Summary:
Overview:
Are you passionate about feline behavior and ready to lead a team dedicated to transforming the lives of cats in need? The ASPCA is seeking a Manager of Feline Behavior to oversee our feline behavior program at the Animal Recovery Center (ARC). This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of vulnerable cats.
Who We Are
The ARC (Animal Recovery Center) is dedicated to the recovery and rehabilitation of victims of cruelty and neglect admitted through NYPD and the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) and Community Engagement (CE) programs. Our dedicated team of more than 45 sheltering, medical, and animal behavior professionals, within the Shelter and Rehabilitation Operations division, work closely with the ASPCA Animal Hospital, Forensics, Legal Advocacy and Investigations, Behavioral Sciences, Shelter Medicine Services, Community Engagement, Centralized Placement, and Relocation Services, to ensure coordinated response and operations, and holistic, balanced, high quality care for the animals we serve in alignment with the organization’s priorities.
What You’ll Do
The Manager, Feline Behavior (the Manager) reports to the Senior Director of Behavior, ARC/CARE and has one direct report, a Behavior Specialist. The Manager is responsible for overseeing the feline behavior program within ARC. The Manager ensures the behavior and direct care teams are using behavior best practices to support cats’ psychological wellbeing.
The Manager leads the feline behavior team in providing safe, high quality behavioral care for animals from intake through discharge. This oversight consists of:
The Manager will provide leadership by providing ongoing coaching and training to ensure ASPCA policies, behavioral competencies, and low stress handling techniques are consistently followed. In addition, the Manager will be responsible for establishing a safe and compassionate environment by fostering a positive and productive work environment in accordance with our organizational core values.
The Manager participates in direct, on-site work with animals in the ARC, ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH), and the Adoption Center (AC), as well as off-site at partner locations and in foster homes. This position requires 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.
Where and When You’ll Work
What You’ll Get
Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future.
The target hiring range for this role is $87,000-$92,000 annually.
Benefits
At the ASPCA, you don’t have to choose between your passion and making a living. Our comprehensive benefits package helps ensure you can live a rewarding life at work and at home. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
What You’ll Do
Provide Safe Behavior Response, Assessment, and Support (60%):
Participate in team meetings to discuss animals’ behavioral status and progress
Conduct behavior assessments on cats housed at the ASPCA and with placement partners
Assist Community Engagement (CE) and NYPD in the field with removals and transportation, providing both role expertise in consultation or on deployment as needed.
Assist with timely evaluation of animals (integrate observations from staff, volunteers and fosters) to determine safety for handling, likelihood of rehabilitation and suitability for adoption
Manage and implement environmental enrichment and behavior modification for sheltered animals and animals at boarding partners
Provide summaries on behavior evaluations and recommendations for disposition and placement
Provide behavior consultations and ongoing support to foster parents of ARC cats and owned CE animals requiring temporary care
Collaborate with other ASPCA behavior team members on treatment plans, appropriate housing and other forms of environmental and social enrichment
Collaborate with medical, operations, sheltering and direct care teams to ensure a high quality of life and integrated care for sheltered animals and animals at boarding partners
Offer and implement suggestions for improving animals’ psychological well-being
Use active listening and respectful dialogue to answer questions and help staff understand behavioral signs that indicate potential aggression and/or poor quality of life
Provide a safe and compassionate environment for animals in our care, our staff, and for our clients by using low-stress handling techniques
Program and People Management (30%):
Supervise the Feline Behavior Specialist, ensuring that team members fully understand their role and responsibilities and providing consistent, high-quality feedback to direct reports
Grow and develop the volunteer program involvement in feline care and where appropriate, feline behavior modification
Conduct monthly one on ones with each direct report and model the Leadership Big 3: set clear direction and expectations, give feedback and receive feedback, and ensure opportunities for development.
Conduct timely annual performance reviews (behavioral competency based) for direct reports
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 workflow 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 and team meetings and trainings to ensure staff and animal safety.
Ensure safety needs are met; incident reports completely and accurately filled out, submitted to benefits, legal and safety team; readily reporting workers’ compensation claims and benefits.
Communicate Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requests, etc. to benefits team
Develop, document, and implement sound, simple policies and practices to improve SOPs. See that staff and volunteers are trained and competent in SOPs.
Oversee the feline enrichment program
Other duties as assigned by supervisor
Train and Coach (10%):
Create learning materials to provide training on animal behavior topics and evidence-based, humane handling
Provide internal lectures and trainings on appropriate topics; coordinate the scheduling of external lecturers when appropriate
Recommend and provide staff direct coaching opportunities to elevate the quality and consistency of the care delivered to our patients
Supervise and coach qualified volunteers, when appropriate, in assisting with behavior modification and enrichment programs
Stay up to date on protocols and SOPs created by the Behavioral Sciences Team; contribute to the development of such protocols as needed
Instill the guiding principle that everyone can—and should—actively support the animals’ behavioral and mental health in everything they do
Ensure that all team members have received training and mastered the skills to handle in a low stress manner, and that they implement these handling techniques consistently in all their interactions with animals
Knowledge Requirements:
Companion animal behavior and animal welfare knowledge, both basic and clinical
Ensure that all team members have received training and mastered the skills to handle in a low stress manner, and that they implement these handling techniques consistently in all their interactions with animals
In-depth knowledge of learning theory and its applications
Competent in the use of MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Teams, and Outlook
Comfort learning new software
Skills Requirements:
Outstanding ability to handle animals for examinations and medical procedures using the least restraint possible
Ability to walk, bend, stand and reach constantly during a minimum 8-hour day.
Able to lift and carry supplies of up to 40 lbs.
Dependable and ability to demonstrate regular and reliable attendance.
Ability to give and receive direction in a fast paced, dynamic environment
Ability to plan, organize, and effectively present ideas and concepts
Excellent communication skills with people, enjoy working with people
Excellent organizational and time management skills
Excellent ability to provide timely and professional communication and service to internal and external stakeholders
Excellent and demonstrated ability to be a team player
Education and Work Experience:
B.A or B.S. preferred or equivalent work experience
Certification from reputable cat behavior professional program required (i.e. ABS, IAABC) or comparable work experience
Ensure that all team members have received training and mastered the skills to handle in a low stress manner, and that they implement these handling techniques consistently in all their interactions with animals
Extensive experience in conducting behavior modification in a formal environment such as private sessions or shelter environment
Extensive experience assessing and working with aggressive, fearful, and undersocialized cats
At least one year experience in animal shelter preferred
Strong humane animal handling skills with an emphasis on evidence based handling
Training Requirements:
Ensure that all team members have received training and mastered the skills to handle in a low stress manner, and that they implement these handling techniques consistently in all their interactions with animals
Additional Information:
Ensure that all team members have received training and mastered the skills to handle in a low stress manner, and that they implement these handling techniques consistently in all their interactions with animals
Promotes and ensures the continual and consistent practice of organizational core values:
Has Commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals
Demonstrates Ownership and feels responsible for outcomes
Believes in Team – that we are stronger together
Seeks to Elevate others and reimagine what is possible
Focuses on Impact, specifically making change for animals
We encourage a candidate who demonstrates outstanding inter-personal communication and the ability to work in a team or independently, with a high degree of integrity and accountability. This position welcomes a candidate with a sense of humor that can balance flexibility and enthusiasm and thrives on detail in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Position will require occasional flexibility.
Qualifications:
See above for qualifications details.
Language:
English (Required)Education and Work Experience:
High School Diploma (Required)