Summary:
Are you dedicated to companion animal behavior and passionate about delivering high-quality care and optimizing welfare for animals in need? Are you committed to bringing multiple areas of animal sheltering expertise together and working with a team to ensure the overall well-being of animals? Are you a dynamic leader and mentor dedicated to developing teams for the benefit of shelter animals? If so, the role of Senior Manager, Animal Behavior at the ASPCA’s Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC) might be right for you!
At the CRC, a dedicated team of professionals serve animals rescued in ASPCA national cruelty cases and disaster responses. Experts in shelter medicine, operations and shelter animal behavior constantly collaborate to provide high-quality integrative care, prioritizing both physical and psychological well-being. As they engage in hands-on care, teams prioritize the elevation of our work through ongoing learning, advancing the animal welfare field through research, developing effective, efficient interventions, establishing new best practices, and sharing innovations with other organizations nationwide.
The Senior Manager, Animal Behavior is based at the CRC but travels regularly to provide behavior leadership and services at emergency shelters and to assist the Behavioral Sciences Team (BST) with low-stress handling during animal removals on-scene. Led by the Senior Director, Animal Behavior, this role works alongside two other Senior Managers. Each supervises 3-4 Behavior Specialists (a team of 11 in total), providing ongoing mentorship, coaching and development support. Together, the members of the CRC behavior branch focus on continually assessing and optimizing behavioral health of the animals.
When & Where You’ll Work:
Available to regularly work 4 days per week, 7:30am-5:30pm, including one weekend day, and available to work a flexible schedule when needed including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Schedules are subject to change at the sole discretion of the ASPCA.
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.
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:
Flexible time off that includes vacation time, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, 10 company paid holidays, and paid personal time off that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you.
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:
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
CRC Behavioral Support & Data Collection
Conduct behavior evaluations for a variety of populations (hoarding case and puppy mill dogs, fighting dogs, shelter dogs and cats, animals rescued during disaster relief efforts)
Serve as an expert handler for fearful and/or aggressive dogs (e.g., during medical exams, intake procedures, humane euthanasia)
Adhere to all protocols set forth by the ASPCA, including behavior modification and training procedures, enrichment, animal handling, as well as general medical and sheltering protocols
People Management, Coaching & Team Leadership
Emergency Shelter Support & Other Responsibilities
Oversee behavioral assessment and monitoring, playgroups, and, when appropriate, behavior modification sessions
Support NFR’s and BST’s field and forensics work, handling animals during removal on-scene, serving as an expert handler during transports, and assisting with forensic behavior evaluations as needed
Education & Work Experience
Experience with additional species, such as horses, birds, and livestock, is a plus
Training, education or advanced degree in animal behavior field (animal behavior/cognition, experimental psychology, zoology, animal science, etc.) a plus
Low Stress Handling® University Silver-Level certification is required within six months of hire
Disaster Sheltering and FEMA Incident Command System courses (100, 200, 700, 800) is required within 90 days of hire
Qualifications:
Displays care and concern for the safety and well-being of self, animals, and others, especially during stressful situations
Able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds; Able to work standing for 8 or more hours and bend, crouch, kneel and move freely to perform responsibilities that include handling potentially dangerous animals in stressful conditions
Able to occasionally work in physically challenging conditions and able to wear appropriate protective gear, including a protective mask; job responsibilities may entail exposure to chemical and biological hazards, such as feces and blood, exposure to sharp objects, working in noisy environments and working in areas with uneven, wet and slippery surfaces
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Qualifications:
See above for qualifications details.
Language:
English (Required)
Education and Work Experience:
