Animal Care Program Manager*

San Bernardino County; San Bernardino (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

San Bernardino County Animal Care Division seeks an experienced Animal Care Program Manager to lead the county's animal shelters and field services, ensuring health, safety, and humane treatment of all animals. The role includes strategic direction, policy development, and fiscal management to achieve high-quality public service.

The ideal candidate will have a public health or animal welfare background, strong supervisory experience, and a proven ability to drive operational excellence and

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Public/Business/Health Administration or related field.
• Experience: 3 years professional admin experience in public health or similar.
• Supervisory experience: 2 years with hiring, performance management, discipline up to termination.
• Ideal: collaborative leader with shelter and field operations experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations of county animal shelters and field services.
• Develop and implement policies, SOPs, and best practices to improve efficiency and compliance.
• Lead staff development, performance management, and foster inclusive culture.
• Monitor budgets, expenditures, and program performance through data analysis.

Skills

Leadership

Supervisory experience

Budget oversight

Data analytics

Policy development

Education

Bachelor's degree (Public/Admin/Health)

Job description

The Department of Public Health (DPH), Animal Care Division is seeking an experienced and dynamic Animal Care Program Manager to provide strategic leadership, operational oversight, and administrative management of the San Bernardino County Animal Care Division. This position is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating all aspects of County animal shelter and/or administration and field operations, and animal care programs under the direction of the Animal Care Division Chief, while ensuring the delivery of high-quality, compassionate, and professional services to the community.

The Program Manager oversees the daily operations of the County's animal shelters and/or administration and field services, ensuring the health, safety, and humane treatment of all animals in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and established standards of animal welfare. The manager will develop, implement, and continuously evaluate division-wide policies, standard operating procedures, and best practices to improve operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and quality of care.

This position provides leadership through subordinate supervisors, directing and supporting multidisciplinary teams responsible for animal care, field and investigation services, administrative and fiscal services, customer service, volunteer, rescue and foster programs, and shelter operations. The Animal Care Program Manager is responsible for employee development, performance management, succession planning, and fostering a positive, inclusive, and collaborative workplace culture that promotes accountability, innovation, professional growth, and exceptional customer service.

The Animal Care Program Manager leads the development and implementation of strategic initiatives designed to enhance shelter operations, improve animal outcomes, increase live release rates, expand community engagement, and strengthen partnerships with rescue organizations, veterinary providers, advocates, and other public and private stakeholders. The manager actively participates in development of program and division budgets and is responsible for ongoing management of budget and expenditures. The incumbent monitors operational performance through data analysis and performance metrics, identifies opportunities for continuous improvement, and implements evidence-based solutions to achieve organizational goals.

Official Classification Title: Public Health Program Manager

For more detailed information, refer to the Public Health Program Manager job description.

ABOUT ANIMAL CARE

The mission of the San Bernardino County Animal Care is to prevent rabies in humans and pets, to educate the public about responsible pet ownership, including the importance of spaying and neutering, to protect and serve the public and pets by enforcing all laws and ordinances pertaining to animal care, to care for all animals domestic and wild, to reunite lost pets with their owners, to place unwanted pets into new homes, and to maintain a high quality of service.

EXCELLENT BENEFITS

To review job-specific benefits, refer to: Summary of Benefits and the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU).

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Pre-Employment Process: Prior to appointment, applicants must pass a background investigation which includes verification of employment history and education, fingerprinting, physical exam, and drug screening.

Sponsorship: San Bernardino County is not able to consider candidates who will require Visa sponsorship at the time of application or in the future. Candidates must be able to present their legal right to work in the United States at the time of employment.

Travel: Travel throughout the County may be required and employees will be required to make provisions for such transportation.

Applicants must meet all of the following education and experience requirements:

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Public/Business/Health Administration, Health Sciences, Animal Science, Animal Husbandry or a closely related field of study.

Experience: Three (3) years of full-time equivalent, professional administrative experience (e.g. policy development and evaluation; strategic program planning, development, implementation, and evaluation; contract and grant development, administration, and monitoring; budget oversight; high-level research and data analytics; and interpersonal, public, and community relations) in a Public Health program, community health organization, or closely related agency; of which two (2) years includes full-scope supervision that involved hiring, performance evaluations, and discipline up to and including termination.

Supervisory experience must be gained through a formal, regular supervisory assignment. Experience obtained solely as backup or on an as-needed basis when the supervisor is absent will not be accepted.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative and results-oriented leader with demonstrated experience managing complex animal shelter and field operations, supervising staff, driving organizational change, and balancing operational excellence with a strong commitment to animal welfare, public safety, regulatory compliance, fiscal stewardship, and exceptional service to residents.

There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on a review of the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire.

Application deadline: 5:00 PM, Friday, August 28, 2026.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) / Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): San Bernardino County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, dedicated to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants.

ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and need accommodations during the testing process, please submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form (Download PDF) within one week of the recruitment filing deadline.

Veterans' Preference: Eligible veterans, their spouses, or widows/widowers who are not current County employees may receive additional Veterans' Preference points. For details and instructions on how to request these points, please refer to the Veterans' Preference Information (Download PDF).