Colony Operations Team Lead

A part of Colgate-Palmolive since 1976, Hill's Pet Nutrition offers the highest-quality pet nutrition available through product lines Prescription Diet® and Science Diet®. Veterinary professionals worldwide recommend and feed their own pets Hill's products more than any other brand of pet food.

Available in approximately 80 countries, our extensive product line includes more than 60 Prescription Diet brand pet foods and more than 50 Science Diet brand pet foods. We believe all animals should be loved and cared for. This is why we are proud our pet foods can make a difference in their life.

A career at Hill’s Pet Nutrition or Colgate-Palmolive provides a global experience, constant challenge, and development opportunities in an environment that values work/life effectiveness.

Up to 10% of time.

Topeka, Kansas, United States. On-site. No relocation assistance offered.

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries, specializing in oral care, personal care, home care, skin care, and pet nutrition. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals.

The Colony Operations Team Leader provides operational oversight and direction throughout the canine and feline animal colonies, ensuring performance management and development for animal care personnel, and efficient allocation of human resources to achieve research objectives.

• Team Leadership:
  Serves as the primary leadership partner for the Colony Team Coordinator while maintaining an open-door presence for the ACRT team.
• Resource Planning:
  Plans and allocates resources and ensures staffing coverage to achieve daily animal care schedules and deliver area KPIs.
• Safety and Compliance:
  Establishes a safe work environment and ensures strict compliance with facility policies, Hill’s Global Animal Welfare Policy, and Animal Colony Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Performance Analysis:
  Analyzes and reports shift performance data (KPIs, data integrity, sanitation schedules), identifies opportunities for improvement, and conducts shift meetings to communicate goals.
• Training and Development:
  Empowers the team through training, coaching, and feedback to ensure the development of technical skills in animal handling, health assessments, and research data collection, while also coaching technicians and team coordinators to work through interpersonal challenges and strengthen leadership capabilities.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Research Strategy:
  Acts as the primary liaison between the colony and key partners—including scientists, test schedulers, IT, wearables, and maintenance to serve as the point person for study feasibility.
• Operational Oversight:
  Works with the Team Coordinators to maintain an active presence on the floor at all times to oversee cleaning, sanitation, feeding, and enrichment activities.
• Problem Solving:
  Facilitates strategic problem-solving, including implementation of complex or novel research protocols and scheduling to maintain adequate coverage 365 days a year.
• Process Improvement:
  Drives continuous improvement initiatives that enhance safety, address ergonomic issues, reduce waste, improve operational efficiency, and promote animal well‑being.
• Technical Integration:
  Utilizes technology (e.g., FMS, PAWS, PAWS mobile app) to coordinate effective daily feeding and data collection.
• People Management & Development:
  Conducts 1‑on‑1s and performance reviews; creates individual development plans (IDPs); manages conflict resolution; leads the search, selection, and onboarding of new talent.
• Workforce & Attendance Management:
  Oversees the timekeeping and vacation request systems, monitors attendance patterns, and ensures the attendance policy guidelines are applied consistently.
• Other job functions as assigned.

Required:

• Minimum Associate's degree (Associates of Science, Registered Veterinary Technician, or similar).
• 5+ years of experience in a regulated, high-standard environment such as animal care, research facilities,…