Dog Care Program Manager

APA! BACKGROUND:

Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and beloved nonprofits. The organization leads the No Kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at‑risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a No Kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals.

The organization is distinguished by its large volunteer workforce and the scrappiness of its grassroots and its non‑traditional, community‑based animal rescue work.

The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and spreads its impact by offering resources and mentorship related to its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, American Pets Alive! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) - an innovative initiative aimed at rethinking the traditional model of animal sheltering. It focuses on supporting both people and pets in the community to reduce the number of animals entering shelters and improve outcomes for both.

The project encourages collaboration between animal welfare organizations and community‑based services, with a goal of providing personalized, proactive support that positions animal welfare as a social service.

This position is essential to the physical and emotional well‑being of all pets at APA!, creating a healthy environment that aligns with APA!’s mission and resources. The Senior Program Manager leads a team of managers and staff dedicated to providing high‑quality daily care, individualized support, and a Homes First philosophy—ensuring every dog, especially those with the most complex needs or longest stays, receives the highest level of attention and advocacy.

This role is committed to excellence, continuous improvement, and upholding a consistently high standard of care, while fostering positive collaboration across all departments, staff, and volunteers to connect quality care with the ultimate goal of finding every pet a loving home.

The Dog Care Program Manager leads and oversees the strategic direction, growth, and daily operations of APA!’s Dog Care. This role ensures alignment with APA!’s broader mission to increase the live release rate across Texas, while building a sustainable, inclusive, and high‑impact model for shelter operations.

The Dog Care Program Manager is responsible for managing daily workflows, supervising staff, and setting clear, mission‑aligned goals. This includes creating structured plans, tracking progress toward outcomes, and ensuring accountability and follow‑through on team priorities. The role uses data to guide decisions and helps keep the team focused on consistent, measurable impact. This is a leadership role rooted in empowerment, facilitation, and values‑driven oversight.

Rather than working independently, the Dog Care Program Manager sets the tone that APA! is a volunteer‑powered organization—every staff member is expected to work collaboratively with volunteers and to help create meaningful opportunities for them to lead and contribute. This includes pairing with volunteers to complete day‑to‑day tasks, modeling strong partnership, and developing a culture of shared effort and team accountability.

This position requires a high level of responsiveness and Manager on Duty (MOD) availability. The work is often fast‑paced and dynamic, with weekend or shift flexibility expected. While APA! strongly encourages work‑life balance, during on‑duty shifts, the Dog Care Program Manager is expected to be highly present, solutions‑oriented, and ready to support the…