Manager, Animal Behavior and Training Programs

Love animals? Want to spend your day surrounded by wagging tails and soft purrs?
Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV), a privately funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit, has been serving people and pets in Silicon Valley since 1929. Having facilitated more than half a million animal adoptions, HSSV is a leader in animal welfare through our lifesaving efforts, community programs, and the many ways we are working to move the animal welfare industry forward. Our mission is to save lives, keep families together, and create a better future for pets and their people.
We are a passionate, high-performing team who believes that collaboration is key to our success. Our best work is achieved by leveraging each other's strengths and creating opportunities for professional growth. Together, we make a difference "one paw" at a time.
Overview
The Manager, Behavior and Training Programs will be responsible for building scalable programs to help more animals find and stay in homes by training staff, fosters, volunteers, and adopters. As a key element of helping adopters, this individual will also manage our ~$250K gross revenue training business run by a contracted partner. The Manager, Behavior and Training Programs will develop and maintain shelter Behavior and internal/external educational programs that reinforce HSSV goals and philosophies towards positive behavior modification and fear free handling. We are looking for someone with a passion for working for animals of all breeds and sizes and the creativity to innovate beyond traditional shelter behavior programs.
Duties and Responsibilities

• Drive department strategic planning and own outcomes for Behavior and Training Programs.
• Manage and develop a high performing team; spearheading hiring, team building, employee relations, communications, training, performance management, and goal setting.

• Partner with the Volunteer Department to ensure volunteer recruitment needs are met and supervise volunteers assigned to the department.

• Provide training for new volunteers in all areas/levels of animal socialization.
• Develop a culture of learning and feedback by implementing on-going skill-building for staff and volunteers to meet training targets and maintain safe working conditions.
• Create, implement, and continually evaluate the most effective ways to identify and report on Animal Behavior. Ensure that staff are trained to properly assess and report behavior observations. Make recommendations for further training, best match for new home, adoption criteria, etc.
• Develop behavior modification plans for those shelter animals that need support to enhance their adoptability and to maintain their emotional well-being during their stay at HSSV.

• Manage the contracted obedience class provider and ensure that instructors and classes meet strategic goals for keeping pets in their home and setting adopters up for success.
• Work with operations teams to provide input on adoption matching and owner surrender programs. Through the Behavior Team, offer behavior consultation/education to potential adopters or to owners needing support to keep an animal in their home.
• Partner with Animal Care to develop, implement, and document enrichment activities and behavior modification protocols tailored to each animal.
• Create Training Programs designed to increase foster parent knowledge and ability to help with animals most in need of foster care.

• Make euthanasia recommendations to the euthanasia committee for animals that may present a danger to the community or have other issues impacting their quality of life.

• Maintain behavior related equipment and supply inventory and manage budget for department.

• Establish metrics and reports to analyze Behavior and Training activities.

• Create, proofread, edit, and update behavior literature.
• Handle all animals safely and humanely using proper restraint techniques. Demonstrate understanding of animal diseases and transmission to other animals and people.
• Record and maintain detailed behavior observations. Provide written evaluation reports on animals needing further evaluation.
• Represent HSSV at industry events, including participation in presentations.

• Other job duties may be assigned as needed.

Requirements

• Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) preferred.
• Must have Animal Behavior experience in a leadership role, managing staff and volunteers shelter experience a plus. Broad understanding of animal related operations, programs, and policies.
• Knowledge and strong commitment to using positive reinforcement and fear-free methods to modify behavior. Ability to accurately and objectively develop, implement, perform, and document behavior evaluations on dogs, cats, and rabbits.

• Experience developing online and virtual Training Programs.

• Proven ability to plan, lead, and execute projects successfully.
• Experience with the use of spreadsheets, word processing, databases, and systems such as ShelterBuddy, Vetter, etc.

• Excellent animal handling skills including fearful, aggressive or vicious animals in relation to dogs, cats, and other domestic animals.

• Knowledge to visually identify dogs, cats, and other animals when provided descriptions based on size, color, or breed.
• Self-motivated with demonstrated ability to work well without close supervision and to make independent decisions.
• Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills and good judgment with ability to collaborate effectively with others; excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to lift and carry weights of up to 50-75lbs. from floor to waist level. Ability to kneel on the floor, bend at the waist, reach forward and rotate the upper body. Sit/stand for sustained periods of time. Walk on wet or dry surfaces. Work both indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions during both daylight and after dark. Frequent exposure to loud noise, odors, and chemicals. Exposure to animals with unknown history and behaviors.

Work Days and Hours
Hours are flexible and based on organizational need. Will include one weekend day. This position requires rotating after-hours emergency on-call phone shifts and rotating coverage of holidays.
Candidate Tip
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