Under general direction, the Animal Care Manager, manages, plans, directs, and oversees the daily activities and operations of the Countywide Animal Care Shelter and enforcement of codes and regulations related to animal control services for the unincorporated and contract service areas as applicable, including animal care, animal control, community outreach, adoption, rescue, foster care, volunteer, and inmate worker programs; shelter operations; veterinary operations and administration.
DEFINITION
Plans, organizes, coordinates and supervises the shelter and animal control activities in accordance with codes, laws and regulations, and with the primary objective of the humane care, treatment and control of animals; supervises the operations' employees; manages animal licensing, rabies control and impoundment of strays; serves as a member of the department's senior management team.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
This class is distinguished from the:
Director of Administrative Services, which performs a wide variety of management and administrative duties which involve responsibility for the administrative activities of a large, highly complex department.
Captain – Sheriff, which performs administrative law enforcement work in directing the activities of an assigned division in the Sheriff-Coroner's Department.
Animal Care Supervisor/Veterinary Technician, which plans, coordinates, supervises, and participates in daily operations and activities of the animal shelter, to include supervising assigned staff and maintaining, cleaning and providing care for animals in the shelter
Clerical Operations Supervisor - which plans, organizes and supervises the activities the clerical unit performing routine work processing documents and records.
Supervision Received and Exercised
General direction is provided by the Director of Administrative Services. AND
Employees in this class supervise employees in professional, technical and/or clerical, classes. Employees in this class also exercise supervision over large volunteer group.
Examples of Duties
Exercises organizational and management authority over the physical facility, services and activities of the Solano County Animal Shelter and animal control services, performs managerial responsibilities such as:
Plans, develops, implements and monitors goals and objectives and takes corrective actions as appropriate, develops and enforces policies and procedures; establishes priorities regarding: care and feeding of animals, maintenance of kennels, corrals, holding facilities, and ensures all areas are maintained in a sanitary and orderly condition.
Handling and identification of all animals and treatment for the sick and injured; maintenance of animal records of euthanasia and controlled substances as required by law; and ensuring computer recorded data is maintained in a confidential manner and discretion is exercised.
Keeps abreast of changes in the laws and regulations regarding animals, animal control, animal disease control and animal care; implements modern animal care methods and procedures.
Develops the budget for the Animal Care and Control Division manages budget implementation; participates in the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials and supplies; and administers and manages the approved budget for the division by:
monitoring purchases and expenditures;
approving non-routine expenditures for workplace improvements, training, computer software and hardware, etc.;
grant research, solicitation, application and monitoring
Assures compliance with standards and policies and enforcement of laws and regulations regarding humane animal treatment, animal abuse, stray animal retention, and animal sterilization and ensures participation in the county-wide rabies control program. ·
Represents the Department in community outreach efforts by:
developing and maintaining collaborative partnerships with local, regional, and statewide organizations, and other County departments and County Leadership to develop, implement, and/or promote the efforts of the Animal Shelter; and
representing the Department’s needs and priorities within these “partnerships”; and
speaking to groups and individuals regarding departmental activities and services ·
Investigates charges of animal abuse; reviews citations and, using the advice of counsel, determines whether violators should be prosecuted; gathers evidence; prepares appropriate court documents and reports; and testifies in court.
Develops and coordinates a manageable capacity work plan for the Shelter to effectively utilize space and systematically respond to seasonal influxes of animals. ·
Manages a modern animal shelter that includes a public spay/neuter clinic, and pet adoption program, with focus on public education regarding pet licensing, animal care, health, and wellness and to ensure interested and acceptable individuals are quickly united with adoptable pets.
Responds to and resolves inquiries and complaints from other animal care providers, Animal Control Officers and the general public.
Performs periodic inspection of shelter facilities to monitor the general health of shelter animals and ensures proper medical care is rendered in a timely, humane and efficient manner. ·
Assigns and ensures necessary vehicles and other equipment, (e.g., radios, keys, animal capturing tools, crates and cages) are in supply and in well maintained working order to minimize the spread of disease. ·
Performs supervisory duties to direct reports and to others through subordinate supervisors such as: ·
establishing standards for acceptable work products and evaluating performance; ·
interviewing applicants and recommending selections;
reviewing, approving and implementing disciplinary actions and terminations;
assigning work and planning and scheduling staff’s work activities and deadlines;
reviewing work and recognizing employees’ work efforts and accomplishments;
providing career development mentoring and recommending training and career development opportunities;
ensuring that employees are properly trained;
reviewing and approving timesheets and requests for leave; and
supporting and ensuring compliance with County and Department policies and procedures including those related to equal opportunity and to safety.
Researches and prepares technical and administrative reports; evaluates legislation effecting animal care services, plans and projects; prepares and maintains a variety of records and written correspondence.
Performs other special tasks and projects to include but not limited to capital projects.as assigned by the Sheriff or Designee
Attends a variety of local and state training programs to maintain related current and future certifications.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Knowledge of:
Organizational analysis and management.
Relevant Local, state and federal laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances related to the proper treatment, sheltering, and control of animals.
Operational characteristics and challenges of animal care/control programs and functions.
Animal shelter flow Principles and effective practices and techniques for proper handling and caring for animals and training.
Pharmaceuticals commonly used in the treatment of animals
Principles and practices of supervision, leadership, motivation, team building, organization, training, and conflict resolution.
Community Outreach and building networking partnerships.
Customer service techniques for dealing with customers, often in a difficult or confrontational situation.
