Assistant Director-Animal Shelter Division

Loudoun County Government; Leesburg (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Loudoun County Animal Services seeks an Assistant Director to lead shelter operations, supervise staff, and advance humane animal welfare within a public-safety framework. Reporting to the Department Director, the role oversees budget, finance, procurement, HR, IT, safety, and space, and represents the department in internal and external meetings.

Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Business, Public Administration, or related field, plus progressive leadership experience in government or

Qualifications

• Experience managing operations of an animal shelter or similar facility.
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to build relationships with agencies.
• Knowledge of legislative processes and procurement documents.
• Ability to manage budgets and multi-project workflows.
• Experience supervising staff and conducting performance evaluations.

Responsibilities

• Represent the Department Director at meetings and act in their absence.
• Oversee internal operations including budget, finance, procurement, human resources, information technology, safety and space management.
• Provide leadership and direction to department staff.
• Develop professional development plans and recruitment/retention strategies.
• Establish emergency operations plans.

Skills

Staff supervision

Budget management

Public relations

Crisis management

Leadership

Education

Master degree in Business, Public Administration, Veterinary/Animal Science, Non-profit Management, or a related field

Job description

Loudoun County Animal Services is continuing to grow as a top animal welfare organization in Virginia with a team that works each day to ensure a humane community for animals and people. Nestled in Northern Virginia, Loudoun County is located just 25 miles west of the national capital, Washington, D.C., and is home to more than 450,000 residents across historic and rural areas and lively suburban developments. We are looking for an Assistant Director who is committed to a compassionate, community-focused approach to animal shelter operations, coupled with the skillset of sound business and personnel management, ongoing education and professional development, crisis management, and public relations. This leadership role will report to the Department Director and be fundamental to the execution of the department’s overall operations and strategic planning as we promote our mission of animal welfare in our community.

Loudoun County Animal Services (LCAS) has a mission to serve our community by promoting public safety and the compassionate treatment of all animals through humane education, community outreach, sheltering, and law enforcement of state and local animal laws. The department maintains a very positive reputation, benefits from over 24,000 volunteer hours, and receives an average of 2,400 animals annually. For fiscal year 2026, its budget was approximately $7.4 million with 55 FTE.

As a direct report to the Department Director, the Assistant Director will be a seasoned professional serving on the department’s senior leadership team. The Assistant Director will play a key role in managing Animal Shelter operations by supervising teams responsible for animal sheltering, behavior and care, customer service, public programming and community outreach, in a collective bargaining environment. The Assistant Director must demonstrate executive presence and be competent to serve on behalf of the Department Director. The Assistant Director will help set strategic goals for assigned areas, establish metrics and accountability measures, and support a newly expanded staff. The ideal candidate will have skills and demonstrated experience in managing aspects of operations in an animal shelter setting, supervising and appraising staff, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills, and preparing and monitoring large budgets. Other preferred experiences include:

• A comprehensive knowledge of the theory, principles, and practices of animal shelter management, including the use of inclusive language, application of public safety tenets, herd health fundamentals (physical and mental), modern intake and adoption practices, and pet retention programming;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to develop strong working relationships with other County staff, state agencies, and regional partners.
• An awareness of the legislative process, and the ability to evaluate legislative items for their impact on department and County operations;
• An understanding and ability to interpret complex veterinary and procurement documents;
• Ability to solve common and unusual problems encountered in animal sheltering;
• Experience in determining the best use of human, fiscal, and material resources;
• Strong project management skills;
• History of successful engagement with external entities, including other government and non-profit entities;
• Ensuring ongoing adherence to the ASV Animal Shelter Guidelines;
• Ability to prioritize work for self and staff and manage multiple projects and tasks.

The Assistant Director’s regular duties will also include, but are not limited to:

• Representing the Department Director at internal and external meetings and acting as the Department Director in his/her absence at the determination of the Department Director or County Administrator.
• Assisting the Department Director with overseeing the internal operations of the department, including operations related to the planning and administration of budget, finance, procurement, human resources, information technology, safety and security, and space and asset management.

• Providing leadership and direction to department employees.
• Supervising staff, including, but not limited to, professional development planning, recruitment and retention, assessing staff, effectively addressing employee misconduct and poor performance through corrective action, and establishing professional development and training goals for employees.

• Establishing and maintaining emergency operations plans.
• Supporting the reviewing and drafting of information to be presented to the Loudoun County Office of the County Administrator, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, and other groups, as necessary.

The Assistant Director may also handle complex events, such as overseeing teams that facilitate large-scale animal intakes during enforcement activities or inter-agency transfers and work closely with the Chief of Humane Law Enforcement to foster and help ensure intra-departmental collaboration.

• Master degree in Business, Public Administration, Veterinary/Animal Science, Non-profit Management, or a related field;
• Four (4) years of directly related, progressively responsible work experience, including two (2) years in a supervisory or management role, preferably in a government setting;
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Preferred Certification

• Certified Animal Welfare Administrator

Successful candidates will undergo background check(s), to include criminal, credit, fingerprinting, and DMV checks. Valid driver’s license and good driving record (driving records may be reviewed annually for continued qualification). A rabies pre-exposure vaccination series will commence immediately upon hire unless proof of prior vaccination is provided. Candidate should not have allergies to, or fear of, common companion animal species, including cats, dogs, reptiles, guinea pigs and rabbits. This position requires reporting to work during situations in which shelter operations (including large volume adoptions or intakes) or special communication efforts with the public are required.

Additionally, candidates:

• Must be able to handle and restrain animals weighing over 100 pounds and to lift animals weighing up to 75 pounds.
• May be exposed to contagious diseases and parasites; exposed to noxious fumes and chemicals; and work in environment with inherent dangers such as fractious animals, fall hazards, loud and repetitive noises, and zoonotic disease as well as exposure to unpleasant smells;.

• Must be able, as assigned, to communicate with the media and news reporters when inquiries are made.
• Must be able to attend meetings of the Board of Supervisors and other public events that may be in the evenings or on weekends as needed.
• May experience adverse or hostile reactions from the community, resulting in compassion fatigue, including facing emotions associated with performing euthanasia.
• Work involves the process of end-of-life decision making for pets who may be deemed dangerous, suffering (physically or mentally) or otherwise unsuitable for adoptive placement.
• Work is performed part of the time working in an environment where errors in the execution of duties can lead to significant physical or mental consequences for self or others.

Euthanasia Certification (Virginia) required to be obtained within 6 months of hire. The candidate will be required to complete FEMA-NIMS Incident Command System 100, 200, 300, 400, 700, and 800 coursework successfully completed within one (1) year of hire.

This position will be posted as open until filled, with applications being reviewed and qualified candidates contacted in October of 2026.