Senior Manager, Animal Behavior

Summary:

Are you dedicated to companion animal behavior and passionate about delivering high‑quality care and optimizing welfare for animals in need? Are you committed to bringing multiple areas of animal sheltering expertise together and working with a team to ensure the overall well‑being of animals? Are you a dynamic leader and mentor dedicated to developing teams for the benefit of shelter animals?

If so, the role of Senior Manager, Animal Behavior at the ASPCA’s Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC) might be right for you!

At the CRC, a dedicated team of professionals serve animals rescued in ASPCA national cruelty cases and disaster responses. Experts in shelter medicine, operations and shelter animal behavior constantly collaborate to provide high‑quality integrative care, prioritizing both physical and psychological well‑being. 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, establishing new best practices, and sharing innovations with other organizations nationwide.

The Senior Manager, Animal Behavior is based at the CRC but travels regularly to provide behavior leadership and services at emergency shelters and to assist the Behavioral Sciences Team (BST) with low‑stress handling during animal removals on‑scene. Led by the Senior Director, Animal Behavior, this role works alongside two other Senior Managers. Each supervises 3‑4 Behavior Specialists (a team of 11 in total), providing ongoing mentorship, coaching and development support.

Together, the members of the CRC behavior branch focus on continually assessing and optimizing behavioral health of the animals.

• This is an in‑person position located at the Cruelty Recovery Center in Columbus, OH.
• Available to regularly work 4 days per week, 7:30am‑5:30pm, including one weekend day, and available to work a flexible schedule when needed including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Must be willing and able to travel up to 25% of the time, often on short notice and for 7‑ to 10‑day periods.

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 for new hire offers is $88,500 - $92,500 annually. Staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time, with the maximum reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience.

• Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer‑paid dental, and optional vision coverage.
• Flexible time off that includes vacation time, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, 10 company holidays, and paid personal time off.
• Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings, including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions – we match dollar for dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year.
• Robust professional development opportunities, including classes, on‑the‑job training, coaching and mentorship with industry‑leading peers, internal mobility, and opportunities to support in the field.

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

• Monitor the behavioral health of all animals in our care.
• Conduct daily behavior rounds of all animals in the shelter and regularly participate in shelter daily rounds.
• Create daily treatment plans and coordinate with other Senior Managers to align behavior staff activities.
• Participate in Medical, Sheltering, and Behavior meetings to ensure smooth collaboration and holistic care for animals.
• Assign dogs to playgroup participation; monitor and track their behavior.
• Conduct behavior evaluations for a variety of populations (hoarding case and puppy mill dogs, fighting dogs, shelter dogs and cats, animals rescued during disaster relief efforts).
• Serve as an expert handler for fearful and/or aggressive…