Summary:
*This exciting position offers a unique opportunity to serve victims of cruelty and neglect in New York City and is open for non- veterinary Behavior Specialists or Veterinary Behaviorists who meet the qualifications.
The Animal Recovery Center (ARC) and Canine Annex for Recovery and Enrichment (CARE) provide medical and behavioral interventions to recover and rehabilitate animals brought to the ASPCA by the NYPD and the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) and Community Engagement (CE) programs and, when appropriate, prepares them for adoption or return to owner.
Our dedicated team of more than 45 sheltering, medical, and animal behavior professionals work closely with the ASPCA Animal Hospital, Forensics, Legal Advocacy and Investigations, Behavioral Sciences, Shelter Medicine Services, Community Engagement, Centralized Placement, Recovery and Rehabilitation Center, and Adoption Center teams to ensure coordinated response and operations, and holistic, balanced, high quality care for the animals we serve.
The Senior Director oversees the behavioral care and pathway planning for the ARC and CARE animals, ensuring the medical and behavioral health and welfare of our animals in collaboration with the medical and sheltering leaders. The Senior Director ensures an integrated, holistic approach to animal care that prioritizes the overall quality of life of the ARC and CARE animals.
In collaboration with the Behavior Sciences team (BST), the Strategy and Research team and organization leadership, this unique position will also identify, lead, and facilitate ARC and CARE research projects, which are strategically selected to advance the ASPCA’s mission related to animal behavior and cruelty prevention. The Senior Director will identify key knowledge gaps and determine how best to fill those gaps related to addressing and treating behavior problems that affect the welfare of animals and may prevent adoption.
The Senior Director of Behavior serves as a key member of the ARC and CARE leadership team, and the AAH, ARC, and CARE Senior Leadership Team, and will be integral to critically incorporating and monitoring science-based behavioral treatments for a population of approximately 100 dogs and cats. In addition, the Senior Director will foster strong relationships with medical and behavior team leaders across the organization for the advancement of the overall health of animals through research, application, and education, and will inform shelter programs across the country through sharing of research findings and best practices developed in our facilities. This position leads a team of nine behavior experts. Four Behavior Specialists, one Behavior Associate, and two Behavior Coordinators, and directly manages the Manager of Feline Behavior and the Manager of Behavior, ARC and CARE.
*The shift is Mon-Fri (9-5)
Responsibilities:
Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
Ensure High Quality, Low Stress Patient and Population Care (50%)
- Ensure ARC and CARE provide high quality individualized care, considering the medical and behavioral needs of our patients while maintaining overall population health using shelter best practices.
- Perform and ensure low stress handling for medical intakes and direct high-quality care for all new NYPD and CE cases admitted to AAH/ARC/CARE and in collaboration with partner departments for animals admitted to veterinary partner hospitals, and the Adoption Center.
- Ensure appropriate behavioral support for all Foster Program animals and animals in transition to the Adoption Center.
- Develop and oversee the skilled and efficient behavioral diagnosis and treatment plans following ARC/CARE/AAH and Adoption Center parameters and guidelines.
- Lead Senior Managers and Managers in providing hands-on coaching for behavior staff to grow skills and ensure consistent, effective treatment.
- Oversee the use of psychotropic medications in conjunction with nonpharmaceutical interventions, according to organizational policy and standard treatment protocols, thereby improving the behavioral health of our animals.
- Support and assist with humane euthanasia planning for animals deemed unsuitable for placement, working closely with the behavior and medical teams to ensure a compassionate, low-stress procedure.
- Serve on a panel with medical, behavior, and operations leaders to review cases and make weekly pathway planning decisions, taking into consideration animals’ physical and behavioral well-being, using organizationally approved tools developed to assess quality of life and readiness for adoption.
- With other managers, communicate animals’ status changes to the entire team, explaining the rationale behind decisions with compassion and transparency.
