Pet Adoption & Retail Manager

Halifax Humane Society

Job Description

Pet Adoption & Retail Manager

Position Summary
The Pet Adoption & Retail Manager plays a key leadership role in Halifax Humane Society’s lifesaving mission by ensuring pets move quickly and successfully from shelter to home while generating revenue through mission-aligned promotions and retail sales. This role supervises the adoption counseling team, manages our in-shelter retail store, and oversees off-site adoption operations and events. The manager balances financial goals with lifesaving priorities—promoting products and services that keep pets healthy, safe, and set up for success in their new homes.

This position requires a proactive, forward-thinking leader who thrives in a fast-paced shelter environment, demonstrates urgency in moving pets through the system, and ensures that every adoption is supported with the resources, tools, and education families need to keep their pets for life.

Key Responsibilities

Adoption Operations
• Supervise adoption counselors, ensuring compassionate, professional, and efficient customer service throughout the adoption process.
• Proactively participate in pathway planning for shelter pets, working collaboratively with medical, behavior, and operations teams to minimize length of stay.
• Ensure adoption processes align with Halifax Humane Society’s lifesaving priorities, balancing positive customer experience with responsible placement decisions.
• Monitor adoption outcomes and provide follow-up guidance or referrals to ensure pet/family success.

Retail Store Management
• Manage the daily operations of Halifax Humane Society’s in-shelter pet supply store, setting and achieving retail sales goals.
• Promote and sell essential health products such as flea, tick, and heartworm prevention to adopters and the public.
• Recommend and sell behavior and training tools used by Halifax Humane Society to help families set pets up for success in their new homes.
• Oversee inventory management, merchandising, vendor relationships, and financial performance of the store.

Off-Site Adoptions & Special Events
• Lead planning and execution of off-site adoption events and satellite adoption locations (PetSmart, Petco, Pet Supermarket, etc.).
• Anticipate and coordinate staffing, volunteers, animal inventory, supplies, and transport needs ahead of events to ensure smooth, professional operations.
• Maintain best-practice standards for animal care, customer service, and branding at all off-site events, including novelties like pets wearing “Adopt Me” vests when displayed in public.
• Track performance metrics for each event and adjust strategies to maximize lifesaving impact.

Leadership & Collaboration
• Supervise, coach, and develop adoption counselors, retail staff, and volunteers.
• Work closely with veterinary, behavior, and animal care teams to align adoption and retail operations with organizational priorities.
• Provide regular reports on adoptions, retail performance, offsite events, and customer feedback to senior leadership.
• Act as a culture leader, modeling Halifax Humane Society’s values of compassion, urgency, and community partnership.

Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in business management, retail operations, animal welfare, or related field preferred; equivalent professional experience considered.
• Minimum 3 years of management experience in retail, customer service, or animal welfare.
• Experience supervising staff and volunteers in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment.
• Proven success meeting retail sales goals, preferably in pet supply or health products.
• Knowledge of animal welfare best practices, adoption counseling, and shelter operations.
• Experience managing off-site adoption events and/or retail adoption centers strongly preferred.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to anticipate needs and plan proactively.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Comfort with point-of-sale systems, retail financial tracking, and shelter management software.

Core Competencies
• Mission-driven leadership with a focus on lifesaving outcomes.
• Proactive planning and ability to work with urgency.
• Data-driven management and accountability for results.
• Compassionate, solutions-oriented customer service.
• Collaborative team player who builds strong relationships across departments and with the public.
• Familiarity with PetPoint shelter software and Petszel post-adoption support platform.

This is a full time job