Animal Care Manager
SPCA of Wake County
Job Description
The Animal Care Manager oversees the Animal Care Team and daily workflow of the department, including scheduling, motivating, evaluating, coaching, and developing staff. This position is responsible for maintaining high standards of animal care while supporting an effective, collaborative, accountable, and positive working environment for staff and volunteers.The Animal Care Manager develops and implements creative and innovative approaches to improve animal flow, animal care, behavior support, and departmental performance. This position identifies and addresses opportunities to improve the quality and capacity of animal care while maintaining practices that support the safety and well-being of both animals and people.
This role is accountable for departmental performance and key performance indicators (KPIs), using data to identify barriers, guide decision-making, and continuously improve outcomes. The Animal Care Manager ensures departmental priorities and teammate expectations remain aligned with organizational goals and the SPCA of Wake County’s core mission of saving animal lives.
The Animal Care Manager works collaboratively with supervisors, organizational leadership, and other departments to ensure consistent communication, effective processes, and alignment with the mission and core values of the SPCA of Wake County.
Our Core Values:
1- Hell, Yeah!
2- Be Kind
3- Do What You Say
4- Forward Focused
5- Loose & Wiggly
6- Drop the Mic
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Animal Care, Welfare & Operational Excellence:
Maintain and continuously improve high standards of animal care, welfare, sanitation, enrichment, and humane handling throughout the department
Identify and address opportunities to improve animal welfare, animal flow, and the quality and capacity of care
Maintain efficient animal flow through SPCA facilities while supporting quality animal care and positive outcomes
Develop and implement processes that reduce unnecessary length of stay while maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for animals
Ensure Animal Care teammates consistently implement appropriate low-stress and humane handling practices
Partner with appropriate teams to ensure animals receive timely behavior support and modification plans and monitor implementation within Animal Care
Maintain practices that support the health, safety, and well-being of animals, teammates, volunteers, and visitors
Lead process improvement initiatives and identify opportunities to strengthen departmental workflows, consistency, quality, and operational effectiveness
Performance Management, KPIs & Mission Impact:
Own and actively manage departmental key performance indicators (KPIs), using data to evaluate performance, identify barriers, and drive improvements that maximize the Animal Care Team’s impact on the SPCA’s mission of saving animal lives
Monitor animal flow, length of stay, capacity for care, and other relevant departmental metrics; identify trends and implement strategies to improve animal welfare, operational efficiency, and positive outcomes
Establish clear departmental goals aligned with organizational targets and ensure teammates understand how individual and team performance contributes to achieving those goals
Regularly review and communicate performance results with the Animal Care Team and organizational leadership, proactively identifying barriers and developing solutions when performance is below established targets
Use data, frontline observations, teammate feedback, and organizational priorities to identify opportunities for continuous improvement
Track the effectiveness of implemented changes and adjust strategies based on results and evolving operational needs
Team Leadership & Performance Management:
Lead, motivate, evaluate, coach, and develop Animal Care teammates while maintaining clear expectations and accountability
Work closely with Animal Care supervisors to ensure excellent team leadership, communication, workflow, and consistent execution of departmental expectations
Develop staff training plans and provide ongoing coaching, feedback, recognition, and development opportunities
Translate departmental KPIs and organizational goals into clear expectations for supervisors and teammates, reinforcing accountability for both individual performance and team outcomes
Address employee performance concerns and implement appropriate coaching, corrective action, or performance improvement plans in partnership with Human Resources
Promote professional development and strengthen the leadership capabilities of supervisors and other emerging leaders within the department
Create and support a positive, collaborative, respectful, and accountable working environment for staff and volunteers
Department Operations & Administration:
Manage Animal Care staffing schedules to ensure appropriate departmental coverage and alignment with animal care and operational needs
Complete and oversee applicable payroll and timekeeping responsibilities for the Animal Care Team
Monitor departmental supply needs, maintain appropriate inventory, and coordinate ordering as needed
Maintain accurate departmental records and ensure appropriate use of applicable database, CRM, and shelter management systems
Ensure departmental policies, procedures, protocols, and operational expectations are clearly communicated and consistently implemented
Identify operational challenges, assess root causes, and implement practical and sustainable solutions
Maintain regular communication with the direct supervisor and promptly communicate significant departmental concerns, risks, performance barriers, or operational needs
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Customer Service:
Collaborate with Medical, Adoptions, Intake, Behavior, Volunteer Services, and other departments to support animal care, movement, placement, and positive outcomes
Maintain effective communication with managers and organizational leadership to support a unified approach to the SPCA’s mission and operational priorities
Partner cross-functionally to identify and resolve barriers affecting animal flow, length of stay, capacity for care, teammate effectiveness, or animal outcomes
Provide guidance and intervene as needed to resolve customer and volunteer concerns while maintaining excellent customer service and professionalism
Participate in organizational planning, operational initiatives, meetings, and cross-functional projects as needed
Perform additional duties as assigned to support departmental and organizational priorities
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
High school diploma or equivalent
Minimum two years of supervisory experience, preferably within the animal welfare industry.
