Director, Military Affairs & Service Dog Programs

American Humane; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

American Humane Society is seeking a Director, Military Affairs to lead the Lois Pope LIFE Center for Military Affairs and oversee initiatives like Pups4Patriots and Military Working Dog reunifications. The role is hybrid from DC or Palm City, FL and reports to the Chief Program Officer.

The ideal candidate will have 7+ years in complex program leadership, experience with service dog programs, and a strong track record in stakeholder engagement, fundraising, and program evaluation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in a relevant field; advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience developing, managing, and/or leading complex programs.
• Experience with service dog programs required.
• Demonstrated success operationalizing, evaluating, and expanding programs with measurable outcomes.
• Substantive experience with veterans/first responders preferred.
• Proven ability to develop and capitalize on strategic relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong project and program management skills with experience managing complex, multifaceted initiatives.
• Demonstrated personnel leadership, budget management, financial stewardship, and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, public speaking, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability and sound judgment in a dynamic environment.
• Entrepreneurial, growth-oriented, and strategic mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrates sound judgment when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and lead remote and external partners.
• High level of discretion, professionalism, integrity, accountability, diplomacy, and responsiveness.

Responsibilities

• Shape program strategy, establish priorities and develop annual and multi-year plans aligned with organizational goals; translate direction into program work plans and recommended goals, resource needs and improvement.
• Lead the strategic implementation of the Center for Military Affairs vision for its National Home at the American Humane Sanctuary in Palm City, FL in coordination with the Director of the Sanctuary, including activating the kennels and future convening spaces, building community partnerships, and long-term sustainability.
• Collaborate on the development of program strategy and priorities, then develop, operationalize, manage, and evaluate program activities, using data and stakeholder feedback to improve quality and impact, recruitment, outcome tracking and storytelling and community partnerships.
• Recommend and establish program standards, procedures, and protocols, performance expectations, and accountability mechanisms across internal and external training sites and partner organizations.
• Identify emerging opportunities, risks, and trends affecting veterans, first responders, service and family dog programs, and the human‑animal bond, and recommend appropriate organizational responses.
• Assess program trends, improvement opportunities, partnership opportunities, and potential expansion concepts; develop recommendations collaboratively with the CPO and other relevant leaders.
• Shape program priorities and implementation plans with the CPO and relevant leaders and manage day-to-day delivery of Military Affairs programming across the country/internationally to achieve Humane 2030 growth goals.
• Ensure quality assurance and efficient service delivery for P4P at all training sites and partner locations.
• Lead the application for and achieve award of ADI accreditation for the P4P program.
• Provide supervision and direction to the operations staff, including direction on application administration, client services, logistics, records, reimbursements, reporting, and program processes.
• Manage and provide direction to the service dog training team to ensure consistent application of American Humane Society training standards and appropriate pairing of P4P and Paws on the Homefront dogs with qualified participants.
• Oversee relationships with dog trainers, training agencies, mental health providers, and other program contractors to ensure contractual and programmatic expectations are met.
• Ensure appropriate systems are in place for data collection, program evaluation, client/graduate follow-up, and reporting.
• Build and foster productive, ongoing relationships with key stakeholders in the military and first responder communities, including veteran service organizations, first responder organizations, Veteran’s Affairs staff, service dog agencies and associations, mental health providers, and other strategic partners.
• Lead outreach and partnership strategies that increase qualified P4P and Paws on the Homefront applicants, identify MWDs in need, and strengthen referral pipelines.
• Represent American Humane Society at conferences, meetings, briefings, industry events, and other external opportunities.
• Organize and participate in strategic convenings, roundtables, and stakeholder meetings that advance Military Affairs priorities.
• Serve as a key point of contact for constituents, funders, media, and other stakeholders.
• Lead efforts to achieve Center for Military Affairs annual fundraising and revenue goals in partnership with Development and Executive Leadership.
• Assist with development of grant proposals, donor presentations, funding strategies, stewardship activities, and program deliverables that demonstrate Center for Military Affairs impact.
• In conjunction with Development, develop and maintain relationships with prospective and existing funders and other revenue-generating partners.
• Work with Leadership and Finance to develop and manage annual program budgets, forecasts, expenditures, and financial sustainability strategies.
• Ensure program activities and expenditures are consistent with approved budgets, funding requirements, and organizational policies.
• Represent American Humane Society as a spokesperson and subject matter expert on American Humane Society’s Military Affairs work, including Military Working Dog Reunifications, Pups4Patriots, and Paws on the Homefront, communicating the value and impact of these programs for veterans and first responders.
• Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communications to promote program activities, successes, impact stories, and stakeholder opportunities.
• Provide stories, data, presentations, and other content for websites, appeals, funding proposals, reports, media, and public information.
• Participate in fundraising events, congressional briefings, media appearances, and other meetings and events that advance American Humane Society’s mission.
• Work with Events and Development to identify appropriate P4P teams and program participants who can serve as ambassadors at approved donor and American Humane events.
• Manage, coach, and develop Military Affairs staff and coordinate the work of onsite (i.e., at the American Humane Sanctuary), remote and contracted personnel to achieve annual program goals.
• Establish clear priorities, accountability, communication practices, and performance expectations for the Military Affairs team.
• Work collaboratively with Executive Leadership and Finance, Philanthropy, Marketing, Communications, Events, Legal, and other departments.
• Provide timely decisions, resolve operational issues, and ensure appropriate escalation of risks or challenges.
• Bachelor’s degree required in a relevant field; advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience developing, managing, and/or leading complex programs, preferably including national or multi-site programming.
• Experience with service dog programs required.
• Demonstrated success operationalizing, evaluating, and expanding programs with measurable outcomes.
• Substantive experience with veterans/first responders preferred.
• Proven ability to develop and capitalize on strategic relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong project and program management skills with experience managing complex, multifaceted initiatives.
• Demonstrated personnel leadership, budget management, financial stewardship, and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, public speaking, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving ability and sound judgment in a dynamic environment.
• Entrepreneurial, growth‑oriented, and strategic mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Demonstrates sound judgment when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to work cross‑functionally and lead remote and external partners.
• High level of discretion, professionalism, integrity, accountability, diplomacy, and responsiveness.
• Thrives in a fast‑paced, growth‑oriented environment with flexibility to pivot and manage change.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint); able to quickly learn and adapt to new software or database systems.

Skills

Program management

Operational leadership

Relationship building

Data-driven evaluation

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree

Job description

American Humane Society is seeking a Director, Military Affairs to lead the Lois Pope LIFE Center for Military Affairs and oversee initiatives like Pups4Patriots and Military Working Dog reunifications. The role is hybrid from DC or Palm City, FL and reports to the Chief Program Officer.

The ideal candidate will have 7+ years in complex program leadership, experience with service dog programs, and a strong track record in stakeholder engagement, fundraising, and program evaluation.