Description

The Director of Shelter Operations is HSVC’s operations leader who helps guide our day-to-day and long-term sheltering work. This role keeps the shelter Innovating, steady, effective, and humane. It strengthens lifesaving outcomes for animals and supports a workplace where people embrace industry best practices, follow standards, and provide consistent, humane care for every animal.

This position is also part of HSVC’s broader goal: helping shape a stronger, more connected approach to strengthening the bond between animals and people across the region. We are seeking an action-oriented leader who will drive the daily work forward, sees long-term opportunities, and is ready to contribute to efforts that reach beyond a single campus.

Requirements

What You’ll Lead

Shelter Operations & Animal Care

• Oversee all daily sheltering functions to ensure animals receive safe, consistent, humane care.
• Lead key programs including animal care, adoptions, fostering, and volunteer engagement.
• Guides pathway planning, enrichment, and behavior support to reduce length of stay and increase successful placements of animals into new homes.
• Apply national best practices and use data to guide decisions that move animals efficiently and responsibly through the shelter.

People Leadership

• Build, coach, and support a capable and motivated team across multiple departments.
• Set clear expectations, provide direct feedback, and help staff develop skill and confidence.
• Maintain a workplace where accountability, respect, and humane practice guide daily interactions.
• Ensure staff and volunteers are supported, valued, and prepared for their roles.

Programs & Systems

• Strengthen and expand programs that move animals into new homes, including foster, volunteer, enrichment, adoption support, and community outreach.
• Create and manage budgets responsibly and transparently.
• Develop and refine SOPs, systems, and workflows that create clarity and consistency.
• Build processes that align with local and state animal welfare codes and support responsible sheltering practices.
• Support the HSVC Cares outreach program, including vaccination clinics, community spay/neuter services, and pet food distribution.

Cross-Team & External Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with clinic leadership, humane officers, communications, development, and other internal teams to support smooth shelter operations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with rescue partners and municipal animal sheltering organizations.
• Represent HSVC in public settings, including interviews and presentations, when needed.
• Serve as Acting Executive Director when assigned.

Planning, Data & Accountability

• Use data to monitor trends, identify needs, and guide improvements.
• Provide clear operational updates for the Executive Director, Board, and key stakeholders.
• Anticipate challenges, address issues early, and keep work moving in a dynamic environment.
• Prioritize safety and act promptly to correct hazards or risks.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of previous animal welfare experience in a leadership or supervisory role in a community achieving or striving to achieve a 90% or above live save rate.
• Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in progressive and lifesaving animal welfare, pathway planning, shelter medicine, and community programs.
• Previous experience handling and working with cats and dogs of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical/behavioral conditions in a high stress environment.
• Demonstrated responsibility for leading and developing staff, executing personnel management functions to include selection, training, coaching, and performance evaluations.
• Demonstrated experience in building successful collaborative efforts with diverse community stakeholder groups and working with elected and appointed officials.
• Able to demonstrate exceptional discretion, judgement, integrity and confidentiality when dealing with personal and financial issues.
• Ability to help animals and people with compassion and empathy with commitment to life-saving programs and services.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully communicating orally and in writing, including writing standard operating procedures, articulating policy changes, sharing strategic initiatives, resolving conflicts, customer service scripts, speaking to small and large groups, and drafting written communication pieces.
• Demonstrated experience in data analysis; developing and analyzing metrics, performance measures, interpreting trends, identifying and collecting key data points to develop and evaluate policy and/or program efficacy.
• Ability to be flexible, detail oriented and prioritize competing challenges and opportunities.
• Ability to think strategically, anticipate future trends and consequences in animal welfare and integrate them into strategic and organizational plans.

Preferred Qualifications

• CAWA certification or similar credential
• Experience developing and scaling community-based programs
• Senior-level management experience
• Familiarity with Chameleon or similar shelter software
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools
• Ability to safely handle animals, including those who have been abused, neglected, or treated cruelly

Who You Are

• Decisive and steady
• Compassionate and grounded
• Motivated and innovative
• Clear, transparent communicator
• Inclusive and collaborative
• Enthusiastic, a catalyst for change
• Critical thinker, problem-solver
• Calm under pressure 

Working Conditions

• Shelter environment with exposure to animals, cleaning agents, noise, and variable weather
• Frequent standing, lifting, bending, and animal handling
• Ability to lift 50 lbs. independently and 75 lbs. with assistance
• Occasional evenings, weekends, holidays, and emergency response needs