Do you have experience overseeing operations at animal shelters and implementing change management strategies to achieve organizational goals? 

Are you open to engaging in regular dialogue with your colleagues to review progress and course correct? 

Do you thrive utilizing data to make decisions that improve the health and wellbeing of animals and the people caring for them?  

If so, the role of Director of Operations at AAWL might be right for you!   

With an annual budget of approximately $7.2 million, AAWL is a private, nonprofit animal shelter (w/o anygovernment contracts) devoted to providing excellent care, protection, and loving compassion for the life of the animals entrusted to us and to promoting humane values that benefit animals and people. To achieve our mission, we manage adoptions, behavior, community engagement, intake, foster, medical and volunteer programs.  We have 67 full-time staff and 18 part-time employees. 

In 2022, AAWL’s Board of Directors made a strategic pivot to invest in developing new shelter diversion programs that preserve the human-animal bond. Driven by the belief that animals are better off with their humans in permanent, loving homes rather than in shelters, the Board approved a new strategic plan that spells out strategies to expand programs focused on ensuring pets receive access to affordable, veterinary and behavior care.  As part of this 2023- 2028 plan, we created new post-adoption behavior support programs for adopters,  implemented a culturally-competent Access to Vet Care Curriculum that leverages the expertise of Spanish-speaking “promotoras” to address the diverse needs of Latinx pet owners, and collaborated with human-services focused groups like AZ Pet Project to embed a veterinary case worker on-site to help connect pet owners in crisis with veterinary resources.   To read more about our strategic plan, visit: https://aawl.org/sites/default/files/aawl_strategic_plan_april_24.pdf

A key focus across all our strategic pillars is our investment in people.  This includes staff, volunteers, fosters and pet owners. We conducted two salary surveys over the past four years to ensure we are providing employees with a competitive compensation package. We also continuously invest in developing our Managers, Directors and Leads by providing them with formal training through Skill Path and Management Training Center on how to nurture relationships, give/receive feedback, and incorporate an equity lens when managing projects.  Finally, we expanded our customer service training to define and explain the impact and harm of “implicit bias” and ensure everyone who visits AAWL receives welcoming and non-judgmental customer service no matter whom they interact with.  

The success of our community-based programs is tied directly to the success of our shelter operations. One can’t thrive and operate efficiently without the other. While other members of our Senior Management Team lead these community-focused programs, the Director of Operations will be directly responsible for ensuring the success of our shelter-focused operations, which include large teams with highly-specialized expertise in multiple areas outlined below.

Responsibilities

The Director of Operations is an integral part of AAWL’s Management Team, reporting directly to the President and CEO. The Director of Operations primary focus is to ensure the health and welfare of animals under our care, including: 1) managing animal intake and population flow to align our capacity for care with our physical space and staffing; 2) overseeing the progress of our behavior team to ensure we are providing the highest quality of care to serve as many animals as possible; 3) collaborating with medical leadership to ensure foster/intake medical practices align with shelter policies; and 4) assessing how well teams are adhering to SOPs and identifying areas for improvement.

The Director of Operations will play a key role in overseeing and implementing a series of veterinarian-led recommendations to create more efficient, workable shelter practices, including centralizing intake, consolidating foster, revamping behavior assessments, expanding enrichment, and transitioning from paper to electronic medical records. Like many shelters nationwide, AAWL is struggling with longer length of stays, particularly when it comes to larger dogs and medical cats. By implementing these recommendations over the next few years, we’re hoping to reduce our length of stay and increase the number of animals placed in homes from 3500 to 4,000 annually.

