MSPCA at Nevins Farm - Behavior Manager

This is a full-time 40 hour a week position, with required weekend days.

The Behavior Manager works to ensure the behavioral wellbeing of the animals supported by the adoption center while also moving animals through the adoption center in a timely and efficient manner. The Behavior Manager creates and leads staff and volunteer training on topics related to animal behavior, and supports adoption center staff with behavior-related tasks including but not limited to intake, evaluations, euthanasia decision making, creating and implementing training and behavior modification plans, low stress handling techniques, playgroups, and enrichment. The Behavior Manager advises adoption center staff on facilitating appropriate matches for animals in need of additional behavior support, provides pre-adoption counseling and hands-on training for prospective adoptions, and post-adoption support for families who are struggling with their animal at home. The Behavior Manager provides direct supervision to the Behavior Coordinator and works with the behavior team across all shelter locations to accomplish all of these tasks. Some of the duties include:

• Supervise daily behavior support for several species of animals in the shelter, primarily dogs and cats, to evaluate their behavioral health.
• Lead and provide direction for adoption center tasks including implementing in-shelter training plans, low-stress handling, euthanasia, and behavior evaluations for dogs and cats with more significant behavior challenges.
• Create more complex training plans to increase the adoptability and quality of life of animals in the adoption center, particularly those animals with more significant behavior challenges.
• Train staff and volunteers in implementing in-shelter training plans based on the individual animal’s needs.
• Collaborate with other APD teams including but not limited to the clinics, adoption centers, law enforcement, foster, and community outreach.
• Work alongside the Community Outreach team to provide behavior support to members of the community including problem solving advice and connecting them with the appropriate behavior resources to help keep their animal in their home.
• Work alongside foster teams to create and lead training for fosters who will take home animals in need of additional behavior support.  Alongside Behavior Coordinator, provide ongoing behavior support to the foster throughout an animal’s stay.
• Serve as a mentor and point of communication for volunteers and staff for behavior related needs.
• Lead discussions in weekly staff meetings to offer analysis and recommendations for adoptability and feedback on progress of behavior plans for animals with more significant behavior challenges.
• Ability to maintain composure during challenging and emotionally charged situations.
• Work with colleagues, volunteers, and clients in an empathetic and supportive manner.
• Ability to contribute to decisions for euthanasia that consider the animal’s physical and emotional well-being and the safety of the community.
• Advanced knowledge of animal handling skills and restraint, and ability to teach others the same skills.
• Advanced knowledge of animal welfare issues, and ability to inform others on the same topics without passing judgement.
• Advanced knowledge of learning theory and ability to apply concepts in day to day tasks.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher.
• CCPDT-KA, KPA-CTP, IAABC or other accredited professional dog training certification.
• Fear Free Certification within 6 months of hire or promotion date.

EXPERIENCE

• Two years working or volunteering directly with animals, ideally of different species, sizes, and temperaments, under the supervision of a behavior professional.
• Two years working in animal welfare or related field.
• Two years creating and implementing training/behavior modification plans in accordance with the MSPCA’s philosophies.

Please detail your animal behavior experience in your cover letter.

WHO WE ARE:

The MSPCA is one of the oldest and most venerable humane organizations in the world. We work together as a community to deliver on our mission of advancing the health and welfare of animals. Sharing in this vision provides meaning to our employees and adds an important dimension to our work.  

OUR BENEFITS:

Our compensation package includes health, dental and life insurance, 403(b) retirement plan, tuition reimbursement, paid holidays, sick, and vacation time, employee discounts for pet health care, and free on-site parking.