The director ensures compliance with local, state, and federal regulations while working to improve adoption rates and animal welfare.
Essential Functions
- Assumes management responsibility for all services and activities of the animal shelter, including retrieval and care of lost or stray animals, promotion of animal welfare and control, animal euthanasia, investigation of cruelty-to-animals complaints, and issuance of citations, summons, and warrants regarding animals.
- Investigates reports of animal abuse and ensures proper sanitation, medical care, and behavioral assessments for animals.
- Manages animal intake, adoption, fostering, and transfer programs.
- Develops and implements policies and procedures to maintain shelter efficiency and compliance with regulations.
- Acts as the public face of the shelter and builds relationships with community partners, donors, and local government.
- Develops and manages the shelter budget, including fundraising, grants, and financial planning.
- Ensures all animals receive proper medical care, nutrition, and enrichment.
- Enforces county animal-control laws and coordinates applicable cases with the County Attorney.
- May be required to work evenings, weekends, and be available on call.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of service-delivery methods and procedures.
- Plans, directs, coordinates, and reviews the work plan for the Animal Services Facility.
- Selects, trains, motivates, and evaluates Animal Services personnel and volunteers.
- Participates in the development and administration of the annual facility budget.
Education and Experience
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in animal science, business administration, nonprofit management, or a related field preferred.
Experience
- A minimum of three to five years of experience in animal welfare, shelter management, or nonprofit leadership.
- Experience in fundraising, grant writing, and community outreach.
- Proficiency with shelter-management software, budgeting, and administrative tasks.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of
- Animal behavior, shelter medicine, and animal-welfare laws.
- Operational characteristics, services, and activities of an animal-services facility.
- Program development and administration.
- Budget preparation and administration.
- Supervision, training, and performance evaluation.
- Methods for handling and transporting large and small animals.
- Relevant federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.
Skills and abilities
- Handle difficult situations involving distressed animals and emotional pet owners.
- Exercise sound judgment in stressful situations.
- Manage, direct, and coordinate the work of staff.
- Capture, house, and dispose of stray and dangerous animals without endangering the public.
- Communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
- Establish productive working relationships with employees, the public, and other agencies.
Special Qualifications
- Must possess a valid Utah driver license and have a good driving record.
- Must be able to pass an extensive background investigation.
- Must attend euthanasia training as required by law.
- The successful candidate may be required to complete a pre-employment background check.
Physical Demands
- The employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear.
- The employee is occasionally required to stand, reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
- The employee must occasionally lift or move more than 50 pounds.
- Some physical labor is required, including lifting animals, cleaning kennels, and handling supplies.
Work Environment
- The employee frequently works in outside weather conditions.
- The employee may work near moving mechanical parts and may be exposed to wet or humid conditions.
- The noise level is usually moderate.
- Work is performed around animals of varying temperaments and health conditions.
Weber County Utah