Overview

The Director ensures specialized behavioral services are provided by the ARC and CARE Behavior teams by overseeing the team’s work with animals in AAH, ARC, and CARE, and by developing and implementing standardized shelter behavior protocols in alignment with behavior teams across the organization. The Director partners with teams in ARC, CARE, AAH, Forensic Sciences, Legal Advocacy, AC, Community Engagement (CE), and the Recovery and Rehabilitation Center (R&R Center, once open) to optimize the health and welfare of animals in our care and, whenever possible, to set them up for success in a new home. This position requires direct, hands-on and sometimes lengthy work with behaviorally compromised animals; the information gathered during this work is used to make disposition decisions which can include euthanasia where appropriate.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Operations and People Management 50%

  • Oversee an evolving and comprehensive behavior program for all dog and cat intakes coming from CE and NYPD and housed within ARC, CARE, AC, and partner hospitals and boarding facilities, both for daily flow of intakes and for large scale response in partnership with AAH/ARC/CARE/AC, CE and NYPD and with the Senior Director of ARC and CARE.
  • Lead the ARC & CARE canine and feline behavior teams, ensuring that team members fully understand their role and responsibilities and providing consistent, high-quality feedback to direct reports.
  • Ensure the ARC and CARE Behavior teams meet or exceed annual performance targets while demonstrating the ASPCA’s Behavioral Competencies.
  • Conduct regular one-on-ones with each direct report and model the Leadership Big 3: set clear direction and expectations, give and receive feedback, and ensure opportunities for development.
  • Conduct timely annual performance reviews (behavioral competency based) for all employees
  • Develop direct reports to be able to make informed decisions, work independently on projects, and achieve quality results.
  • Deliver timely disciplinary action when necessary.
  • Address employee concerns promptly and handle employee relations issues with confidentiality and care. Use active listening to understand employee concerns, encouraging and supporting employees to problem solve and create viable solutions.
  • Maintain adequate staffing levels at all times; assign and/or re-assign appropriate responsibilities, as well as direct work flow in order to maximize productivity and maintain coverage in the event of planned absences, call outs, injuries, increased volume, etc. Ensure continuous coverage for events/team meetings and trainings to ensure staff and animal safety

Skills Requirements:

  • Safe and humane animal handling skills, including low stress handling for medical procedures.
  • Sophisticated and effective animal training and behavior modification abilities.
  • Presents information clearly in verbal and written form.
  • Regular and reliable attendance is required.
  • Excellent presentation and teaching skills.
  • Exceptional ability to instruct and coach people.
  • Excellent communication skills with people, enjoy working with people.
  • Excellent ability to provide timely and professional communication and service to internal and external stakeholders
  • Tackles problems willingly and creatively.
  • Ability to innovate and reimagine new ways of working to continuously evolve in the field of Animal Behavior.
  • Plans, organizes and prioritizes work tasks.