Senior Manager, Shelter Operations

Job Summary

The Senior Manager, Shelter Operations under the direction of the Director, Animal Sheltering is directly responsible for ensuring the effective operations of the organization’s Animal Sheltering programs including: Shelter Care, Shelter Training, Community Sheltering, Admissions, and Rehoming programs, ensuring seamless coordination between departments to maximize the care, enrichment, training, and placements of animals while minimizing length of stay. The Senior Manager will also prioritize client engagement, ensuring a high level of customer service and support throughout the rehoming process. This position leads a diverse team of managers, staff, volunteers, and students, fostering an environment of compassionate care and continuous learning.

The Senior Manager plays a key role in strategy development, process improvement, and operational leadership. The role involves monitoring program effectiveness and making data-driven decisions to enhance operations.

This position will also act as Deputy Director, in the Director, Animal Sheltering’s absence, ensuring continuity of leadership and decision-making during periods of leave or unavailability.

Job Duties

Management and Service Delivery – 80%

• Oversee Shelter Programs: Lead and manage the Rehoming department and oversee Shelter Care, Shelter Training, Community Sheltering, and Admissions departments, ensuring daily operations are efficient and align with organizational goals. Senior Manager, Shelter Operations is accountable for building, executing, and driving the program and service delivery of the Society’s sheltering and rehoming programs, maintaining viable and sustainable growth and impact. This position is responsible for ensuring Rehoming processes and service delivery aligns with the Society's adoption policies and philosophies, focusing on positive outcomes and client satisfaction.
• Team Leadership: Directly manage shelter staff and management, including adoption staff, Shelter Care management, ; providing guidance, coaching, and support to ensure their teams operate effectively.

• • Foster, promote, support and drive inclusion and influence others to promote, embrace and progress Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at THS.
  • Responsible for direct work of program staff, inclusive of the delivery and adherence to organizational standards of animal care, client engagement and service quality.

• Coordinate activities by assigning work assignments, setting priorities, and delegating work accordingly.
• Promote cooperative working environment among staff members; understands the value of teamwork; shows enthusiasm and willingness to perform as necessary to help the programs function as a unit.
• Promote a culture of openness and inclusivity within all department staff, strive to build a team that values and embodies the values of the organization.
• Promote Staff Development: Promote a culture of learning by implementing training and development programs for staff, volunteers, and students.
• Provide mentorship and performance feedback to build a strong, knowledgeable team.
• Drive commitment to service excellence and appropriate decision-making in all staff members.
• Communicate priorities to staff, assess staff productivity, and provide formal and informal feedback and coaching on an ongoing basis.
• Ensure the effectiveness of employees through strategic hiring, assignment of duties, discipline, and dismissal, as well as oversee indirect staffing requirements and hiring decisions.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Ensure communication and collaboration between all animal sheltering programs and other departments to streamline processes, reduce animal length of stay, and optimize outcomes for all shelter animals.
• Ensure Operational Efficiency: Develop and implement process improvements that streamline shelter operations, from daily care to rehoming procedures. Collaborate with animal sheltering leadership to continually assess and improve shelter workflows.
• Continue to evaluate new and existing programs and services, along with the departmental operations, to identify, develop and implement plans for areas that require improvement.
• Drive Program Success: Oversee the development of enrichment, training, and rehoming programs that align with best practices in animal welfare, ensuring these programs are effective and sustainable. Sets goals for program performance based on previous performance and mission/vision and designs strategies for meeting these goals.
• Monitor Metrics and Outcomes: Track program performance through key metrics, including population management, length of stay, and outcomes. Regularly review data to identify trends, areas of improvement, and success stories. Develop an operational plan that translates the strategic goals and objectives of the organization into practical actions, as well as defining and monitoring performance metrics and targets consistent with goals.

• Client Engagement: Ensure that all interactions with adopters, foster parents, and the general public reflect the organization’s commitment to exceptional customer service. Address escalated client concerns and foster positive community relations.
• Partnership Development: Strengthen relationships with external partners, including rescue organizations and other animal welfare groups, to facilitate alternative placements and collaborative programs.
• Public Relations and Communication: Represent the shelter in public events, media interactions, and internal presentations, advocating for sheltering programs and animal welfare.
• Strategic Leadership: Collaborate with the Director to develop strategic plans and initiatives that enhance animal welfare, shelter care quality, and rehoming success. Ensure alignment with the overall mission and values of the organization.
• Deputy Director Responsibilities: Act as the Deputy Director, Animal Sheltering and assume the responsibilities and authority regarding operational decisions, managing critical issues, and representing the shelter in meetings or public forums when the Director is unavailable.
• Other Duties as required in the day-to-day operation of the Society.

