Animal Care Team Lead

Lead a Dedicated Team While Making a Difference for Animals Every Day

Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment where every day brings new challenges and opportunities to make a difference? Are you passionate about animal welfare, enjoy leading by example, and take pride in supporting both people and pets?

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) is seeking an Animal Care Team Lead to help guide the daily operations of our Animal Care team. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys mentoring others, solving problems, maintaining high standards of animal care, and creating a positive experience for staff, volunteers, and visitors alike.

Every day, you'll play an important role in ensuring animals receive compassionate care while helping your teammates succeed in one of the largest animal welfare organizations in the state.

Why Join the ARL?

At the ARL, our work is grounded in compassion, teamwork, and service. As Iowa's largest nonprofit animal welfare organization, we care for thousands of animals each year while helping pets and people build lifelong bonds through adoption and community programs.

As our Animal Care Team Lead, you'll be more than someone who oversees daily tasks—you'll help set the tone for the team. By leading with empathy, accountability, and a willingness to jump in wherever needed, you'll help create an environment where both people and animals can thrive. Your leadership will directly impact the quality of care our animals receive while supporting a team dedicated to giving every animal the best possible chance at a new beginning.

What You'll Do

In this role, you'll help coordinate the daily work of the Animal Care and Animal Flow teams while serving as a hands-on leader who isn't afraid to step in wherever support is needed. You'll monitor the health, behavior, and well-being of animals, ensure concerns are communicated promptly to the appropriate teams, and maintain accurate records that support exceptional care.

You'll also play an important role in mentoring and developing staff, partnering with volunteers, maintaining a clean and organized facility, and ensuring supplies and resources are available for daily operations. Whether you're helping move animals through the shelter, assisting visitors, or coaching a teammate through a challenging situation, your work will contribute to a safe, efficient, and compassionate environment for everyone who walks through our doors.

Who You Are

You enjoy leading by example and understand that great leaders are willing to do every job alongside their team. You communicate clearly, stay organized when priorities shift, and approach challenges with a solutions-focused mindset. You're passionate about animal welfare, genuinely enjoy helping others grow, and recognize that excellent animal care depends on strong teamwork, accountability, and compassion.

What You'll Bring

We're looking for someone with at least one year of professional animal care experience and a high school diploma or GED. Strong communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills are essential, along with basic computer proficiency and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment. Experience mentoring or training others and previous customer service experience are a plus, but just as important is a willingness to learn, support others, and lead with integrity.

Because this is an active, hands-on role, you'll spend much of your day on your feet, working both indoors and outdoors while safely handling animals, cleaning, lifting up to 40 pounds, and helping maintain a healthy shelter environment.

Why You'll Love Working Here

Working at the ARL means being part of something bigger than yourself. Every day brings new opportunities to make a meaningful impact on the lives of animals and the people who love them. You'll join a team that values collaboration, compassion, and continuous learning while working together toward one shared mission: giving every animal the care, respect, and second chance they deserve.

If you're ready to grow as a leader while making a real difference every day, we'd love to hear from you.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state regulations, the ARL provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages applicants to discuss accommodation needs during the hiring process.