Animal Care Manager

Animal Care Manager

APA! BACKGROUND: Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and beloved nonprofits. The organization leads the No Kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at-risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a No Kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals. The organization is distinguished by its large volunteer workforce and the scrappiness of its grassroots and its non-traditional, community-based animal rescue work.

The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and spreads its impact by offering resources and mentorship related to its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, American Pets Alive! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) - an innovative initiative aimed at rethinking the traditional model of animal sheltering. It focuses on supporting both people and pets in the community to reduce the number of animals entering shelters and improve outcomes for both. The project encourages collaboration between animal welfare organizations and community-based services, with a goal of providing personalized, proactive support that positions animal welfare as a social service.

BRIEF POSITION SUMMARY/OVERVIEW:

The Animal Care Manager leads and oversees the strategic direction, growth, and daily operations of APA!’s lifesaving animal care program, focusing primarily on the TLAC campus. This role is responsible for aligning the animal program with APA!’s broader mission to increase the live release rate across Texas, while also building a sustainable, equitable model for shelter operations animal care.

This role is responsible for managing daily operations, supervising staff, and setting clear and ambitious goals. This includes developing structured plans to guide the team, regularly tracking progress, and ensuring follow-through on key priorities. The role uses data to inform decisions and keeps the team focused on consistent, measurable outcomes. This is a high-level leadership role rooted in facilitation and empowerment.

Rather than doing all the work independently, the Senior Manager sets the tone that APA! is a volunteer-powered organization-every staff member is expected to work alongside and support volunteers, pairing up to ensure transport work is accomplished through shared effort and leadership development. This role also requires a high level of responsiveness and MOD (manager on duty) availability. Animal care often involves fast-paced duties, including shift flexibility and weekend needs. While APA! encourages and honors time off, when on duty, this leader must be highly engaged, flexible, and ready to support their team with real-time problem solving and guidance. A big part of this role is creating a positive environment for volunteers, including supporting their recruitment, onboarding and ongoing engagement.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Foster and model a volunteer-powered culture across the animal care team by ensuring that every staff member is partnered with volunteers on every shift, with the goal of empowering volunteers to lead and grow within the program.
  
• Serve as a facilitator and coach to staff and volunteers, ensuring the work is shared, not siloed, and that volunteers are supported in completing daily tasks.
  
• Ensure active recruitment, onboarding, and engagement of volunteers in daily shelter care through collaboration with the Volunteer team.
  
• Support retention by matching volunteers to appropriate tasks, offering guidance, and providing regular check-ins and staff mentorship.
  
• Identify strong volunteers for deeper roles or staff conversion opportunities.
  
• Recognize volunteer contributions through consistent appreciation and shoutouts.
  
• Provide clear expectations, hands-on training, and in-the-moment coaching to set volunteers up for success.
  
• Provide responsive leadership for time-sensitive care operations, including after-hours and weekend situations, ensuring staff and animals needs are met with urgency and clear communication.
  
• Oversees the management, organization, decision-making, problem-solving, implementation, and communication associated with Animal Care at APA!
  
• Manages personnel and administrative tasks including recruiting and onboarding new staff and volunteers, creating staff schedules, resolving interpersonal disputes, and other activities as needed
  
• Develops and strengthens relationships with other APA! managers and leaders to help build a �one team†ethos around the missionWorks in collaboration with the team to assure that all animals attain and maintain the highest practical level of physical and mental well-being and quality of life
  
• Evaluates the performance and documentation of care staff to ensure they are following a �case management†framework and addressing individualized needs of animals within reason in the shelter environment
  
• Builds care team training and leadership development initiatives
  
• Owns quality improvement activities including rounds, problem identification, and resolution
  
• Facilitates efficient operations, including staff and volunteer assignments
  
• Responds in a leadership capacity to TLAC emergency situations and notifications
  
• Performs MOD tasks when on-site, including management of the MOD inbox (customer feedback, rescue requests, record entry, and reporting), hands-on assistance of on-site teams whenever necessary, customer assistance, and inter-team liaisons
  