- Maintain regular and close communication with veterinary and behavior colleagues in other ASPCA programs. Actively partner with Shelter Medicine Services and the Behavioral Sciences Team staff to align recommendations and application of best practices across our work, including day-to-day operations.
- Ensure the maintenance of thorough, high quality behavioral records, documenting all exam findings, test results, and treatments in organizational databases.
- Support the Vice President in managing any adverse client, staff, or patient events appropriately and professionally.
- Develop, disseminate and keep current the ARC and CARE Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ensure their implementation. Facility-specific SOPs are developed in conjunction with BST or SMS to ensure best medical, sheltering, and behavioral practices.
- Ensure all teams in ARC and CARE are proficient in low stress handling, either through Fear Free or Low Stress Handling – Silver certified.
- Mentor the rotating veterinary interns.
- Regularly review animals’ statuses, giving direction to the Behavior Specialists as necessary to ensure timely care and movement of animals through the ASPCA.
- Provide a high level of customer service to external and internal clients.
Manage, Coach and Collaborate (40%)
- With the Vice President, nurture a culture of learning at the ARC and CARE, including ensuring a respectful and welcoming environment.
- Cultivate strong relationships with the AAH, ARC, and CARE Senior Leadership Team, Behavioral Sciences Team, and the Adoption Center’s behavior team leaders to ensure best practices in behavioral health and welfare for animals in our care and promote education and training in behavior.
- Practice and espouse positive, people-centric management approaches that are in line with team and organizational core values.
- Set expectations and goals and provide consistent, high-quality feedback to direct reports, including regular 1:1s and quarterly feedback sessions to build strong relationships, provide clear direction, and encourage opportunities for development. Complete annual performance evaluations.
- Support the recruitment, selection, hiring and onboarding process for new hires.
- Teach, train and mentor the direct care team, veterinarians, behavior team, licensed veterinary technicians, and externs and interns.
- Teach the team the reasons behind policies and practices so that they can make good decisions in carrying out their work and can teach volunteers and visitors effectively.
- Model a standard of continual commitment to improvement in all aspects of ARC and CARE’s medical and behavioral programs, and handling of animals.
- Handle employee-relations issues with confidentiality and care, ensuring compliance with any applicable collective-bargaining agreements; use active listening to understand employee concerns, encouraging and supporting employees to problem solve and create viable solutions.
- Provide subject matter expertise on organizational protocols, policies, or position statements on the use of psychotropic medications for animals in shelters.
- Collaborate with AAH, BST, SMS, HLE, Community Medicine, BRC, Adoption Center Directors and Vice Presidents in identifying and developing opportunities for shared knowledge and understanding as well as mutual ownership and enhanced teamwork throughout the program teams at our 91st and 92nd street operations and national programs to continuously evolve our programs and improve the lives of animals.
- Always maintain adequate staffing levels; assign and/or re-assign appropriate responsibilities, as well as direct workflow, to maximize productivity and maintain coverage in the event of planned absences, call outs, injuries, increased volume, or other unforeseen needs. Ensure continuous coverage to ensure staff and animal safety.
- Deploy with BST, Community Engagement, Community Medicine, National Field Response or Rehabilitation Services at least once per year (locally and nationally).
Lead Research Projects and Share Knowledge (5%)
- Collaborate in contribution to the organization’s Behavior Strategy Plan to drive the direction of the ASPCA’s research in animal shelter behavior and forensic behavior.
- Identify and propose research projects with ARC/CARE animals that would advance the fields of forensic science and animal welfare.
- Contribute to develop clear goals, timelines, data collection and analysis processes for identified research projects.
- Communicate project goals and data collection through clearly outlined protocols for the data collection team to follow.
- Ensure all data collection and reporting is accurate and complete.
- Problem solve and recognize when the work needs to change in scope or direction to ensure research goals are achieved.
- Provide subject matter expertise to represent the ASPCA and the AAH/ARC/CARE departments.
