Animal Care Manager

Animal Care Manager

The Animal Care Manager oversees the Animal Care Team and daily workflow of the department, including scheduling, motivating, evaluating, coaching, and developing staff. This position is responsible for maintaining high standards of animal care while supporting an effective, collaborative, accountable, and positive working environment for staff and volunteers.

The Animal Care Manager develops and implements creative and innovative approaches to improve animal flow, animal care, behavior support, and departmental performance. This position identifies and addresses opportunities to improve the quality and capacity of animal care while maintaining practices that support the safety and well-being of both animals and people.

This role is accountable for departmental performance and key performance indicators (KPIs), using data to identify barriers, guide decision-making, and continuously improve outcomes. The Animal Care Manager ensures departmental priorities and teammate expectations remain aligned with organizational goals and the SPCA of Wake County's core mission of saving animal lives.

The Animal Care Manager works collaboratively with supervisors, organizational leadership, and other departments to ensure consistent communication, effective processes, and alignment with the mission and core values of the SPCA of Wake County.

Our Core Values: Hell, Yeah! Be Kind Do What You Say Forward Focused Loose & Wiggly Drop the Mic

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Animal Care, Welfare & Operational Excellence

• Maintain and continuously improve high standards of animal care, welfare, sanitation, enrichment, and humane handling throughout the department
• Identify and address opportunities to improve animal welfare, animal flow, and the quality and capacity of care
• Maintain efficient animal flow through SPCA facilities while supporting quality animal care and positive outcomes
• Develop and implement processes that reduce unnecessary length of stay while maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for animals
• Ensure Animal Care teammates consistently implement appropriate low-stress and humane handling practices
• Partner with appropriate teams to ensure animals receive timely behavior support and modification plans and monitor implementation within Animal Care
• Maintain practices that support the health, safety, and well-being of animals, teammates, volunteers, and visitors
• Lead process improvement initiatives and identify opportunities to strengthen departmental workflows, consistency, quality, and operational effectiveness

Performance Management, KPIs & Mission Impact

• Own and actively manage departmental key performance indicators (KPIs), using data to evaluate performance, identify barriers, and drive improvements that maximize the Animal Care Team's impact on the SPCA's mission of saving animal lives
• Monitor animal flow, length of stay, capacity for care, and other relevant departmental metrics; identify trends and implement strategies to improve animal welfare, operational efficiency, and positive outcomes
• Establish clear departmental goals aligned with organizational targets and ensure teammates understand how individual and team performance contributes to achieving those goals
• Regularly review and communicate performance results with the Animal Care Team and organizational leadership, proactively identifying barriers and developing solutions when performance is below established targets
• Use data, frontline observations, teammate feedback, and organizational priorities to identify opportunities for continuous improvement
• Track the effectiveness of implemented changes and adjust strategies based on results and evolving operational needs

Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead, motivate, evaluate, coach, and develop Animal Care teammates while maintaining clear expectations and accountability
• Work closely with Animal Care supervisors to ensure excellent team leadership, communication, workflow, and consistent execution of departmental expectations
• Develop staff training plans and provide ongoing coaching, feedback, recognition, and development opportunities
• Translate departmental KPIs and organizational goals into clear expectations for supervisors and teammates, reinforcing accountability for both individual performance and team outcomes
• Address employee performance concerns and implement appropriate coaching, corrective action, or performance improvement plans in partnership with Human Resources
• Promote professional development and strengthen the leadership capabilities of supervisors and other emerging leaders within the department
• Create and support a positive, collaborative, respectful, and accountable working environment for staff and volunteers

Department Operations & Administration

• Manage Animal Care staffing schedules to ensure appropriate departmental coverage and alignment with animal care and operational needs
• Complete and oversee applicable payroll and timekeeping responsibilities for the Animal Care Team
• Monitor departmental supply needs, maintain appropriate inventory, and coordinate ordering as needed
• Maintain accurate departmental records and ensure appropriate use of applicable database, CRM, and shelter management systems
• Ensure departmental policies, procedures, protocols, and operational expectations are clearly communicated and consistently implemented
• Identify operational challenges, assess root causes, and implement practical and sustainable solutions
• Maintain regular communication with the direct supervisor and promptly communicate significant departmental concerns, risks, performance barriers, or operational needs

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Customer Service

• Collaborate with Medical, Adoptions, Intake, Behavior, Volunteer Services, and other departments to support animal care, movement, placement, and positive outcomes
• Maintain effective communication with managers and organizational leadership to support a unified approach to the SPCA's mission and operational priorities
• Partner cross-functionally to identify and resolve barriers affecting animal flow, length of stay, capacity for care, teammate effectiveness, or animal outcomes
• Provide guidance and intervene as needed to resolve customer and volunteer concerns while maintaining excellent customer service and professionalism
• Participate in organizational planning, operational initiatives, meetings, and cross-functional projects as needed
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support departmental and organizational priorities

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Minimum two years of supervisory experience, preferably within the animal welfare industry.
• Strong knowledge of companion animal behavior, body language, humane handling techniques, and animal welfare practices
• Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, decision-making, organizational, and time management skills
• Ability to effectively lead, coach, develop, and hold teammates accountable while promoting a positive and collaborative work environment
• Experience using databases, CRM systems, shelter management systems, or similar platforms to maintain operational records
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license, meet SPCA of Wake County driving eligibility requirements, and be able to safely operate an SPCA vehicle as assigned
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position and commitment to the mission and core values of the SPCA of Wake County

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of feline and canine body language, humane animal handling techniques, and animal welfare best practices; working knowledge of common veterinary terminology
• Ability to recognize animal health, behavior, welfare, and safety concerns and ensure appropriate response or escalation
• Ability to model, reinforce, and evaluate appropriate animal care, handling, sanitation, enrichment, disease prevention, and safety practices
• Strong leadership and judgment with the ability to prioritize competing needs, analyze performance information, solve problems, make effective decisions, and remain calm and professional in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to read, understand, implement, and ensure adherence to organizational policies, procedures, protocols, schedules, and operational expectations
• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively across teams while identifying opportunities for process improvement and supporting organizational change

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional leadership experience within an animal shelter, animal welfare organization, veterinary environment, or comparable animal care setting
• Experience developing staff training, coaching employees, managing performance, or developing frontline leaders
• Experience implementing process improvements and using performance metrics to drive outcomes within a fast-paced operational environment
• Experience with low-stress handling, Fear Free, Salesforce, shelter management systems, or similar animal welfare practices and platforms

Work Environment

This role operates within a fast-paced animal welfare environment and involves frequent interaction with animals, staff, volunteers, adopters, visitors, and other community members. Responsibilities are performed throughout animal housing, intake and adoption spaces, outdoor play yards, cleaning and support areas, transport settings, administrative workspaces, and other SPCA locations.

The position requires regular onsite presence and maintaining safety, professionalism, sound judgment, and leadership effectiveness in an environment that may include high noise levels, strong odors, cleaning chemicals and disinfectants, animal waste, emotionally sensitive situations, varying weather conditions, and animals of different sizes, temperaments, and medical or behavioral conditions.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, crouch, kneel, and remain physically active for extended periods