Description
Are you ready to lead a team dedicated to saving lives and setting the gold standard for animal care? As the Shelter Medicine Manager at Animal Friends, you'll be at the heart of our mission—ensuring every resident receives the best possible medical care while fostering a compassionate, fear-free environment. This pivotal role combines hands-on medical oversight with visionary leadership, empowering you to shape protocols, mentor a talented team, and collaborate closely with veterinarians and staff across departments. If you're driven by purpose, thrive in fast-paced, solution-focused environments, and have a passion for both animals and people, this is your chance to make a lasting impact.
From guiding emergency medical care to building innovative treatment plans and supporting animals with unique needs, you'll be a champion for every resident's well-being. Beyond clinical expertise, this role offers the opportunity to mentor and inspire your team, strengthen partnerships across the community, and engage directly with adopters and fosters to ensure animals transition successfully into loving homes. As Shelter Medicine Manager, you'll not only transform individual animal lives—you'll help shape the future of lifesaving operations at Animal Friends
Position Summary:
The Shelter Medicine Manager assists in fulfilling the mission and vision of Animal Friends by leading the Shelter Medicine Team, to ensure the highest level of care possible for every resident. The incumbent is responsible for the oversight of all animal exams, surgeries, and treatment plans, medical inventory, and consults. This is a key position in Lifesaving Operations, requiring a creative, professional approach with positive problem-solving, multi-tasking and decision-making abilities. The incumbent is responsible for creating and maintaining a team focused on providing the best possible care for each animal resident, while ensuring safety, education, compassion, and job satisfaction of the highest priority.
The Shelter Medicine Manager works collaboratively with the Lifesaving Operations Managers and Volunteer Services (as well as other Animal Friends departments) to ensure the consistent education of staff and volunteers on fear-free medical techniques for the behavior wellness of shelter populations. Additionally, the Shelter Medicine Manager will form close relationships with the veterinarians within Animal Friends to ensure open communication and collaboration.
Essential Functions:
Supervisory
Provides direction and leadership of the program including aiding in updating procedures, overseeing on-going training of staff and volunteers, and utilizing excellent communication skills and supportive leadership styles that foster a team atmosphere
Responsible for training, supervising, scheduling, disciplinary action, and performance evaluations of Shelter Medicine staff
Documents all staff or volunteer challenges and incidents and communicates them to the
appropriate staff
Acknowledges staff for exemplary work
Schedules and coordinates regular staff meetings to provide updates, address concerns, and ensure positive morale
Anticipates and addresses conflict amongst the team and/or other staff and volunteers. Resolves
issues in a compassionate, efficient manner with the support of People & Culture
Provides for the day-to-day medical management of all staff and volunteer interactions, ensuring a humane, low-stress, and compassionate environment for all the animals entrusted to the organization’s care
Collaborates with other department managers to implement individualized care plans that serve to support the positive quality of life and rehabilitation of shelter residents as deemed necessary
Ensures the responsibilities, authorities, and accountability of all direct reports are defined, communicated, and reviewed on an ongoing basis
Acts as a liaison to ensure quality relationships with all departments, staff, volunteers, and the public
Addresses staff and volunteer questions, concerns, and feedback in a timely manner and communicates results
Establishes, reviews, and modifies performance-based goals for the Shelter Medicine Department
Establishes and coordinates work schedule of staff and volunteers to expedite accomplishment of essential day-to-day activities, issues instructions, examines work results, and oversees training to improve performance
Recommends and implements process and protocol changes to maintain progressive and high-quality care for all residents
Ensures safe and appropriate departmental coverage in case of emergencies, weather issues, etc.
Provides support where needed for call-offs, tardiness, early departures, etc.
Perform other duties as assigned
General Activities
Conducts and/or oversees daily medical observation of all animals in the shelter to ensure a healthy
environment for all the animals entrusted to the organization’s care
Oversees and provides reports regarding the welfare of all our resident animals
Aids in responding to medical emergencies, infection disease control, and overall wellness needs
Assists in surgical procedures, restraint, exams, diagnostic tests/imaging, vaccinations, and
treatments as needed
Creates and maintains relationships with clinics and specialists outside of the organization for advanced care shelter residents
Oversees medical supplies, inventory and ordering
Maintains a departmental budget
Ensures the adherence to Departmental SOPs created by the Associate Shelter Medicine
Veterinarians by staff within and outside of the department.
