Senior Manager, National Operations - Remote

Location: Remote within the United States

Hiring Range: This position's hiring range is anticipated to be $95,000 to $105,000 annually, depending on experience, plus great benefits!

Position Summary: The Senior Manager of National Operations is responsible for overseeing operational activities to increase the consistency of the animal, staff and visitor experience across all Best Friends' program division departments, prioritizing our Lifesaving Centers and Hub locations. The Senior Manager is responsible for ensuring that all locations are aligned with clear processes, policies and procedures that increase program efficiencies and maximize the overall lifesaving impact. This role serves as a collaborative leader coordinating with key internal stakeholders to achieve organizational objectives and function with a high degree of autonomy. They may be assigned additional projects or tasks related to the needs of the programs division.

Essential Duties andResponsibilities:

Strategy & Leadership

• Spearhead the development and execution of a cohesive operational framework across the lifesaving centers and hubs, driving cross-functional collaboration to align and standardize operational processes, technology integration, and an exemplary visitor experience; oversee creation of staff training and development opportunities to increase policy and procedural compliance ensuring a consistent animal and customer experiences.

• Following the divisional OGSPs, work with location executive director's to develop annual goals and metrics integrating operational support work with Lifesaving Centers' & Program's goals and objectives. Review department progress to goals routinely and maintain ongoing review of projects and programs as necessary providing feedback to managers to ensure goals and metrics are achieved.

• Treat people around you as our most valuable resource by leading with compassion and kindness in all your actions, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, encourage self-care and work-life balance through your own example, and work to build strong relationships with your team by creating communication loops to share and receive honest feedback. You are responsible and accountable for the culture of your team.

• Lead by example through direct and impactful personal and organizational contributions towards Best Friends' no-kill 2025 goal; act with urgency and efficiency on behalf of animals still at risk of being killed in shelters across the region and the country; develop and maintain a comprehensive knowledge of Best Friends' mission, programs and strategic direction to guide and support managers and teams throughout the year.

• Purposefully and thoughtfully create an environment where Best Friends is the best place to work for a career in animal welfare, providing opportunities for growth, and for maximizing individuals' lifesaving impact.

• Treat people around you with kindness and compassion, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, prioritize your well-being like you do our mission, and work to build strong relationships with your colleagues by participating in communication loops to share and receive honest feedback. You are responsible and accountable for the culture you add to your team dynamic.

Operational Efficiency

• Lead teams to oversee, coordinate and conduct daily operations support tasks and responsibilities, such as data, technological assistance, virtual volunteer support assistance and dissemination of operational changes or updates.

• Routinely audit and identify opportunities for operational efficiency with the goal of standardized processes across all the lifesaving centers and hubs; assess the needs of employees through onsite observations, collaboration with key stakeholders and lifesaving center leadership, surveys and regular review of protocol updates and changes. Analyze operational performance inefficiencies and gaps and define needed training support accordingly.

• Create and oversee processes for ensuring compliance across all Direct Care locations with policies, protocols and procedures; oversee the alignment of training for new hires & current employees on the direct care teams, ensuring understanding of organizational policies, procedures and key duties of specific job roles; provide support to managers and supervisors in developing training flows for new employees by position for OTJ training and overall procedural compliance.

• Provide ongoing support and guidance to lifesaving center staff and management to ensure operational standards are communicated and maintained; work quickly to address challenges or issues with a collaborative approach and solutions focused mindset.

• Collaborate with other departments and divisions such as IT, HR, marketing, corporate and shelter med to augment consistent communication and alignment across the organization.

• In conjunction with Director, identify, source and Implement technology systems and platforms that enhance and streamline operations while increasing visitor experience.

• Work collaboratively, and with a positive attitude, with all Best Friends' teams to achieve lifesaving goals; provide leadership for a superior experience for visitors, volunteers, guests, adopters, and others.

Skills and Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience working in animal shelters, animal care, animal adoptions or operational programming in animal shelters is required.

• Demonstrated leadership and management experience: 5+ years of proven successful experience, including overseeing strategy, operations, training and staffing, preferably in an animal welfare environment. Experience managing a remote team is preferred, but is not required.

• Exceptional experience/knowledge in the areas of barrier free adoptions, animal behavior, general animal health care and pathway planning, foster programming, volunteer programming, shelter medicine, and other modern animal shelter & field services programming with a willingness to maintain knowledge on the latest best practices.

• Highly skilled at communication, including interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively interact with and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels of an organization and successfully obtain buy in and participation. Prior experience being able to do so in a remote role is strongly preferred.

• Previous experience streamlining processes, change management, and creating and conducting trainings of teams.

• Demonstrated ability to creatively solve problems, and to act decisively and ethically in difficult and fast-paced situations.

• Prior experience with program and project management.

• Ability to analyze issues, identify root causes, and implement solutions that improve processes, enhance customer experiences, and streamline support operations.

• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with nonjudgmental philosophies.

• Ability to professionally advocate Best Friends' positions on issues; experience in supporting, engaging with, and developing relationships with volunteers and donors.

• Familiarity with technology and software sourcing and implementation is preferred but not required.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software, or desire to learn.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to:

  • Routinely lift 50 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity including, but not limited to lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.

  • Work at a computer or drive a car for extended periods of time with repetitive typing, arm, and hand motion.

  • Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.

• Exposure to dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status.

• Must have a valid driver's license for at least 3 years, ability to qualify to be added to Best Friends insurance.

• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights and holiday work.

• Travel is expected to be up to 30% of your time. Ability to travel in/out of state, including overnight stays, when needed.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.