• Acts as a hands-on helper with all tasks and duties when team capacity is limited, or when it acts as a strategic use of time and skills
  
• Works and covers all care time shifts as needed or requested
  
• Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests, and by exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments
  
• Communicates the goals, policies, and procedures of APA!, and develops plans to implement those needs
  
• Performs other related duties as assigned
  

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Must demonstrate dependability, accountability, time management, use of reasoning, and good judgment skills
  
• Partner with Volunteer Team to learn about the volunteer programs and manage volunteers interested in your department on an ongoing basis
  
• Attends and participates in all required training sessions and meetings
  
• Maintains open and consistent communication with manager or designee, supervisor, and other colleagues
  
• Able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned
  
• Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
  
• Able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment
  

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & EXPECTATIONS:

• Passion for working with staff, volunteers, and customers-helping individuals feel successful, appreciated, and connected to APA!�s mission
  
• Strong commitment to volunteer engagement and support; dedicated to working well with volunteers across all roles
  
• Comfortable working cross-functionally and serving as a liaison between volunteers, customers, and team members
  
• Effective written and verbal communication skills; able to interpret safety rules, procedures, and instructional materials
  
• Self-starter with strong time management; able to work independently and collaboratively
  
• Excellent interpersonal skills; maintains a calm and professional presence in all situations
  
• Demonstrated commitment to the wellbeing of all animals in APA!�s care
  
• Strong attention to detail and high standards for quality
  
• Adaptable to change and able to perform related duties as needed
  
• 1+ years of experience in a management or leadership role
  
• Must complete dog-walking training and follow all animal handling and safety protocols
  
• Actively contributes to improving processes to reduce service time without sacrificing care
  
• Committed to APA!�s Core Values: Innovation, Respect, Drive, Resourcefulness, and Inclusion
  
• Dedicated to delivering an exceptional and inclusive customer experience
  

PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to routinely lift 40-50 pounds
  
• Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, chlorine or other chemicals, and inclement weather
  
• Be able to bend and use your arms in a repetitive manner
  
• Can be on one�s feet for an entire 8-hour shift
  
• Must be able to handle and walk large dogs that pull and jump
  
• If reasonable accommodations are requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job absent undue hardship to the organization.
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Rapid pace with exposure to potential hazards including animal waste, fluids, debris, and chemicals
  
• High levels of noise, such as dogs barking
  
• Potential for animal bites, scratches, and diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people
  
• Occasional after-hours or weekend work may be required to support program needs
  

LOCATION(S):

• APA! Main - Town Lake Animal Center 1156 West Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78703
  
• May travel to offsite locations as needed
  

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

This position reports directly to the Quality of Care Director, currently Mara Hartsell.

TIME COMMITMENT:

• This is a full-time, exempt position with an average of 40-50 hours per week.
  
• Shift and schedule flexibility is required, as weekly schedule is subject to change
  

Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed

BENEFITS:

Austin Pets Alive! is proud to offer a competitive benefits package for full-time employees, including subsidized employer-sponsored medical coverage, subsidized and voluntary life insurance, voluntary dental, vision and short-term disability options, all effective the first day of employment. We also offer voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans, up to 2% match on 401(K) retirement plan, supplemental benefits, flexible spending accounts and additional life coverage. Full-time employees receive 10 paid holidays and accrue 10 days paid time off during the first year of employment, with an additional 5 days of PTO accrual upon completion of 12 months of employment. Employees will also receive professional development opportunities through APA!’s ongoing mission to advance our animal welfare professionals in our life saving work.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT:

Austin Pets Alive! is an equal employment opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we engage on. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ people, women, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.

Austin Pets Alive! does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Austin Pets Alive! is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, community focus, and innovation.

APA! is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the employment application process. To request an accommodation, please contact Talent Acquisition at job@austinpetsalive.org at least one week in advance of your interview.