Administrative – 10%

• Administer the organization's funds according to the approved departmental budget and monitor departmental financial expenditures.
• Allocate company resources to implement policies and programs, taking into account fiscal realities and departmental structure, and ensure staff works in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Monitor, conduct and prepare monthly reports on any and all relevant metrics related to the departments.
• Promote internal marketing programs to increase client visitation rates.
• Oversee divisional areas of inventory control system to assure adequate stocks of supplies are available.
• Develop and oversee routine audit procedures.
• Facilitate and communicate effectively with department managers, business unit leaders, project managers, and other stakeholders.
• Know of external regulatory bodies governing the organization; and ensure compliance with regulations.

• Assist with the development and maintenance of various Toronto Humane Society policies.

Compliance – 10%

• Regular review of training systems to ensure compliance and workplace feasibility.
• Know of external regulatory bodies governing the organization, and all Toronto Humane Society policies and protocols, and ensure staff work compliance within the regulations.
• Attend and participate in workshops, seminars, and in-service training to further education, skills, and knowledge.
• Ensure commitment to quality, animal safety, and risk management initiatives in all staff members.

• Ensure that all employees comply with company policies, procedures, and ethical standards including safe work practices.
• Ensure that any building and maintenance related issues are reported to the Facilities department.
• Understand and use correct reporting procedures for serious or unusual incidents, including but not limited to client injury or illness, incidents of aggression, or injury involving employees.
• Work in compliance with the provisions of the OHSA and its regulations, including understanding and adhering to the requirements of the Health and Safety Manual, and any other rules and regulations established by the Toronto Humane Society
• Other duties as required in the day-to-day operations by the Society.

Job Requirements

• Minimum 3-year community college diploma in a related field,
• Minimum of 5 years of animal sheltering supervisory or management experience required,
• CAWA, RVT, CPDT or IAABC, Social Service Worker, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) considered an asset
• Additional certifications or specialized training relevant to animal welfare and shelter operations are an asset
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job.
• Effective leadership skills, with experience and focus on coaching, mentoring and motivation of employees.
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems and conflicts
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage time effectively, and ensure program efficiency.
• Strong interpersonal skills including demonstrated ability to deal with people sensitively, tactfully, diplomatically, and professionally at all times in a diverse environment
• Commitment to fostering a learning environment, supporting ongoing professional development, and enhancing care education programs.
• Knowledge of safety protocols, patient safety standards, and risk management practices.
• Demonstrated ability to work individually whilst directing a team.
• Demonstrated ability to present a positive and professional image of the organization when interacting with employees, clients/customers, visitors, and other external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to new technology.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint).
• Understanding of and experience with managing cross-departmental and cross-disciplinary resource allocation.
• Experience with budget preparation and management
• Sound analytical thinking, planning, prioritization, and execution skills
• A well-defined sense of diplomacy, including solid negotiation, conflict resolution, and people management skills.

• Proven ability to communicate effectively and use a professional approach with all stakeholders.

• Proven ability to delegate, set expectations, and monitor progress of all direct reports.
• Proven ability to identify measures of performance and actions needed to improve or correct performance.
• Proven ability to maintain a professional appearance, demeanour, and attitude at all times.
• Proven ability to plan, organize, develop, implement, and interpret goals, objectives, and policies.
• Proven ability to remain calm and poised in urgent situations.

Work Conditions

• Interaction with employees, management, and the public at large, under varying circumstances, including situations of a highly sensitive nature.
• On-site position.
• Flexible hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• May be required to work long hours.
• High levels of stress and pressure.
• May involve the lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of moderately heavy objects and materials (20 – 50 pounds) and some combination of climbing and balancing to include stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling.

• Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, weather, temperature and noise extremes, hazardous materials, traffic hazards, bright/dim lights, toxic agents, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, disease, pathogenic substances, or rude/irate customers.