Pet Care Manager

Reports to: Director of Operations; works collaboratively with other department managers.

Job Summary: The Pet Care Manager leads the LHS Pet Care Department, balancing administrative duties with hands-on pet care. This role supports staff development, coordinates care with other department managers, and manages daily workflow to provide compassionate care and maintain a clean, sanitary shelter consistent with LHS's lifesaving mission, protocols, and legal requirements.

Responsibilities

Management:

• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate pet care staff; provide regular feedback, coaching, and corrective action as needed.
• Manage staff schedules, daily workflow, task assignments, time-off approvals, and biweekly timecard approvals for payroll.
• Manages the department’s daily scheduling, operational flow, task lists, and staff role assignments to ensure department time efficiency, staff productivity, and job satisfaction.
• Promotes the integration of volunteers into the pet care department. Works closely with the volunteer coordinator to lead efforts to increase volunteer training and assistance.
• Makes multiple daily shelter inspections to ensure work is completed promptly, pets receive appropriate care, and housing and non-housing areas are clean, sanitary, and organized.
• Oversee inventories of shelter cleaning supplies and equipment and assures that appropriate quantities of all supplies are on hand at all times
• Ensures the department remains within budget and strives to cut unnecessary waste.
• Ensures cleaning protocols are kept up to date and easily accessible to pet care staff
• Constantly strives for improvement in cleanliness, efficiencies, and time management

Pet Care and Disease Control:

• Monitor shelter pets’ health; ensure daily medical care needs are met, promptly report concerns to the Shelter Health Department, and coordinate responses to contagious illness with the Shelter Health Manager.
• Ensure species appropriate housing, diet, and enrichment for all pets in the shelter
• Maintain incorporation of low stress and fear-free handling and housing in day-to-day operations
• Monitor pets’ behavioral needs and ensure behavior and enrichment plans are followed daily; Report concerns to the Behavior Manager or Director of Operations.
• Assist with daily playgroups.
• Work in collaboration with the Adoptions and Foster Manager and other department managers and staff to move pets through the LHS Pathway Program and support individualized placement and timely adoption.
• Work alongside staff to provide daily pet care and cleaning as needed.

Compliance:

• Work in collaboration with the Director of Operations Shelter Health Manager to review, update, and implement sanitation and disease control protocols and mitigate outbreaks; keep cleaning protocols easily accessible to staff.
• Monitor staff safety practices and ensure training and resources are provided for disease control, safe handling, and low-stress and Fear-Free techniques.
• Monitor staff safety compliance of staff and ensure proper training and resources are provided for disease control, low-stress and Fear-Free handling, and proper handling.

Other:

• Participate in professional development and training, keeping current in animal welfare, pet care, disease control, and low-stress practices; apply learning to improve care and daily operations.
• Celebrate staff and promote a safe, positive, and inclusive work environment rooted in LHS Core Values, respect, and teamwork.
• Share manager-on-duty responsibilities when other department managers are off shift.