Assistant Shelter Operations Manager - Racine Campus

Wisconsin Humane Society; Mount Pleasant (WI); On-site; USD 35,500 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health, dental, and vision insurance

403(b) retirement plan with company match

Paid family leave

Mental health and counseling support

Job summary

The Wisconsin Humane Society is seeking a full-time Assistant Shelter Operations Manager to provide leadership and support at the Racine Campus. In this role, you will ensure effective communication and collaboration among team members while maintaining high standards of animal care and client services.

This position involves managing day-to-day operations, addressing client needs, and fostering a positive workplace culture. The ideal candidate should possess strong communication skills, the ability to navigate emotional aspects of animal welfare, and the resilience to perform physically demanding tasks.

The hiring range for this position is $35,500 – $40,000, coupled with comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, and a retirement plan.

Qualifications

• Aligned with mission and organizational values of compassion and respect.
• Ability to navigate emotional aspects of animal welfare work.
• Flexibility in schedule, including weekends and holidays.
• Physical ability to perform job demands, lifting up to 50 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Communicate strategic direction and organizational values.
• Model a people-centered approach and solve problems.
• Respond to client issues regarding adoptions and surrenders.
• Support recruitment and training of staff and volunteers.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Organized self-starter

Ability to partner with diverse backgrounds

Job description

How you’ll impact our mission

The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) is hiring a full-time Assistant Shelter Operations Manager. This position is part of a team of Assistant Shelter Operations Managers that provide oversight and leadership to our adoption counselors and animal care technicians. The Assistant Shelter Operations Manager reports to the Director of Animal and Client Services and works onsite at our Racine Campus. If you’re looking for a rewarding career that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of animals and people while working alongside a supportive team, apply today!

Key accountabilities

• Consistently and positively communicate organizational and department strategic direction, priorities, values, and key information.
• Establish workplace environment within team, and relationships and communication between team and other teams, which exemplify WHS values.
• Create, foster, and strengthen team strategic and operating plans, structures and processes (e.g., training processes, operating processes, meeting structures) to form a consistent platform for performance, improvement, and implementation of organizational plans and strategic direction.
• Assist in the monitoring, maintenance, and implementation of organizationally defined standards of animal care and client services.
• Assist in the coordination and calibration of intercampus transfers by engaging in daily population checks, shelter rounds, and collaboration with campus leaders.
• Model a people‑centered approach to problem solving and support the team in reframing challenging experiences.
• Respond to priority client issues surrounding surrenders, adoptions, special circumstances, etc.
• Perform the core animal care and client services duties as needed.
• Contribute to the scheduling and training of staff to achieve the core responsibilities of the AC‑ACT position and provide support to other departments as needed.
• Support the recruitment, training, scheduling and integration of staff and volunteers while modeling professional, collaborative, and timely communication.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated alignment with our mission, people‑centered philosophy, and organizational values of compassion, respect, and kindness; innovation; professionalism; equity; and positive approach.
• Ability to navigate emotional aspects of animal welfare work.
• Availability to flex schedule to support the team as needed, including rotating weekend shifts, on‑call, and holidays.
• Able to successfully meet the physical demands of the job, which include stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, standing, walking, pulling, lifting, grasping, and repetitive motions. Must be able to routinely lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to partner with clients, staff, and volunteers from diverse backgrounds.
• Organized self‑starter with strong communication skills.
• Good problem‑solving skills, ability to maintain a calm, professional demeanor in a fast‑paced environment.

Hiring Range

$35,500 – $40,000

Benefits for our full-time staff

• Paid time off, including vacation, wellness, and holiday time
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with company match
• Paid family leave
• Group term and voluntary life insurance
• Short‑term and long‑term disability
• Flexible spending plans
• Health savings account (HSA)
• Supplemental benefits to cover unexpected expenses

Benefits for all staff

• 403(b) retirement plan
• Mental health and counseling support: all employees and members of their household have access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with six free counseling sessions per year
• Limited low‑cost wellness and veterinary care services for staff members’ animals
• Discounts on adoption fees, training classes, youth programs, retail and events
• Support for student loans: WHS is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) qualified employer.

About us

The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) is the oldest and largest shelter in Wisconsin. It was founded in 1879 and operates shelters in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Door, Brown, and Kenosha Counties, as well as a Spay/Neuter Clinic in West Allis and a wildlife rehabilitation center in Milwaukee. The organization offers adoption services, youth programs, low‑cost veterinary resources, retail stores, volunteer programs, dog training classes, and much more. WHS is an independent nonprofit and receives no general government funding and is not part of any national umbrella group.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Wisconsin Humane Society is an equal opportunity employer.