Adoptions Manager

Position Title:                Adoptions Manager

Hours:                             Full-time, requires weekend, evening and some holiday availability

Supervisor:                   Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Classification:              Exempt, Salaried

Supervisory 

Responsibilities:           Adoptions Supervisor, Adoption Specialists, and Retail Coordinator

SUMMARY

This position is responsible for the oversight and development of HSHV’s adoption program. The guiding principles are to continually maximize our save rate and better our customers’ experience. The Adoptions Manager supports this through successful adoptions fueled by great customer service, superior animal care, smart marketing and matchmaking, development of people, and efficient coordination of the Adoptions process. HSHV’s adoption philosophy centers on an open-minded, individualized and discussion-based approach to providing caring homes for our animals with consideration to minimizing shelter animals’ length of stay. 

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The Adoptions Manager position requires a self-motivated, goal-driven team builder who is compassionate, enthusiastic, innovative, open-minded, and flexible. They must be able to provide supportive training and supervision to ensure that staff members are motivated and capable of performing their jobs and working effectively as a team. The position demands an analytical yet creative person who continually sees the big picture, recognizes “hot button” issues, and deftly problem solves to drive improvement while remaining personally accountable and open to feedback and change. Must have a proven ability to influence others and address conflict sensitively.

This person also must be able to effectively manage their time in fast-paced, high-stress environment with continual interruptions. It requires strong customer service and attention to detail, in addition to organizational, computer, and verbal and written communication skills.

Experience in adoptions and shelter operations with strong knowledge of animal care preferred. Minimum four years of supervisory experience in an animal welfare setting and Bachelor’s degree preferred. Must have proven experience resolving disagreements and complaints from employees and the public. 

An animal care facility can be an emotionally challenging, high-stress, rapidly changing, and high-demand environment. Feelings of grief and loss, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue are not uncommon. As such, working in a management/leadership role at HSHV requires a high emotional IQ including adaptability, flexibility, and tolerance for calculated risk, ambiguity, and change; self-awareness; empathy for animals and people; perspective taking; assertive communication and conflict resolution skills; stress management skills, emotional regulation and resilience; and an overall positive outlook.  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Optimize Length of Stay for adoptable animals, making responsible decisions that facilitate movement to adoption, prioritize individual animal needs, follow HSHV’s adoption philosophy and monitor results, and make efficient use of staff time and resources.
   1. Facilitate adoptions
      • Utilize, maintain, and exemplify the HSHV adoption guidelines designed to assist in making the very best adoption match for potential adopters.
      • Coordinate all aspects of adoption processing flow as indicated in SOP’s with emphasis on efficiency and customer service.
      • Support Adoptions Supervisors in managing all aspects of adoptions, including adoption approvals and denials, and ensuring the efficient flow of processes at the Adoption Desk. 
      • Fill regular shifts at adoptions desk.
      • Ensure training and evaluation of Adoptions staff.
      • Coordinate with Marketing Director and staff to oversee the best use and maintenance of marketing of adoptions and adoption specials. 
      • Initiate, coordinate and oversee off-site adoption programs and events.
   2. Prioritize individual animal needs
      • Work with other management and staff to monitor the humane care of shelter animals according to best practices, consisdering the general health as well as individualized needs of shelter animals.
   3. Follow HSHV’s adoption philosophy and monitor results
      • Follow HSHV’s adoption philosophy with systems to encourage matching adopters to a good fit for their lifestyle and abilities without roadblocks or bureaucracy.
      • Manage adoption follow-up process, including best use of metrics and technology to strategically plan and shape goals, customer service, and process efficiency.
      • Triage post-adoption customer concerns. Coordinate customer service, veterinary care or behavior counseling steps to resolve concerns, including consulting with other department managers as necessary.
      • Ensure accurate information in all animal files, marketing, records and statistics that include but are not limited to: locations, memos, and incident data so that potential adopters are properly informed.
      • Make efficient use of resources and staff to control costs and meet revenue projections
        • Adhere to annual budget, seeking efficiencies/cost-cutting and increased revenue in ways that meet our mission. Report variances. Manage staff payroll and minimize overtime. Initiate the use of volunteers where appropriate.
        • Follow Adoptions staffing model in order to ensure all positions and staff remain effective during both slow and busy seasons. Adapt as necessary.
        • Manage and support Adoptions by initiating effective recruitment, training, and scheduling.
        • Oversee the equipment and supply inventory for the Adoptions Desk and ensure staff has the tools they need to do their jobs effectively and safely.
        • Oversee in-kind donations sorting and distribution.  
2. Oversee HSHV’s Retail Program, supporting the Retail Coordinator in daily tasks and reaching budgetary and sales goals. 
3. Ensure compliance with all federal, state, county and city laws and ordinances regarding animal sheltering, care, and safety. 
4. Other duties as assigned.

Managerial

1. Provide supportive management to staff.  Monitor, mentor, and motivate staff performance.
   1. Ensure training plan is in place, monitor to ensure timely, effective completion; and keep training ongoing for all staff to ensure their engagement and compliance with changing procedures;
   2. Schedule and ensure adequate daily staffing as needed, approve/disapprove vacations, monitor daily attendance, and approve assigned payroll prior to deadlines; 
   3. Provide good communication and emotional support so that staff are engaged and equipped to do their jobs. Monitor staff stress and problems related to compassion fatigue—adjusting workload and referring to EAP as necessary to ensure a healthy and satisfied staff;
   4. Review and evaluate staff performance – conduct performance reviews and recommend compensation changes;
   5. Resolve staff issues and manage disciplinary actions.
2. Participate in interview process for new hires.
3. Ensure safety (OSHA, employee, environment) in Adoption areas.
   1. Promptly write and distribute incident reports for safety violations, accidents and injuries.
4. Participate in setting department annual goals and budgeting.
5. Ensure accurate and thorough policies and procedures, in accordance with HSHV’s process and SOP system. Communicate changes in SOPs to staff.

General

1. Be an effective liaison to the community, positively promoting HSHV’s mission, goals and philosophies.  Continuously seek to improve HSHV’s save rate without compromising public health or safety or causing or prolonging animal suffering.

1. Keep abreast of best practices in care of shelter animals and make recommendations regarding program improvements and new program elements.
2. Respond to needs with the proper sense of urgency.
3. Work effectively and sensitively with a diverse population of customers, volunteers and staff; and respond to the needs and concerns of a diverse socioeconomic community.
4. Attend agency staff meetings and participate in monthly statistics review.  Read email on a daily basis, and respond as appropriate.   
5. Keep informed of and abide by agency policies and procedures.  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing this job, you will be required to continually walk, stand, squat, twist, and kneel, reach and grab with your hands and arms, in addition to being able to lift and move animals, materials and equipment weighing 60 lbs or more. You will need to be able to use a computer keyboard, mouse, monitor and telephone. You may occasionally need to use a ladder. This position requires the ability to speak normally and to use normal or aided vision and hearing. Work is subject to frequent interruptions. You will be exposed to kennel/shelter setting, both indoors and outdoors. You will be exposed to disinfectant solutions used in cleaning. You will be consistently exposed to animals and animal allergens, including animal hair, dander, saliva, fecal matter, urine, zoonotic diseases, fleas and other mites or bugs. You may also be subject to potential danger including parasites and infectious diseases, animal bites and scratches. 

MENTAL DEMANDS

While performing this job, you will be regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; observe and interpret situations; analyze and solve problems; learn and apply new information and skills; perform repetitive work on multiple, concurrent tasks; fulfill intensive deadlines; and interact with staff, the public, volunteers and others encountered in the course of work. You will be exposed to others’ pain and suffering, and must be able to handle occasional volatile situations.

Please note: This job description reflects the assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

The Humane Society of Huron Valley is an at-will employer.