Strong knowledge of companion animal behavior, body language, humane handling techniques, and animal welfare practices
Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, decision-making, organizational, and time management skills
Ability to effectively lead, coach, develop, and hold teammates accountable while promoting a positive and collaborative work environment
Experience using databases, CRM systems, shelter management systems, or similar platforms to maintain operational records
Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license, meet SPCA of Wake County driving eligibility requirements, and be able to safely operate an SPCA vehicle as assigned
Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position and commitment to the mission and core values of the SPCA of Wake County
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Strong knowledge of feline and canine body language, humane animal handling techniques, and animal welfare best practices; working knowledge of common veterinary terminology
Ability to recognize animal health, behavior, welfare, and safety concerns and ensure appropriate response or escalation
Ability to model, reinforce, and evaluate appropriate animal care, handling, sanitation, enrichment, disease prevention, and safety practices
Strong leadership and judgment with the ability to prioritize competing needs, analyze performance information, solve problems, make effective decisions, and remain calm and professional in a fast-paced environment
Ability to read, understand, implement, and ensure adherence to organizational policies, procedures, protocols, schedules, and operational expectations
Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively across teams while identifying opportunities for process improvement and supporting organizational change
Preferred Qualifications:
Additional leadership experience within an animal shelter, animal welfare organization, veterinary environment, or comparable animal care setting
Experience developing staff training, coaching employees, managing performance, or developing frontline leaders
Experience implementing process improvements and using performance metrics to drive outcomes within a fast-paced operational environment
Experience with low-stress handling, Fear Free, Salesforce, shelter management systems, or similar animal welfare practices and platforms
Work Environment:
This role operates within a fast-paced animal welfare environment and involves frequent interaction with animals, staff, volunteers, adopters, visitors, and other community members. Responsibilities are performed throughout animal housing, intake and adoption spaces, outdoor play yards, cleaning and support areas, transport settings, administrative workspaces, and other SPCA locations.
The position requires regular onsite presence and maintaining safety, professionalism, sound judgment, and leadership effectiveness in an environment that may include high noise levels, strong odors, cleaning chemicals and disinfectants, animal waste, emotionally sensitive situations, varying weather conditions, and animals of different sizes, temperaments, and medical or behavioral conditions.
Physical Requirements:
Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, crouch, kneel, and remain physically active for extended periods
Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds
Ability to safely handle and work around animals of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical or behavioral conditions, including fearful, stressed, or fractious animals
Ability to perform physical animal care and operational tasks, including repetitive movement, reaching, cleaning, feeding, enrichment, and movement throughout animal housing and operational areas
Ability to safely enter, exit, and operate an SPCA vehicle and load, unload, secure, and transport animals, supplies, and equipment as assigned
Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varying temperatures and in environments involving high noise levels, strong odors, animal waste, cleaning chemicals and disinfectants, and potential exposure to zoonotic diseases and other animal-related environmental conditions
Ability to communicate effectively in person, by phone, and through electronic communication methods
Benefits:
Medical and Dental: Employer pays 90% of employee coverage (full-time)
Insurance includes wellness, dental, vision, life, mental health care, prescriptions, emergency & urgent care, chiropractic care, and physical therapy
Telemedicine options, 24/7 access to virtual health & wellness care and virtual behavioral health care
PAID TIME OFF –
All part-time and full-time staff receive paid time off.
Paid Holidays - 9 paid holidays per year (full-time)
Vacation Time - 10 paid vacation days per year (full-time) with scheduled increases at milestone anniversaries of hire date
Sick Time - 6.5 paid sick days per year (full-time)
FINANCIAL –
Healthcare: Flexible Spending Account
401k Plan
Coastal Federal Credit Union Membership
20% discount on pet adoptions and in SPCA Wake retail store
OTHER –
Bereavement time off
Federal & State Leave of Absence options
Disclaimer:
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Responsibilities may change based on organizational needs.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The SPCA of Wake County is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where employees, volunteers, applicants, and community members are treated with dignity and respect. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, organizational needs, and applicable law.
Only the most qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews. No phone calls, please — we’ll have our people call your people!
Link to apply: https://spcawc.bamboohr.com/careers/83
This is a full time job
Contact Information
Job Contact Details
Christy Ponte
Staffing Manager
Closing Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026
Posting Date:
Closing Date:
