Vice President, Cruelty Recovery Center

Are you a skilled, strong team leader who thrives in a fast-paced, complex work environment? Do you love to collaborate with other leaders and engage in creative troubleshooting? Are you as passionate about cultivating a healthy team culture as you are about helping at-risk animals? If so, Vice President at the ASPCA’s Cruelty Recover Center may be the perfect role for you!

At the Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC) in Columbus, Ohio, a dedicated team of sheltering, veterinary and animal behavior experts work together to serve animals rescued in ASPCA national cruelty cases and disaster responses. This team works closely with other ASPCA teams to ensure well-coordinated operations and provide high-quality integrated care for animal victims of neglect, abuse and natural disasters. The CRC’s staff also care for animals housed in the ASPCA’s temporary field shelters. The CRC is part of the Rehabilitation Services Group, which also includes the Behavioral Rehabilitation Center (BRC) in Weaverville, NC, and the Recovery and Rehabilitation Center (R&R) in Pawling, NY. All three facilities provide opportunities for animals to heal after rescue. As they engage in hands-on care, teams prioritize the elevation of our work through ongoing learning, advancing the animal welfare field through research, developing effective, efficient interventions, and establishing new best practices, which the ASPCA shares through the Learning Lab—the fourth Rehabilitation Services team—on ASPCA Pro, and at professional conferences.

The VP of the CRC manages four direct reports and leads a team of almost 50 full-time staff, as well as robust roster of contingent workers, volunteers and foster families. This role requires a talent for fostering strong teamwork to achieve mutual goals. To that end, the VP works to ensure excellent communication and cooperation among operations, behavior and medical staff at the CRC, as well as with several other partnering ASPCA teams. The VP also maintains direct connections with other ASPCA leaders to ensure organization-wide operational and philosophical alignment, to participate in collaborative projects, and to produce consistent messaging for external partners. The ideal candidate for this position has mastered balance in multiple respects: the VP should enjoy working with animals and people; provide both energizing motivation and calm stability for staff; show dedication and a solid work ethic, coupled with the ability to model work/life balance for a team; and pay meticulous attention to detail while always leading the way forward with the big picture in mind.

Responsibilities:

Program Oversight and Leadership (40%)

• Direct the CRC team and appropriately delegate tasks to ensure that all crucial functions are performed: smooth, well-coordinated daily operations; well-integrated daily, behavioral and medical care for all animals; efficient animal flow into and out of the program; clear, professional communication among team members and with partnering teams
• Create and maintain communication systems, protocols and procedures that allow the CRC to use resources flexibly in response to ever-changing needs, dividing resources between the home-base facility in Ohio and temporary field shelters
• Ensure that all CRC workers are well-trained on policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP); lead the review and revision of the CRC SOP package on a regular basis and provide team-wide training on updates
• Ensure that the team understands, supports and adheres to organization-wide protocols and tools, such as the ASPCA’s Employee Handbook and the Behavioral Sciences Team’s behavior alignment tools
• Maintain structured processes for making sound, objective and timely animal pathway planning and outcome decisions; provide guidance to facilitate complex decision-making as needed
• Oversee the creation of a new local volunteer program and the growth/maintenance of the CRC’s foster and direct adoptions programs
• Work with internal experts to oversee CRC facility maintenance, modifications and repairs
• Lead the development of a yearly strategic plan for the CRC, as well as related individual goals for CRC staff members, to support the ASPCA’s short- and long-term goals
• Manage a substantial budget, overseeing exposure tracking systems; provide monthly budget projections for the Finance team; submit yearly CRC operating/capital budget requests to the VP, Rehabilitation Services and the SVP of Policy, Response and Engagement
• Deploy, often with little notice, to provide leadership and other direct case support in the field
• Ensure excellent ongoing communication with the Legal Advocacy and Investigations team, the Veterinary Forensics team, and the Behavioral Sciences Team, to ensure that all collaborating teams’ case-related needs are met
• Provide staffing support for the National Field Response team for removals, as well as temporary field shelter set-up and demobilization, and for the Behavioral Sciences and Veterinary Forensic teams during exams and evaluations
• Serve as an approver of media content, along with other program leads; represent the team and organization by doing media interviews as needed

Team Leadership & People Management (40%)

• Ensure that the CRC staff understand and support their team’s role in achieving ASPCA goals; help staff feel connected to the larger, org-wide ASPCA team
• Supervise and manage three CRC Senior Directors, as well as an Administrative Manager; conduct regular one-on-one meetings with direct reports, career counseling sessions, and periodic skip-level meetings
• Work with partnering teams to oversee the management of a contingent workforce that supports CRC operations in Ohio and in temporary field shelters
• Ensure that all CRC supervisors use sound management practices and ASPCA developmental tools; conduct yearly reviews of direct reports to measure progress and encourage growth
• Work closely with CRC’s Senior Directors and people managers to clearly articulate performance and workplace behavior expectations for all staff; ensure that staff are held accountable for meeting expectations and are supported in doing so through timely, productive feedback from supervisors
• Disseminate complex, confidential, and sensitive information, such as humane euthanasia decisions, staff changes, and policy modifications, to the team
• Foster a healthy team culture and lead staff in creating CRC Team Norms; cultivate an environment in which staff commit to facing challenges with a positive attitude, assuming good intent, and helping their team members when in need
• Ensure that CRC team leadership and people managers model mutual respect for all areas of expertise, especially when priorities and perspectives don’t align
• Encourage team cohesion by leading regular team meetings and ensuring that the CRC leadership team provides creative teambuilding opportunities for all staff
• Provide comprehensive, ongoing support for staff members to build resilience and combat the stress often experienced by those working in animal welfare; model support team members in maintaining good work/life balance
• Partner with the ASPCA’s Talent Acquisition team to hire and onboard well-qualified, dedicated new CRC staff members to fill open positions,
• Employ a well-designed onboarding process that provides each new CRC team member with a thorough introduction to CRC and ASPCA work, mission, systems and Core Values

Cross-Team Collaboration and Other Responsibilities (20%)

• Work with the VPs of the BRC, Learning Lab and R&R Center to maintain excellent communications and connections with all Rehabilitation Services teams
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with multiple teams who provide centralized expertise/services and who serve as frequent CRC partners (Shelter Medicine Services, Behavioral Sciences Team, Veterinary Forensics, Legal Advocacy and Investigations (LAI), National Field Response, Veterinary Forensics, Relocation and Placement, Safety, Communications, Facilities, Legal, the People Team, Capital Projects & Real Estate, Facilities, etc.); ensure that protocols and systems remain consistent over time, as teams innovate together and hone best practices
• Serve as the CRC leader on case planning calls, sharing information about the CRC’s current capacity/resources and providing a consultative voice for case-related decisions
• Identify solutions efficiently and nimbly with CRC leads and other department heads when case logistics and resource needs change
• Testify as needed in criminal cases and provide evidentiary information to support LAI casework
• Work closely with the Senior Director of the ASPCA’s Learning Lab and facilitate the critical work of this team by hosting groups of learners at the CRC facility; ensure that all internal and external visitors feel welcome and that the Learning Lab team has needed resources (staff support, space, information, etc.)
• Guide the CRC team to support critical research projects, including Behavior Strategy research initiatives
• Take on other duties and projects as assigned by the VP, Rehabilitation Services or SVP, Policy, Response and Engagement

Exemplifies the ASPCA’s Core Values:

• Has Commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals
• Demonstrates Ownership and feels responsible for outcomes
• Believes in Team – that we are stronger together
• Seeks to Elevate others and reimagine what is possible
• Focuses on Impact, specifically making change for animals

Qualifications:

• Highly effective people- and team-management abilities; can artfully flex management style to best support diverse individuals
• Exceptional leadership skills: demonstrates the ability to inspire a team and represent that team and the organization with confidence and professionalism when interacting with fellow leads and supervisors, Board members, donors and animal welfare colleagues
• Skilled at supervising, guiding and developing team leaders and people managers
• Excellent communication skills (spoken, telephone and written); able to interact successfully with different personalities and groups; has a talent for honing team communication systems
• Can guide others in effectively navigating conflict resolution; demonstrates skill as a mediator
• Ability to effectively design and lead meetings; can facilitate participation with tact
• Consistently maintains a positive attitude; has an uplifting effect on others
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, potentially stressful environment, working efficiently and calmly; can motivate a team to do the same
• Must be flexible and easily adapt to frequent changes to plans/protocols
• Always treats people and animals with care and respect; must be a compassionate animal advocate and have a genuine interest in leading and interacting with people; a “people person”
• Embodies the “team player” spirit; demonstrated ability to build and maintain a united management team and a collaborative team overall
• Superior problem-solving abilities; relishes a challenge and loves to troubleshoot to find solutions
• Strong organizational and info-tracking skills
• The ability to work closely with behaviorally and medically compromised animals and feel comfortable working in an environment where humane euthanasia is performed on a regular basis
• The willingness and ability to travel 15–20% of work time
• Fluent in Internet usage and in the use of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Education and Work Experience:

• BS, BA or equivalent professional experience required
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience leading a large team and overseeing a multifaceted program 
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience managing a substantial, complex budget
• Experience working as a leader in an animal shelter and thorough animal welfare knowledge required
• Meeting facilitation skills and experience strongly preferred
• Experience working in an animal shelter supporting operations and administrative responsibilities preferred
• CAWA designation preferred
• Project management experience preferred
• IS 700, 800 and ICS100 and 200 preferred; must have training in Incident Command System basics within 90 days of hire
• Experience serving in an oversight role during disaster response and/or in temporary field shelters is a plus
• Experience working with victims of animal cruelty (e.g., dogs from fighting cases, animals from hoarding situations) is a plus

Compensation and Benefits:

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future.   

• The target hiring range for this role is  $160,000-$175,000

 For more information on our benefits offerings, visit our website. 

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Qualifications:

See above for qualifications details.

Language:

English (Required)Education and Work Experience:

Bachelors, High School Diploma (Required)

Experience working as a leader in an animal shelter and thorough animal welfare knowledge required, Minimum of 5 years’ experience leading a large team and overseeing a multifaceted program, Minimum of 5 years’ experience managing a substantial, complex budget

Our EEO Policy:

The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws.  A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA.  Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status,  or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).