Oral communication techniques to include presentations to groups of various sizes in a positive, inclusive, and motivational manner.
English composition, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation for both written and oral communications.
Formats and appropriate terminology for report writing to assist in completing progress reports for grant funded programs, business correspondence, policies, procedures and narrative reports.
Principles and practices of budgeting, cost analysis, and fiscal management.
Request for Proposal (RFP) development, contract development and administration, including planning, change, and shelter design.
Grant research, identification, development and monitoring appropriate to the needs of the shelter.
Standard office procedures, practices, equipment, personal computers, and software.
Skill and/or Ability to:
Plan, organize, manage and implement the operations of an animal shelter; handle a variety of domestic and livestock animals safely and in a humane fashion.
Identifying animals ready for temperament testing, scheduling testing, and managing results; ensuring animals are appropriate for adoption and determining when animals unavailable for adoption are euthanized in a timely and humane manner.
Animal restraint and veterinary tools, equipment, and supplies, cleaning tools and equipment, and two-way radios.
Enforce laws, ordinances, and regulations pertaining to animal services and animal control.
Recognize normal and abnormal animal behavior.
Handle potentially dangerous animals in a safe manner.
Researching laws, regulations, procedures and/or technical reference materials to include those involving evidence-based programs; analyzing, evaluating and interpreting the data gathered; drawing logical conclusions; developing reasonable and deliverable options, making appropriate recommendations; and implementing the resultant change effectively.
Managing a variety of simultaneous work projects and carrying them through to successful completion.
Administering contracts and grants according to designated guidelines and regulations.
Communicating information and ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Interpersonal communication necessary to work with, staff, management, community stakeholders, inmates, offenders, and management from other county departments
Working with and speaking to various cultural and ethnic individuals and groups in a tactful and effective manner.
Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the performance of required duties.
Representing the shelter in meetings with representatives from local, state, private agencies, non-profit agencies, and other County departments.
Preparing a variety of written communications to include reports, policies and procedures.
Maintaining accurate records and documenting actions taken.
Gathering and analyzing statistical data and preparing comprehensive statistical reports.
Maintaining confidentiality of records and information per pertinent laws/regulations.
Using modern office equipment to include computers and related software applications.
Education and Experience
Experience:
Four (4) years of experience performing animal shelter and/or animal control agency, a Humane Society, and/or a veterinary clinic, including two (2) years performing program management and/or supervisory responsibility in a city, county or related animal services agency. AND
Education/Training:
Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university is required, preferably in Animal Management, Animal Science, Biological Sciences, Business administration, or Public Administration or related.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Possession of or the ability to obtain a valid California Class C driver’s license is required.
This license must be kept current while employed in this class.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Independent travel may be required.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
The County may conduct a background check and a reference check on candidates prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include the State of California Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and criminal checks in any City/County where the applicant has lived, worked or gone to school.
Incumbents are required to travel independently, for example, to perform work at other work sites, to attend meetings with other County employees, to attend meetings with community organizations, etc.
Incumbents may be required to work weekends, holidays, irregular hours, on-call, and after normal business hours.
ADA Compliance
Physical Requirements:
Mobility and Dexterity: The position in this class typically requires stooping, kneeling, reaching, standing, walking, fingering, grasping, feeling (i.e. sense of touch), and repetitive motion.
Lifting, Carrying, Pushing and Pulling – When handling animals and setting up for events and activities, the employee in this class will be exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
Vision: The position in this class requires the employee to have close visual acuity, with or without correction, to prepare and analyze data and figures, transcribe, view a computer terminal, read, etc. The position in this class also requires the employee to have depth perception in order to operate a motor vehicle.
Hearing/Talking: The position in this class requires the employee to perceive the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and have the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication. The position in this class requires the employee to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word.
Working Conditions:
Office Work: The employee in this class will most often be working in an office setting.
Work in an Animal Shelter: The employee in this class will also be working in an animal shelter and thus will be subject to exposure to dirt, dust, pollen, odors, loud and/or constant noises, fumes, chemicals, toxic agents, animal blood and other bodily fluids, bites and scratches from animals, and pathogenic substances. The employee in this class may also be exposed to animals with injuries and to animals who must be euthanized and disposed of.
Traffic Hazards: The employee in this class will be required to operate a vehicle and thus will be subject to traffic hazards while driving.
Disruptive/Confrontational Human Contacts: The employee in this class may be subject to disruptive and confrontational people.
VETERANS PREFERENCE POINTS
To be eligible, applicant must have served at least 181 consecutive days of active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States and have received either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions. A COPY OF THE DD 214, SHOWING DISCHARGE TYPE (GENERALLY COPY 4), MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT BY THE FINAL FILING DATE. Applicants who have a service connected disability must also submit a recent award letter from the VA stating they are receiving disability benefits for service connected reasons.
Veteran applicants for initial County employment with an honorable or general under conditions discharge shall receive five (5) points added to their combined score. Disabled veterans rated at not less than 30% disability shall have ten (10) points added to their combined score. Veteran’s preference points will only be added to passing scores in competitive open examinations.
APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES: Qualified individuals with a disability, who are able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, and need an accommodation during any phase of the recruitment/testing/examination process (as detailed in the “Selection Process”), must complete the following Request for Testing Accommodation by Applicants with Disabilities Form: http://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=23215.
This form must be received in the Human Resources Department by the final filing date of the recruitment. Applicants will be contacted to discuss the specifics of the request.
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