Animal Behavior Manager

The QTI Group; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The QTI Group, in partnership with Dane County Humane Society, seeks an experienced Animal Behavior Manager to lead the Behavior Department and oversee behavioral care for animals in residence.

You will design in-house behavior modification plans, oversee daily enrichment and training, supervise staff, and collaborate with other teams to ensure appropriate outcomes for adoption, foster, rescue or humane decisions.

Qualifications

• B.A. or B.S. required with specialized education in animal behavior; M.Sc. or M.A. preferred.
• Certification in animal behavior/training from a nationally recognized certifying body required.
• 5+ years’ experience with animals in captivity (shelters or zoos).
• 2+ years’ management experience, preferably in an animal-related industry; shelter leadership preferred.
• Expertise in dog behavior is particularly required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Sincere desire to make a positive difference in the lives of animals using positive, science-based training and behavior modification methods.

Responsibilities

• Supervise the DCHS Animal Behavior Team and drive alignment with new strategies, processes and goals.
• Oversee behavior assessments and collaboration across departments for placement, foster, rescue or humane decisions.
• Develop in-house behavior modification plans and enrichment programs for shelter dogs and cats.
• Create standardized SOPs for managing common behavior concerns and track progress against benchmarks.
• Lead training classes for the public and supervise staff and volunteers in positive reinforcement methods.
• Provide counseling on surrender, adoption, foster and post-adoption situations in coordination with other teams.

Skills

Dog behavior expertise

Leadership

Communication skills

Positive reinforcement training

Team management

Staff training

Education

B.A. or B.S. in animal behavior or related field

M.Sc. or M.A. in animal behavior (preferred)

Certification in animal behavior/training (ABS, IAABC, CCPDT)

Job description

The QTI Group is partnering with Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) to hire an Animal Behavior Manager. In this newly created role, the Animal Behavior Manager will manage the Behavior Department and oversee the behavioral care of animals in residence at DCHS. Ensure the proper assessment of shelter dogs and cats and oversee recommendations for placement, foster, rescue or euthanasia as appropriate. Design in-house behavior modification plans for individuals in need of behavioral adjustment during their stay. Ensure that the shelter populations are provided with daily stress reduction, enrichment, training and behavior modification as needed and collaborate with other departments to ensure proper flow of the animals.

Supervision of DCHS Animal Behavior Team

• Build alignment, engagement and commitment within the Behavior team to new strategies, processes, and goals
• Foster a high-performance culture through effective coaching, clear expectations, accountability, and development of team members
• Monitor and ensure success of Behavior team in identification, treatment, planning and prevention of behavior issues for shelter dogs
• Ensure that all behavior protocols, policies and procedures are properly implemented
• Promote teamwork, communication, and cooperation between all departments

Animal Behavior Assessment

• Review behavior profiles for incoming animals
• Collaborate cross-departmentally on pathway planning for new intakes
• Oversee evaluation processes for shelter dogs and collaborate with team on recommendations for placement, foster, rescue or euthanasia as appropriate for shelter dogs
• Identify animals in need of additional behavioral support

Animal Behavior Management and Interventions

• Attend daily population rounds for dogs and cats
• Create and implement standardized SOPs for managing common behavior concerns in dogs
• Create individualized plans to meet the needs of individual dogs and cats
• Create systems for tracking individual dog and catprogress and establish benchmarks for success
• Ensure that partnerships with rescue groups are created and maintained
• Provide enrichment opportunities for shelter animals within the shelter environment
• Monitor behavior information shared by staff and volunteers on interaction sheets and via behavior boards in shelter database.

Training and Consultations

• Oversee dog training classes for the public and supervise the training class staff
• Develop and provide volunteer and staff training opportunities to A) provide enrichment and improve the adoptability of DCHS animals, and B) ensure safe handling in the shelter environment
• Create and implement positive reinforcement training protocols
• Direct and support to volunteers and staff on the basics of positive reinforcement training protocols
• Oversee training and behavior support to foster parents
• Provide surrender, adoption, foster and post-adoption counseling as needed in coordination with other departments

Qualifications/Requirements:

• B.A. or B.S. required, with specialized education in an animal behavior field; M.Sc. or M.A. preferred.
• Certification in animal behavior/training from a nationally recognized certifying body (ex: ABS, IAABC, CCPDT) is required.
• 5+ years’ experience working with animals in captivity such as in animal shelters or zoos.
• 2+ years’ management experience, preferably in an animal-related industry; experience managing a behavior team in a shelter strongly preferred
• Expertise in dog behavior is particularly required.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to inspire, influence and motivate teams through change
• Demonstrated success leading teams with a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and high performance
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Sincere desire to make a positive difference in the lives of animals by using only positive, science-based training and behavior modification methods
• Must possess or acquire a thorough understanding and dedication to the philosophies of animal welfare and DCHS