Supervisor, Lifesaving and Care

Best Friends; Kanab (UT); On-site; USD 59,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Best Friends in Kanab, UT seeks a Supervisor, Lifesaving and Care - Cat World to oversee daily lifesaving programs, adoption, foster care, and transport operations. You will lead a team of staff and volunteers, ensure high-quality animal care, and drive our no-kill mission with urgency and compassion.

The role emphasizes training, performance feedback, and collaboration across departments to optimize workflows, manage data, and uphold Best Friends’ program requirements.

Qualifications

• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to adopters and volunteers.
• Leadership experience preferred but not required.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills preferred but not required; strong communications.
• Ability to handle cats and dogs, including those with health/behavior concerns.
• Proficiency with MS Office; familiarity with shelter software.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily lifesaving care and outcome programs with volunteers to expand capacity.
• Oversee adoption, foster care, and transport operations; ensure basic animal care.
• Provide support, training, and performance feedback; assist in hiring and onboarding.
• Ensure teams meet program requirements and maintain accurate data entry and records.
• Collaborate with operations to implement efficient processes and policies.

Skills

Customer service

Team leadership

Multilingual

Animal handling

Problem solving

Interpersonal skills

Organization skills

MS Office

Tools

Shelter software

Job description

Supervisor, Lifesaving and Care - Cat World

The Best Friend's Mission is to do nothing short of making history by bringing about a time when there are No More Homeless Pets. Our goal is that every animal shelter in every community in the country be no kill.

The fact is, we have a great culture, populated by fun, dedicated, and brilliant people. But we're always looking for talented people who can help us make history, and that's where you come in.

Location: Kanab, Utah (Relocation assistance available)

Hiring Range: This position’s hiring range is anticipated to be $58,656 to $85,000 annually, depending on experience, plus great benefits!

Summary: Lifesaving & Care Supervisors are responsible for conducting and overseeing the daily functions, and growth of lifesaving programs including adoption, foster care, transfer/transport, as well as providing basic animal care for animals in our program locations at the direction of their managers. Supervisors act with urgency to accomplish important tasks and play a direct role in achieving Best Friends Animal Society’s no-kill mission and organizational success. Supervisors may receive intensive assignments in a particular program, based on organizational needs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Treat people around you as our most valuable resource by leading with Kindness and Compassion in all your actions, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, encourage self-care and work-life balance through your own example, and work to build strong relationships with your team by creating communication loops to share and receive honest feedback. You are responsible and accountable for the culture of your team.
• Work alongside team members and volunteers to oversee, coordinate and conduct daily lifesaving care and outcome programs with the goal of utilizing volunteers to the greatest extent possible to expand Best Friends lifesaving capacity; ensure basic care such as feeding, cleaning, walking, and socialization for animals temporarily housed or transported within Best Friends’ vehicles, or facilities is provided.
• Develop a detailed knowledge Best Friends’ programs to speak knowledgably about and best match both the animal and client’s (adopters, fosters, transfer partners) needs; lead by example in providing superior customer service.
• Provide support, training, and performance feedback; participate in performance conversations; support hiring and onboarding; ensure teams meet expectations for Best Friends’ program requirements and procedures; support teams so that each person achieves their fullest potential as contributors to Best Friends mission and goals
• Work collaboratively with and assist Best Friends’ team members in all areas of operations to develop, evolve, and implement efficient processes to achieve lifesaving goals; follow policies, procedures, and task lists, including accurate and timely communications, work completion, data entry, and recordkeeping.

Skills and Experience:

• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with an open adoption process.
• Experience in leading teams or managing people preferred but not required.
• Bilingual or multi-lingual skills preferred but not required; strong communications skills, presentation experience with the ability to professionally advocate Best Friends’ position on issues.
• Ability to work with, leash, kennel, walk, and handle all cats and dogs, including those with health and/or behavior conditions/concerns; basic ability to identify and speak to medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats.
• Resourceful, get-it-done attitude; initiative to assist in any area or process; problem solving, seeking answers independently and enthusiastically; flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.
• Strong interpersonal skills, a team player, personable, professional, and able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with well-developed organization skills to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software, or desire to learn.

Physical Requirements:

• Routinely lift 40 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity including, but not limited to lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.
• Work at a computer or driving a car for extended periods of time with repetitive typing, sitting, arm, and hand motion.
• Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.
• Exposure to dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status.
• Ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed.
• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.

*During the selection process, candidates may be asked to participate in an onsite working interview.

Culture Statement and Responsibility

We believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, building trust through authenticity and following through on commitments. We prioritize well-being alongside our mission, fostering strong relationships through open communication and transparent feedback. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, enriching team dynamics by valuing diverse perspectives. Each team member is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where all voices are respected and contributing to a workplace that embodies our shared values and commitment to progress. By consistently aligning our actions with our Guiding Principles, we strengthen our culture and ensure that our values are lived every day.

Best Friends received a 2022 Top Workplaces USA award from Energage.

Visit the Best Friends Animal Society page on the Energage Top Workplaces award winners' site here to learn more. Not only do we take pride in cultivating a welcoming and supportive community and culture for our employees, but we also offer competitive benefits that make it easy to see why we were granted such an awesome award. We offer competitive pay including the opportunity to receive a discretionary bonus based on performance. We offer medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short- and long-term disability, dependent care reimbursement, pet sitting reimbursement when traveling for work, flexible spending account, and health savings account. We offer generous paid time off, nine paid holidays annually, an auto insurance discount, and legal and identity theft coverage. For added well-being support, we offer pawternity leave for employees to have time to care for their personal pets, mental health support, and an employee assistance program. We also offer a generous 401(k) savings plan.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status. Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.