Behavior and Training Program Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV), a privately funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit, has been serving people and pets in Silicon Valley since 1929. HSSV is a leader in animal welfare through our lifesaving efforts, community programs, and the many ways we are working to move the animal welfare industry forward. Our mission is to save lives, keep families together, and create a better future for pets and their people.

 
We are a passionate, high-performing team who believes that collaboration is key to our success. Our best work is achieved by leveraging each other’s strengths and creating opportunities for professional growth. Join a team that focuses on our key values of kindness, courage, and impact!

 

Overview

The Behavior and Training Program Manager is responsible for developing scalable, impactful programs that help more animals find—and stay in—loving homes. This includes leading behavior-focused training initiatives for staff, volunteers, and adopters to ensure consistent, compassionate animal care grounded in HSSV’s commitment to positive reinforcement and fear-free animal handling. A key focus includes overseeing the evaluation of shelter animals and making informed recommendations for placement, foster, or behavioral euthanasia when appropriate. Additionally, this role oversees HSSV’s public training business, run in partnership with an external training partner, to ensure high-quality services that help adopters and community members keep pets in homes.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the Director to drive department strategic planning and with the Behavior Team to deliver on outcomes for behavior and training programs.

• Collaborate across teams to monitor shelter animals, ensure staff and volunteers follow behavior and training plans, and optimize processes for efficient operations. 

• Support the Adoptions, Owner Surrender, and Foster programs to help animals find homes or stay in the homes they are in. 

• Develop, implement, and continually evaluate the most effective ways to identify and report on animal behavior.  

• Ensure staff are trained to properly assess and report behavior observations supported by the creation of SOPs and workflows. 

• Driving staff and volunteer alignment with the organization's behavioral euthanasia philosophy, integrating that framework into daily practice and maintaining standards for safe animal placement within the community. 

• Partner with the Volunteer Department to ensure volunteer recruitment needs are met, oversee volunteers assigned to the department, and develop and deliver training for new volunteers in all areas/levels of animal socialization. 

• Manage the training program and ensure that instructors and classes meet strategic goals for keeping pets in their home and setting adopters up for success. 

• Leverage metrics to analyze program outcomes and ensure the successful delivery of behavior and training programs. 

• Create, proofread, edit, and update behavior resources with support from the Behavior Team. 

• Maintain behavior related equipment and supply inventory. 

• Represent HSSV at industry events, including participation in presentations. 

• Other job duties may be assigned as needed. 

Requirements

• Must have animal behavior experience preferably in a program management role with a broad understanding of animal welfare related operations, programs, and policies; managing volunteers and shelter experience a plus.

• Proven ability to plan, lead, and execute projects successfully.

• A deep commitment to the mission of HSSV – to save lives, keep families together, and create a better future for pets and their people.

• Knowledge and strong commitment to using positive reinforcement and fear-free animal handling methods. Ability to accurately and objectively develop, implement, perform, and document behavior evaluations on dogs, cats, and rabbits. 

• Excellent handling skills of fearful or aggressive dogs, cats, and other domestic animals. 

• Demonstrated experience that values and understands the importance of building strong relationships with both people and animals. 

• Outstanding interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills with internal and external audiences and ability to influence outcomes with stakeholders. 

• Self-motivated with demonstrated ability to work well without close supervision and to make independent decisions. 

• Experience with the use of spreadsheets, word processing, databases, and communication systems such as ShelterBuddy, Zoho Desk, etc.
• Ability to lift and carry weights of up to 50-75lbs. from floor to waist level. Ability to kneel on the floor, bend at the waist, reach forward and rotate the upper body. Sit/stand for sustained periods of time. Walk on wet or dry surfaces. Work both indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions during both daylight and after dark. Frequent exposure to loud noise, odors, and chemicals. Exposure to animals with unknown history and behaviors. 

Work Days and Hours

Hours are flexible and based on organizational need. Will include one weekend day and rotating coverage of holidays.

Candidate Tip

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