- Effectively present research internally and externally at conferences when appropriate.
- Collaborate to contribute to writing scientific publications for peer reviewed journals as well as publications for non-scientific audiences and ASPCA departments.
- Mentor veterinarians and Behavior Specialists.
Exemplifies the ASPCA’s 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
Qualifications and Requirements:
- Ability to successfully work in a high-volume, fast-paced environment that combines emergency and shelter medicine and effectively multi-task with a high degree of integrity and accountability and without loss of attention to detail.
- Ability to work well within a team and communicate effectively and courteously with all levels of staff.
- Maintain an open mind regarding changes and be willing to learn, implement, and teach new protocols.
- Able to successfully work in an environment working with behaviorally and medically compromised animals daily.
- Must feel comfortable participating in humane euthanasia decisions and procedures, and supporting the team in this work as needed.
- Fear Free certified within 6 months of hire.
- Interest in developing/overseeing research projects is preferred
- Interest in contributing to writing scientific publications for peer reviewed journals as well as publications for non-scientific audiences and ASPCA departments preferred
- Low Stress Handling – Silver certified or can obtain such certification by end of first year.
- Ability to work additional hours, weekends, cover shifts and/or stay late and respond to after-hours concerns, as needed.
- Provide support for disasters/weather coverage.
Compensation & Benefits:
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 $198,000 - $210,000 annually for a DVM and $151,000 - $163,000 annually for a non DVM.
For more information on our Benefit offerings, click here.
Join our Talent Community:
If you are interested in joining our team but do not see a position listed that fits your experience or interests, please click this link and join our Talent Community to stay connected to future opportunities with the ASPCA.
Work Experience for all Candidates:
- 3+ years’ experience in people management
- Previous experience in shelters preferred but not required.
- Experience developing/overseeing research projects preferred
- Experience writing scientific publications for peer reviewed journals as well as publications for non-scientific audiences preferred
Education and Work Experience Non- Veterinarian Behaviorist Candidates:
- Master’s or PhD degree in animal Behavior or related discipline from an accredited program.
- Completed residency in an approved conforming program or non-conforming program approved by ACVB preferred.
Education and Work Experience Veterinary Behaviorist Candidates:
- DVM degree (or equivalent) from AVMA accredited veterinary school, with NY State veterinary license.
- Completed residency in an approved conforming program or non-conforming program approved by ACVB.
- Veterinary internship or minimum 5 years small animal medicine experience without internship.
- Board certified diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
Additional Information:
- This is a full-time exempt position that works out of our 91st and 92nd Street offices, but the incumbent must be flexible, as some early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays will be required.
- To apply, please complete our application and upload a cover letter that outlines how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of this position. Applications without cover letters will not be reviewed.
Qualifications:
See above for qualifications details.
Language:
English (Required)
Education and Work Experience:
Our EEO Policy:
The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.
Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA. Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.
ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).
About Us:
The ASPCA was founded in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment by humans and must be protected under the law. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States.
The ASPCA is headquartered in New York City, where we maintain a full-service animal hospital, spay/neuter clinic, mobile spay/neuter and primary pet care clinics, a rehabilitation center for canine victims of cruelty, kitten nursery, adoption center, and two community veterinary centers.
The ASPCA also operates programs and services that extend nationwide. We assist animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources.
At the ASPCA, we are committed to fostering a collaborative and compassionate culture and we welcome all voices to contribute to our lifesaving mission. Our staff represent a vast array of backgrounds and diversity dimensions, bringing with them valuable experiences and perspectives. They join the ASPCA to learn, grow, and continually do their best work on behalf of animals. We are inspired by our staff, partners, and the communities we support across the country who work to improve animal lives. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the ASPCA because it elevates our organizational culture, aligns with our Core Values, and enables us to move further and faster toward the ASPCA’s vision – that all animals live good lives; valued by society, protected by its laws, and free from cruelty, pain and suffering.
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