POSITION SUMMARY
The shelter services manager, both individually and by providing support to the shelter team, provides excellent customer service to the Jefferson County community across public shelter programs and services. With the support of the director team, the manager provides training and informs, implements, and enhances programs and services related to animal admissions, adoption, and lost and found. The shelter services manager ensures that patron services are conducted under the Shelter's Better Together philosophy to keep families together.

DEPARTMENT: Behavior and Sheltering
REPORTS TO: Associate Director of Shelter Services and Community Programs
DIRECT REPORTS: 8-12
STATUS: Full-time, salaried, exempt
SCHEDULE: Tuesday - Saturday, 9:30 am - 6:00 pm

MISSION
Foothills Animal Shelter's mission is: Providing support to our surrounding community through education, services that strengthen the human-pet bond, and humane care for the animals we serve.

VALUES
All employees and volunteers are expected to embody the Shelter's Values which are to have honesty and integrity in all that we do, with the following values as our guide:

• Stewardship: Assume responsibility and ownership for our actions within our shelter and our community.
• Positive Culture: Create a safe, supportive environment for the health, wellbeing, and development of staff and volunteers.
• Openness: Nurture an innovative, inclusive, and creative environment that cultivates conversations and relationships that actively work towards the future.
• Team Oriented: Build relationship, embrace teamwork, and foster collaboration in pursuit of our Mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Development and Operations

• Oversees the shelter services team, including shelter services team training, to ensure adoption services, relinquishment, lost & found services, end-of-life services, and pet licensing are carried out in accordance with established policies and procedures and in a manner to support animal wellness and patron satisfaction. Supports volunteers operating in shelter services roles.
• Ensures animal flow processes are efficiently adhered to supporting animal health and emotional wellness as well as the Shelter's length-of-stay initiatives and goals.
• Ensures that patron service processes are efficiently adhered to, supporting the Shelter's commitment to keeping families together and the human-animal bond.
• Supports the associate director of shelter services and community programs regarding animal control partnerships, communications, and cases, as well as the administration of the Better Together programs, including client communication.
• Ensures all department and program operations are compliant with the Colorado Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) and all other applicable state and local animal care and sheltering requirements.
• Performs the duties of a shelter services specialist as necessary to ensure efficient program operations.

Employee and Volunteer Development

• Responsible for the development and supervision of all direct and indirect reports, including hiring, orientation, training, coaching, recognition, guidance, and overall performance.
• Together with the associate director, identifies areas of need and coordinates staff training of all direct and indirect reports on topics including animal care and husbandry, behavior and safety, data entry and integrity, program operations, and workplace safety.
• Identifies and promotes advanced learning opportunities for team members.
• Ensures volunteers receive appropriate and timely feedback. Communicates with volunteers in a respectful and appreciative manner.

Client Service and Community Relationships

• Provides excellent customer service to all patrons entering Foothills Animal Shelter, serving as a model to staff and volunteers.
• Acts as a primary point of contact for programmatic or operational clarification and escalated client concerns or grievances from the shelter services team.
• Assists staff in situations requiring immediate problem solving. Promotes good public relations in accordance with Foothills Animal Shelter's practices; takes control of situations that could be potentially damaging to the professional image of the Shelter.
• Under the direction of the associate director and in collaboration with the behavior and veterinary teams, implements enhancements to adopter services offerings including animal introduction facilitation, advanced adoption counseling, and post-adoption services.
• In collaboration with the director of animal behavior and sheltering and associate director, develops and implements reclaim program for relinquished pets.

Shelter Operations and Department Collaboration

• Together with the associate director, partners with the volunteer program manager to strategically create and implement volunteer roles to support and advance shelter services operations.
• Collaborates with the development team to identify animals appropriate for community and fundraising events. Identifies and shares shelter success stories for use in fundraising initiatives.
• Collaborates with the veterinary service team to support the needs of animals undergoing medical treatment and communicate appropriately with associated patrons.
• Collaborates with the behavior team to support the emotional needs of animals in shelter care and to appropriately communicate behavior observations and concerns.
• Collaborates with the Better Together program manager to ensure that shelter services processes align with Better Together program goals.
• Performs euthanasia as dictated by the policies of the organization in a timely and compassionate manner, ensuring that all appropriate safety procedures are followed, and appropriate documentation is completed per DEA requirements.
• Receives, handles, and supports animals of varying species, size, and comfort levels, including animals experiencing acute stress that may respond unpredictably or erratically.

Budget Management and Fiscal Accountability

• Effectively manages resources, both people and dollars, for the maximum benefit of the organization.
• Adheres to budgets established for the behavior and sheltering department.

Safety

• Promotes and follows all safety guidelines to ensure a safe work environment.
• Conducts injury and accident investigations and reviews accident reports for deficits in training, facility safety, or noncompliance with safety protocols.
• Takes immediate action to address any safety concern or noncompliance with OSHA safety rules that could put an employee, volunteer, client, animal or the organization at risk.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to multi-task and maintain composure in a fast paced, environment while providing courteous service to potentially difficult, emotional, or frustrated clients.
• Actively contributes to a supportive team and environment by demonstrating resilience and optimism while undertaking challenging tasks to accomplish our mission.
• Ability to maintain the highest levels of confidentiality when dealing with proprietary information and sensitive situations.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office including word processing, spreadsheets, meeting software, and email; proficient with animal management software and shelter data bases.
• Working knowledge of animal sheltering practices; highly supportive of open admissions practices.
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with volunteers within an animal care environment and communicate in a respectful, appreciative manner.
• Basic understanding of animal learning theory with emphasis on positive reinforcement and force-free training.
• Must be able to manage the emotional aspect of end-of-life services and humane euthanasia, and support employees in high-emotion circumstances.
• Euthanasia certified or capable of certifying within six months of start date.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum five years of experience in customer-focused role(s).
• Minimum three years of experience in a management/leadership role or equivalent education.
• Fear Free Shelter certified or ability to become Fear Free Shelter certified within 60 days of employment.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Ability to work 8 to 10-hour shifts; must maintain flexibility in work schedule to respond to emergencies or work as needed.
• Noise, odors, chemical fumes, animal hair/dander are encountered due to equipment and animals.
• Subject to animal bites and scratches.
• Daily lifting of up to 50 lbs.
• Frequent management of animals of all sizes on leash.
• Ability to be outdoors in all weather conditions year-round.

EQUIPMENT USED

• Animal handling equipment and assessment tools: slip leads, catch poles, nets, etc.
• Basic office equipment: telephone, computer, projector, printer, copier
• Cloud-based data management software
• Vehicle use (company provided and personal)
• Chemicals and cleaning tools to provide care for the animals

About Foothills Animal Shelter: As an open admission shelter, we are committed to being here for families and their pets in Jefferson County, Colorado. We identify as a socially-conscious shelter, caring for 8,000 dogs, cats, and small animals every year with a compassionate team of staff and volunteers who are committed to the physical and emotional wellbeing of every pet we serve. Foothills Animal Shelter is established under an intergovernmental agreement between Jefferson County, the City of Arvada, the City of Lakewood, the City of Wheat Ridge, the City of Golden, the City of Westminster and the City of Edgewater.

Benefits: Foothills Animal Shelter offers a competitive total compensation package. Full-time employees become eligible for medical, dental, vision, disability insurance, life insurance, and an array of supplemental benefits after 60 days of employment. Foothills offers coverage of the premiums for employee-only medical plans, dental, vision, and long-term disability plan. Employees earn sick and vacation time each pay period, plus six recognized holidays. After six months of employment, employees are eligible for a 401K retirement plan that we will match up to 4%. Foothills Animal Shelter is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer.