Shelter Care Supervisor Position Summary The Shelter Care Supervisor is a hands‑on, first‑line leader responsible for the consistent daily execution of animal care and shelter‑floor operations at Rescue Village. This position directly supervises Shelter Specialists and ensures that cleaning, feeding, enrichment, disease‑control routines, animal housing and movement, documentation, staff assignments, checklists, and shift transitions are completed accurately and to Rescue Village standards. The Supervisor coordinates daily assignments, monitors shelter conditions, provides real‑time coaching, addresses incomplete or unsafe work, and assists with animal care when staffing or workload requires it. This role works closely with the Shelter Services Director to translate department standards into consistent daily performance. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Daily Shelter Operations Assign and redirect Shelter Specialists based on animal population, staffing levels, cleaning needs, public hours, intake/adoption activity, medical needs, and operational priorities. Maintain awareness of cleaning progress, enrichment, laundry, dishes, public areas, supplies, equipment, and unfinished work. Ensure opening, closing, cleaning, animal‑care, safety, and operational checklists are completed accurately and on time. Address incomplete, delayed, unsafe, or substandard work promptly and professionally. Provide clear instruction, coaching, retraining, support, and performance feedback. Document recurring performance, conduct, attendance, safety, communication, or task‑completion concerns and share information with the Shelter Services Director. Contribute to performance reviews, training plans, and candidate evaluations as requested. Ensure consistent care and accountability across all shifts, including weekends and holidays. Ensure each shift ends with the shelter prepared for the next operating period or with unfinished work clearly communicated and escalated. Assist with cleaning, feeding, animal handling, enrichment, animal movement, adoptions, customer service, and other Shelter Specialist duties when needed.

Maintain the operating expectation:

finish it, reset it, or escalate it . Perform other related duties as assigned. Animal Care, Housing, and Safety Ensure animals receive appropriate feeding, housing, handling, observation, enrichment, exercise, socialization, and daily attention. Maintain high standards of cleaning, sanitation, disease control, safe handling, and workplace safety. Monitor animal health, behavior, appetite, comfort, cleanliness, and other changes in condition. Document and communicate medical, behavioral, safety, and welfare concerns to appropriate staff. Work safely and confidently with dogs, cats, small animals, and barn animals. Stop and correct unsafe animal handling, cleaning practices, equipment use, or shelter conditions. Coordinate routine animal housing and movement based on medical, behavioral, disease‑control, adoption, capacity, and operational needs. Ensure animal locations, statuses, restrictions, and behavioral observations are accurately updated in ShelterLuv. Ensure approved housing and movement decisions are completed accurately and not independently reversed or delayed. Escalate unusual, disputed, medically sensitive, behaviorally sensitive, high‑risk, or capacity‑related housing decisions. Monitor supplies, equipment, and facility needs and report concerns before they affect animal care or operations. Cross‑Training, Teamwork, and Accountability Rescue Village's Shelter Specialists are cross‑trained across animal populations and shelter functions. The Supervisor supports employee development while maintaining clear assignments and accountability. Assign work based on animal‑care and organizational needs. Use experienced employees as trainers without creating informal supervisory roles. Encourage knowledge‑sharing, teamwork, professional communication, and consistent use of approved procedures. Ensure employees can complete assigned work without relying on informal peer supervision. Address territorial behavior, unauthorized peer direction, information withholding, exclusion, or conduct that interferes with assignments, cross‑training, teamwork, or animal care. Evaluate employee concerns through facts, direct observation, established standards, and consultation with the Shelter Services Director. Support employees while maintaining reasonable performance expectations and accountability. Volunteers, Adoptions, and Interdepartmental Support Provide day‑to‑day direction to volunteers working within approved roles and training requirements. Treat volunteers with professionalism, appreciation, fairness, and respect while maintaining staff responsibility for core shelter functions. Coordinate volunteer placement, training, and performance concerns with Volunteer Services. Maintain appropriate confidentiality and professional boundaries. Work with the Adoptions & Client Services Coordinator to ensure coverage for adoptions, introductions, customer questions, and public service. Reinforce professional customer service, accurate documentation, and conversation‑based adoption counseling. Ensure staff pause, verify, and escalate discrepancies involving animal identity, age, medical history, behavior, ownership, location, status, or other adoption information. Coordinate with Intake, Medical, Adoptions & Client Services, Volunteer Services, and the Shelter Services Director regarding incoming animals, housing readiness, capacity, medical needs, adoption readiness, and operational support. Qualifications High school diploma or equivalent required; additional education or animal‑welfare coursework preferred. Minimum of three years of hands‑on animal‑care, sheltering, veterinary, boarding, or comparable experience. At least one year of lead, training, or supervisory experience required. Experience assigning work, correcting deficiencies, documenting performance, or overseeing a shift strongly preferred. Knowledge of animal behavior, health observation, safe handling, sanitation, disease control, feeding, enrichment, and daily care. Ability to give clear direction, address incomplete work, document concerns, manage conflict, and follow through consistently. Ability to supervise former peers while maintaining professional boundaries. Strong judgment, emotional steadiness, organization, communication, documentation, and problem‑solving skills. Ability to remain effective during urgent, stressful, emotionally charged, or confrontational situations. ShelterLuv or other shelter‑management database experience preferred. Certified euthanasia technician or willingness to become certified within one year preferred. Valid Ohio driver's license, reliable transportation, and insurable driving record required. Ability to pass a background check and drug screening required. Physical and Work Environment Work is performed in an active animal shelter operating seven days per week. The position includes exposure to animals of varying species, sizes, health conditions, and temperaments; noise; odors; cleaning agents; zoonotic disease risk; animal bites or scratches; emotionally difficult situations; and outdoor weather conditions. The role requires frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, lifting, carrying, cleaning, and animal handling. Must be able to lift or move animals and objects up to 50 pounds with assistance.

Benefits:

401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee assistance program Health insurance Life insurance Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person