Manager, Care & Enrichment

Manager, Care & Enrichment

Are you passionate about helping animals in need and eager to advance the field of animal welfare? Do you thrive in a dynamic, complex, highly collaborative environment? If so, the role of Manager, Care & Enrichment at the ASPCA's Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC) in Columbus, OH might be right for you!

The application for this position will be open until 5pm EST on Tuesday, June 16.

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 & Disaster Response (NFDR), Veterinary Forensics, Criminal Practice & Investigations (CPI), 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.

The Manager, Care and Enrichment works alongside two other Managers, Care and Enrichment, under the direction of the Senior Manager, Care and Enrichment. Manager will directly supervise two Care and Enrichment Technicians (CETs) who comprise a team of 8 in total. The Care and Enrichment team works together to provide daily care and enrichment, perform low-stress handling and husbandry, reconfigure and build kennel and play spaces to fill operational needs on a regular basis, closely monitor the population for signs of medical and behavioral change and keep all animal care areas stocked with supplies.

In the absence of the Senior Manager, the Manager shares oversight of CRC daily operations with fellow Managers. The Manager will also help plan and rotate into leadership roles to oversee sheltering functions at ASPCA temporary shelter facilities. In addition to taking a lead role in the oversight of animal care and supervision of daily care teams, the Manager will perform recordkeeping, track and order needed supplies and work with the Senior Manager and Manager, Facilities to ensure a safe, well-organized environment for all animals and staff. Perhaps the most critical function of the 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 with each other to provide balanced care.

This position is an on-site role and reports to the Cruelty Recovery Center in Columbus, OH.

Regular schedule of Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30am to 5:30pm

This role requires the ability to adapt to a flexible work schedule and willingness to be on-call for last-minute deployments

Schedules are subject to change as needed by the ASPCA.

This role requires the ability and willingness to travel up to 30% of the time as needed

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 $56,000-$60,000 annually.

At the ASPCA, you don't 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:

• Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer-paid dental and optional vision coverage.
• Flexible time off that includes vacation time, paid personal time, sick time, bereavement time, paid parental leave, and 10 company paid holidays that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you.
• Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings, including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions — we match dollar-for-dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year.
• Robust professional development opportunities including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship with industry-leading peers, internal mobility, opportunities to support in the field and so much more.

Responsibilities:

• Direct Care and Enrichment team, in partnership with fellow Managers, to monitor and help maintain the medical and behavioral health of shelter animals; ensure proper daily care and adherence to nutrition, sanitation and infectious disease-prevention protocols; fill in to support CET responsibilities as needed
• Act as Shelter Lead, Floor Lead, and Enrichment Coordinator as assigned by the Senior Manager, Care and Enrichment
• Ensure that feline and canine enrichment programs are implemented and maintained; that staff are trained and compliant; that adequate supplies are on hand; and that animals are receiving an appropriate variety of items and experiences to support and enhance behavioral health
• Provide a safe and compassionate environment for animals in our care, our staff, and volunteers by using low-stress handling techniques
• 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
• Hold team briefings at regular intervals throughout the day to give relevant updates, determine progress on tasks, who needs additional support, and shape the remainder of the day accordingly
• Collaborate with behavior and veterinary team members, working together to ensure open and ample communication, excellent care, and close monitoring of every animal in the shelter
• Perform daily rounds to ensure the animals' needs are met. Work alongside Medical and Behavior Leads to identify concerns and problem-solve solutions
• Work with the Senior Manager, Volunteers and Responders to train and integrate volunteers into daily care, setting clear expectations, providing guidance as needed and always communicating respect and gratitude for volunteer support
• Work with the Senior Manager, Foster and Placement to orchestrate the export of released animals to partner organizations and foster homes
• Ensure that shelter supply needs are met at the CRC and in the field, track expenses and order supplies with supervisor approval
• Collaborate consistently with other ASPCA departments, prioritizing alignment in operations practices across departments
• Maintain strict confidentiality when dealing with criminal cases
• Assist the Medical team with handling animals for humane euthanasia and after care as needed
• Assist with planning and animal care enrichment arrangements for temporary sheltering operations in the field
• Serve in a leadership role during rotations into temporary shelters, ensuring consistent operations and communications between CRC, NFDR, Forensics, CPI, BST and SMS, while also ensuring CRC is operating efficiently
• Assist Senior Manager, Care and Enrichment in scheduling CRC team members, other ASPCA staff and Responders to staff emergency/temporary shelters
• Work with Senior Manager, Care and Enrichment and Field Logistics on the NFDR team to order and ship necessary supplies for the shelter and staff; collaborate with NFDR Logistics and Safety leads on the ground
• When appropriate, work with local communities affected by disasters to return rescued animals to their owners and find placement for unclaimed animals
• Manage and supervise CETs and CET Leads; maintain a fully staffed team, hiring and onboarding new CETs as necessary
• Develop and implement an annual professional development plan for each direct report, leveraging tools provided by the ASPCA; guide staff to achieve individual yearly goals
• Provide opportunities and coach 2 CET leads alongside two other Managers to develop their leadership skills
• Source, hire, and onboard local contingent workers on an on-going basis as needed.
• Oversee up to 30 ASPCA staff, volunteers, and contingent workers in unique locations and situations.
• Clearly and concisely explain the reasoning behind each protocol, garnering buy-in from CETs, volunteers and contingent workers and ensuring protocols are used as intended
• Oversee the Care & Enrichment team's daily cleaning, handling, enrichment, monitoring, and documentation
• Provide regular trainings, keeping the Care & Enrichment team up to date on advances in the field and proficient in protocols
• Work alongside the Care & Enrichment Technicians, assisting in daily care and monitoring adherence to all relevant protocols as necessary
• Provide timely, kind, coaching when a deficiency in any aspect of job performance is noted
• Directly and immediately address conflict and concerns as they arise, ensuring difficult conversations are productive, respectful, and meaningful
• Practice delegation for growth, giving direct reports appropriate stretch opportunities to develop new skills
• Evaluate staffing levels and training needs, providing feedback to the Senior Manager, Care & Enrichment on a regular basis
• Regularly recognize team members' accomplishments and