Best Friends recently received a 2022 Top Workplaces USA award from Energage. Visit the Best Friends Animal Society page on the Energage Top Workplaces award winners’ site here to learn more. Not only do we take pride in cultivating a welcoming and supportive community and culture for our employees, but we also offer competitive benefits that make it easy to see why we were granted such an awesome award! Take a look for yourself! We offer competitive pay, medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short and long-term disability, dependent care reimbursement, pet sitting reimbursement when traveling for work, flexible spending account, health savings account, generous paid time off, paid holidays, auto insurance discount, and legal and identity theft coverage. For added well-being support, we offer Pawternity Leave for employees to have time to care for their personal pets, mental health support, and an employee assistance program. We also offer a generous 401k savings plan. Do you want to love where you work? Look no further and apply online today!

Location: East Coast, USA

Hiring Range: This position is anticipated to pay between $120,000 to $132,000 annually, depending on experience.

Position Summary:

The Lifesaving Centers Director leads the operational expression of Best Friends Animal Society’s mission and vision. Responsible for developing and implementing program strategy. Lifesaving Center Directors oversee multiple programs, facilities, and teams. They support local community connection and function with high autonomy. We value attitude over aptitude, and we treat Kindness as a discipline because it is paramount in our culture along with our other Guiding Principles. Culture is how we talk to and treat ourselves and one another, it’s how we generate and respond to change, it’s how we plan and make decisions, it’s how we do what we do.

Key Responsibilities:

• Treat people around you as our most valuable resource by leading with compassion and kindness in all your actions, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, encourage self-care and work-life balance through your own example, and work to build strong relationships with your team by creating communication loops to share and receive honest feedback. You are responsible and accountable for the culture of your team.
• Lead by example through empowering multiple center teams’ organizational contributions towards Best Friends’ no-kill 2025 goal; lead programs with urgency and efficiency on behalf of animals still at risk of being killed in shelters across the region and the country; lead teams in their important role as ambassadors representing Best Friends’ history, mission, and no-kill goals.
• Examine national and regional data and trends to identify lifesaving opportunities and goals as well as any other quantitative and qualitative measures of success; lead the execution strategies and programs to achieve those lifesaving goals; lead of all lifesaving programs, including complete program redesign as necessary to fulfill objectives.
• Promote and lead community-first strategies, engaging volunteers, community members, coalitions, and other stakeholders at the highest level. Represent the cross-centers vision as well as the strategies to achieve that vision. Communicate the status of the execution of those strategies to staff, supporters, and stakeholders; represent Best Friends at events, conferences, and public speaking opportunities.
• Purposefully and thoughtfully create an environment where Best Friends is the best place to work for a career in animal welfare, providing opportunities for growth, and for maximizing individuals’ lifesaving impact.
• Lead human resource matters in conjunction with the Human Resources and Employee Relations departments regarding staff selection, management, development, and retention; oversee headcount controls and position creation or realignment; build individual capabilities and capacity through performance measurement, goals setting, reporting and analysis.
• Oversee departmental budgets including managing expenses, revenues, and reporting on result; oversee the physical facilities and equipment procurement and management including supplies, inventory, building upkeep; participate in capital improvement project planning.
• Lead the maintenance of a safe workplace. Value and model safe work practices, adhering to organizational safety practices and rules, and addressing or communicating to leadership about unsafe practices and conditions.

Skills and Experience:

• Solid leadership and management experience preferably in animal operations with a lifesaving focus; 5+ years of proven successful leadership experience, including overseeing large-scale strategy, operations, budgeting, and staffing; preferably including oversight of multiple locations and/or facilities; 5+ years of experience working for or with a humane organization preferred but not required.
• Strengths and experience in utilizing statistical information to inform, develop and implement division and department level strategic plans, including change management strategies and program direction; proven attention to detail with advanced organizational and time management skills.
• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with nonjudgmental philosophies.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to act decisively with a get-it-done attitude in difficult and fast-paced situations; strong interpersonal skills, a team player, upbeat, energetic, tactful, and diplomatic, able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
• Excellent communication skills, public speaking, and presentation experience with the ability to professionally advocate Best Friends’ position on issues; experience in supporting, engaging with, and developing relationships with volunteers and donors.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software, or desire to learn, comfort learning new systems, including online information systems.

Physical Requirements

• Perform repetitive tasks for extended periods of time including typing, sitting, walking, arm, and hand motion.
• Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.
• Exposure to dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status.
• Valid driver’s license, meeting Best Friends Animal Society’s driver qualification standards; ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed.
• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.
• Out-of-town travel for the job is expected to range up to 40% depending on the location of the job holder and the specific responsibilities and tasks assigned.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the US must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the US by Best Friends Animal Society.