Communicates concerns about animals to the appropriate departments and/or staff in a timely manner
Coordinates with other managers to ensure individual plans of care for resident animals are carried out daily
Ensure the proper handling of animals, especially those with specific medical or behavioral needs
Work with the Placement Department to find appropriate medical fosters when needed
Responds appropriately to emergencies of human, animal, and/or facility nature, and trains
others to do so
With volunteer and staff support, manages the daily activities of the Shelter Medicine Team that support the public including providing the adopters and fosters with medical support, Animal Friends educational documents, or providing referrals as necessary. Provides timely responses to
phone call and email inquiries
Leads the department in providing assistance in the adoption process with animals that have special medical needs by meeting with potential adopters and by providing regular training, education and resources to Placement Counselors, as well as providing medical support post-adoption, as outlined my organizational procedures
Leverage volunteer talent by engaging their assistance within the department, thereby helping us to further our mission and vision and to achieve the organization’s expectation of 100% integration of volunteers into our programs
Contributing to special events supporting community engagement
Participates in grant writing efforts to collectively advance our organizational goals
Administrative
Participates in the PA Department of Agriculture kennel inspection and follows up as appropriate
Demonstrates a commitment to integrating volunteers into the Shelter Medicine program. Supports
volunteer recruitment, training, evaluation, and recognition
Collaborates with other department managers to plan and carry out training and development opportunities for Shelter Medicine staff
Engages in networking with other animal welfare professionals, organizations, and agencies to further the work of Animal Friends
Participates in staff trainings and presentations to provide information on departmental policies, updates, etc.
Participates in flow meetings and activities to ensure compassionate and efficient outcomes for all residents.
Participates in daily rounds, at least once a week, to evaluate each animal’s pathway within the shelter
Completes all necessary documentation and notification surrounding animal bite reports and
incidents
Actively participates in leadership meetings as necessary, including weekly LSO management meetings
Actively participates in other committees as deemed necessary by the Chief Shelter Operations
Officer and upon invitation of the committee chairperson.
Acts as the Manager on Duty on a rotating basis to ensure Lifesaving Operations functions effectively and efficiently while addressing any emergencies and/or issues, including working one (1) weekend day each week
Acts as the Manager on Duty on a rotating basis of holidays to ensure appropriate coverage during
closed / limited staff days
Participates in minimally three (3) dog walking shifts per week supporting morning or evening dog walking shifts
Carries / manages the LSO Emergency Phone / MOD Phone for monthly rotations as assigned
Assists with other related duties as requested
Requirements
Qualifications and Experience:
A minimum of five years of supervisory experience required. Experience in animal
welfare/care preferred.
Must be a CVT, DVM, and/or possess a degree or extensive experience related to the field.
Must possess knowledge of animal health, disease prevention, and behavior
Experience in a Veterinary hospital, General Practice, ER, or Shelter Medicine Department preferred
Must be comfortable handling dogs, cats, and rabbits of varying breed, size, age, condition, and temperament
Must possess excellent communication (written and verbal), interpersonal skills, leadership skills,
organizational ability, and time management skills
Computer proficiency with knowledge of Microsoft Outlook and other Microsoft software required. Experience with shelter software/databases helpful but not required
This position requires a high degree of problem-solving, conflict management, customer service skills, and flexibility. Must have the ability to exercise good judgement and make independent decisions with limited supervision
Must be willing and able to work as a member of a team and collaborate on all aspects of animal care and welfare
Must be able to work flexible hours including weekends, evenings, and holidays as needed
Must have a sincere interest in the work, program, and mission of Animal Friends, Inc.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Communication Proficiency – Ability to orally express information and ideas to others when speaking
‘Customer Smart’ Culture - Develops and models strong interpersonal skills, initiates and maintains positive interactions with visitors, volunteers, and fellow employees, redirects challenging interactions into manageable ones
Diversity and Inclusion – Ability to welcome, support and value individuals with similarities and differences that may vary from your own
Stress Management - Ability to maintain baseline behavior / composure during stressful situations
Teamwork Orientation – Ability to work with others to accomplish likeminded goals and tasks for the organization