Finally, in terms of leadership qualities, the Director of Operations is expected to have the strong ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances, and work collaboratively with senior-team members to ensure the shelter is operating efficiently and effectively. AAWL is planning to expand its facilities in 2028 and the Director of Operations will work alongside the President/CEO to ensure projects are completed in a timely, safe manner.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Oversee the day-to-day operations for the following six departments: Animal Care (17-person team, including four leads), Canine Intake Department (three-person team), Canine Behavior (four-person team), Feline Intake/Behavior (four-person team, including one lead), a Foster (four-person team), and Facilities (three-person team). The Operations Director will have six direct reports. They are: Animal Care Manager, Foster Manager, Canine Behavior Manager, Feline Intake/Behavior Manager, Canine Intake Manager and Facilities Manager.
  • Manage, support, and provide coaching feedback to team members, investing in their development and learning to grow skills and embrace best practices.
  • Oversee the implementation of annual, animal-related operational strategies in AAWL’s strategic plan, working with the President/CEO to identify opportunities for cross-training and consolidation of duties or the complete redesign of programs if warranted.
  • Develop and monitor quantitative and qualitative measures of success (utilizing PetPoint) and articulate and message those strategies and goals to internal stakeholders.
  • Design programs and services that utilize current animal shelter research and best practices, including overseeing the implementation of a Capacity For Care (C4C) protocol, overseeing behavior teams and consolidating intake.
  • Overseeing the development of SOPs, including documenting procedures, developing procedures, identifying training needs, and monitoring employee understanding and compliance with SOPs through post-training assessments and regular feedback loops.
  • Work collaboratively with the Director of Customer Service and the Data Management Teams to ensure team members are fully trained and supported as part of the process of moving from paper records to effective utilization of PetPoint.
  • Collaborate with Medical leadership in decisions related to the treatment or euthanasia of behaviorally compromised animals.
  • Work with the Volunteer & Events Manager to engage volunteers at the shelter in appropriate ways that further the mission of AAWL.
  • Regularly utilize data from PetPoint. Lead cross-departmental Flow/Operations Meetings with aim to ensure efficient pathway planning and animal flow.

Qualifications

  • Minimum five years of experience in animal welfare, including three years of experiencing managing teams and budgets.
  • Demonstrated commitment to diversity using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability and socio-economic circumstance.
  • Demonstrated ability to work in an intensely collaborative, team-oriented environment.
  • Able to lead and motivate groups and individuals. Able to think creatively and strategically to successfully mediate and negotiate with individuals and groups internally and externally.
  • Able to effectively manage large staff, multiple projects with deadlines, and budget constraints.
  • Proven organizational skills and effective written and verbal communication.
  • Must be able to serve as a leader to staff in the areas of high morale, excellent, inclusive customer service, and quality program delivery that addresses shelter and community needs.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office applications; familiarity with Pet Point shelter software is a plus
  • Employment contingent upon a background check. As a matter of policy, AAWL conducts background checks for all Director-level positions and for those staff members handling cash and controlled substances.

Requirements

Requires periodic sitting at a computer station with prolonged standing and walking. Use of personal computer, phone and general office equipment. Must be comfortable handling dogs and cats daily on a continuous basis. Will be exposed to disinfectant solutions and subject to bites and scratches while handling animals of questionable temperament. Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to communicate with animals, the public, volunteers, and staff. Also requires flexibility to readily adapt to a fast-paced changing environment and the ability to work weekends and holidays.

To Apply for This Position

Please submit a cover letter, resume, three professional references, including their email, phone and relationship, to: AAWL, Director of Operations Director Search, c/o President/CEO, Alessandra Navidad at: anavidad@aawl.org. reference “Director of Operations” in your email subject line. No phone calls or walk-ins.

All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential. AAWL is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. AAWL encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, or disability.

Employment Details

  • The starting salary range for this position is $90,800.
  • Generous paid time off that increases with tenure, paid sick leave, and 12 paid holidays per year.
  • 100% employer-paid medical and life insurance. Employee-paid dental, vision and supplemental insurance available.
  • Strong commitment to professional development.
  • Relocation package.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that includes counseling visits, in-person/virtual capability, personal coaching sessions, and wellness app
  • Qualified Employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program