Animal Care Lead

Maricopa County; West Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 29,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition reimbursement

Excellent work-life balance

Health insurance for you and depend...

Job summary

Maricopa County Animal Care & Control is seeking an Animal Care Lead to oversee daily shelter operations, mentor staff, and ensure high welfare standards for homeless animals. This role requires leadership, hands-on animal care, and strong customer service skills.

The position is office-based with shifts that may include early mornings, weekends, and holidays. Qualifications include two years in animal welfare and one year of customer service, with a high school diploma or GED.

Qualifications

• Two years of working or volunteer experience with domestic animals in an animal welfare organization
• One year of in-person customer service work experience
• High school diploma or GED (or equivalent) may substitute with post-secondary education

Responsibilities

• Oversees, directs, and coaches Animal Care Associates to complete daily tasks
• Trains and mentors staff on department standards and safety
• Assist with movement of animals and low-stress handling to reduce stress
• Maintain shelter animal records and perform data entry
• Feed, clean, exercise, and monitor the health and behavior of animals
• Ensure proper housing and welfare per Five Domains and Fear Free methods
• Provide excellent customer service and promote programs and events
• Assist with in-shelter adoption meet-and-greets and enrichment
• May participate in humane euthanasia per policy

Skills

Customer service

Leadership

Canine handling

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Pay Range Anticipated Hiring Range: $21.00 - $27.00 hourly Full Pay Range: $21.00 - $33.00 hourly Salary offers are based on the candidate's equivalent experience and internal equity with other employees within the same job classification. The position is eligible for overtime compensation for all hours worked over 40 in the designated workweek.

Job Type Unclassified Department Animal Care and Control

About the Position

Are you a passionate animal advocate with a desire to nurture and improve the lives of homeless animals? As one of the largest animal shelters in the nation, we need your support to make a difference! Maricopa County Animal Care & Control is seeking a motivated and diligent Animal Care Lead to provide daily care and support for our shelter animals.

You will provide leadership and guidance to our team of Animal Care Associates while advocating for the animals in our care and promoting the health, safety, and welfare of the people and animals of Maricopa County.

This position requires the employee to be in the office and or customer-facing for all hours worked.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to support our shelter and your community!

About Us

Maricopa County Animal Care & Control employees are committed to animal welfare and strengthening the human-animal bond in our community, and we are always looking to add talented individuals to our team, either at our West or East Valley Animal Care Centers. As one of the nation’s largest open-admission shelters, we work with our community to serve the animals and people of Maricopa County. Our adoptions, shelter, clinic, and animal services officer teams learn first-hand about proper care of homeless and stray animals and work hard to help find them new homes.

Want to learn more about the County’s Qualifying and Compensation Philosophy? Follow this link to learn more!

• Proud to Offer Work with a greater purpose
• Tuition reimbursement
• Exceptional work-life balance
• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County
• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents
• Child care benefits, including access to the Maricopa County Kids Club, dedicated to serving Maricopa County families
• Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave
• Extensive wellness program, including an incentive
• Enrollment in the Arizona State Retirement System, a defined retirement benefit requiring an 11.98% per paycheck contribution rate that includes a 100% employer match on Day 1

Work With Us | Maricopa County, AZ

We Require Two years of working or volunteer experience with domestic animals in an animal welfare organization, veterinary facility, humane society, or similar animal care facility. One year of in-person customer service work experience. High school diploma or GED. A combination of post-secondary education and/or job-related experience may substitute for the minimum qualifications on a year-for-year basis.

• Two years of working or volunteer experience with domestic animals in an animal welfare organization, veterinary facility, humane society, or similar animal care facility
• One year of in-person customer service work experience
• High school diploma or GED
• A combination of post‑secondary education and/or job‑related experience may substitute for the minimum qualifications on a year‑for‑year basis

Other Requirements

• Candidates must be flexible and able to work all shifts, including starting as early as 6 am and finishing as late as 7 pm, working weekends and holidays.
• Shelter Associates are assigned on any shift, with any combination of days off, determined by the needs of the Department.
• Must be willing and able to participate on the euthanasia team as needed.

We Also Value

• One year of in-person customer service work experience
• Experience with humane euthanasia and/or Humane Euthanasia Certification
• Experience working in an animal shelter
• Experience within a leadership role
• Canine handling experience with all types of breeds and behaviors
• Bilingual skills in English/Spanish

Job Contributions

• Oversees, direction, guidance, and coaching for Animal Care Associates in the performance of their duties and ensures daily tasks are completed efficiently and accurately
• Trains and mentors staff on Department standards, procedures, and safety practices.
• Makes recommendations to ensure an efficient training experience, along with developmental needs for staff
• Assists with the movement of animals and participates in stress and disease reduction efforts through purposeful and compassionate low‑stress handling and placement of animals
• Conducts daily shelter welfare rounds, creates and maintains necessary animal records, performs data entry, and records and addresses concerns following standard protocols
• Perform animal care and related duties such as feeding, cleaning, exercising, and monitoring the behavior and health of animals in our care
• Ensure all shelter animals are properly housed and cared for within the guidelines of the Five Domains of Animal Welfare, and that positive reinforcement training and Fear Free methods are utilized
• Provides quality customer service and cultivates positive relations with clients, volunteers, and staff while actively promoting our mission, services, programs, and events
• Assist with in‑shelter adoption meet and greets and animal enrichment as needed
• Involved in and may perform humane euthanasia of animals as needed, in accordance with departmental policies, procedures, and established protocols

Working Conditions

Work is predominantly performed in an animal shelter with exposure to extreme and varying temperatures, excessive noise, dogs and cats with unknown temperaments or behaviors, animal waste and fluids, deceased animals, cleaning chemicals, and zoonotic diseases. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk on all types of surfaces that are sometimes slippery, uneven, and rough. Work involves regular participation in animal care and control activities, including the humane euthanasia of animals, handling injured, ill, or aggressive animals, interacting with members of the public, and performing time‑sensitive duties under varying stressful and high‑pressure conditions. Exerting 50‑100 lbs. occasionally, 10‑25 lbs. frequently, or up to 10‑20 lbs. constantly.

Selection Procedure

Consideration will only be given to candidates who submit online applications. Candidates will be contacted primarily through email and their Workday online application profile. Must pass a pre‑employment background and/or fingerprint investigation as required by statute or policy, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for positions designated as safety‑sensitive.

Maricopa County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process or to perform the essential functions of the position under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact [e-mail] to initiate the interactive process.

We are Maricopa County.

Who is that, you may ask? Forbes has rated Maricopa County one of Arizona’s Best Employers in 2024. We are over 13,000 employees strong, providing vital services for one of the fastest‑growing counties in the nation, with over four million residents who call Maricopa County home. You may wonder what we do, and it may be easier to answer that by asking what are you interested in! Join us and you will become part of a dynamic group of diverse and talented professionals who are passionate about making a difference and giving back to their communities. We offer career paths and opportunities in just about every job category and job level imaginable, so your journey with us is what you make of it! Along with offering purposeful careers, you can expect a rich selection of economical and comprehensive healthcare options, robust retirement plans, tuition and loan payment programs, and multiple paid leave options, as part of an overall generous compensation and benefits package. Thinking about career options, then please think about us! We are Maricopa County, and we are looking forward to working with you.