Animal Services Manager

This position will remain open until filled, with applications reviewed on an ongoing basis. This job posting may be removed at any time without prior notice. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for full consideration. Position Summary The Animal Services Manager is responsible for the administration, supervision, and daily operation of the City's Animal Services Division, including animal control field operations, shelter operations, personnel management, budget support, regulatory compliance, public education, and community partnerships. The Animal Services Manager is responsible for ensuring humane animal care, effective enforcement of applicable City ordinances and State laws, professional customer service, accurate recordkeeping, responsible use of resources, and the long-term operational stability of the Animal Services Division. This position requires strong management ability, sound judgment, public service professionalism, and the ability to supervise personnel, resolve citizen complaints, manage operational systems, and coordinate with public safety, veterinary, rescue, and community partners.

Reporting Structure:

This position reports to the Chief of Police through the Assistant Chief of Police and serves as the department's primary manager for animal services matters. This position supervises the Animal Control Officers. The duties listed below represent the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is related or a logical assignment to this class. Division Management and Supervision Supervises, schedules, trains, coaches, and evaluates assigned Animal Services personnel. Provides leadership, direction, and accountability for Animal Control Officers, shelter personnel, volunteers, temporary staff, and other assigned personnel. Monitors employee performance, addresses deficiencies, documents performance issues, and recommends corrective or disciplinary action when appropriate. Prepares and manages work schedules, on-call schedules, leave requests, and staffing assignments. Develops, recommends, and implements operational procedures, standards of care, goals, objectives, and performance expectations for the division. Ensures staff activities are consistent with City policy, Department directives, applicable law, and accepted animal welfare standards. Shelter Operations Oversees daily shelter operations, animal care, facility maintenance, and customer service functions. Ensures humane care of animals from intake through disposition, including feeding, watering, cleaning, vaccinations, medical coordination, quarantine, adoption, transfer, redemption, euthanasia, and animal disposal. Ensures the shelter, kennels, vehicles, equipment, tools, medications, chemicals, and supplies are maintained in safe, sanitary, secure, and operational condition. Maintains inventory of supplies, medications, equipment, food, cleaning materials, and other operational resources. Coordinates with veterinarians, rescue organizations, volunteers, and regional shelter partners to support animal placement, medical care, and shelter operations. Field Operations and Enforcement Oversees animal control field operations, including response to animal-related calls for service, ordinance violations, bite incidents, dangerous animals, nuisance complaints, and animal welfare concerns. Oversees and participates in investigations involving animal cruelty, neglect, abandonment, dangerous animals, bite incidents, and other animal-related matters. Reviews reports, case files, citations, seizure documentation, warrant requests, photographs, and other evidence for accuracy and completeness. Issues warnings or citations and appears in court as required. Coordinates with law enforcement, prosecutors, municipal court, and legal counsel regarding animal-related enforcement actions, hearings, and prosecutions. Performs Animal Control Officer duties when necessary, including responding to calls, patrolling the City, capturing animals, transporting animals, and removing deceased animals. Rabies Control and Public Health Oversees rabies control procedures, bite investigations, quarantine requirements, specimen preparation, and coordination with public health authorities. May serve as the Local Rabies Control Authority if designated by the City. Ensures compliance with applicable public health requirements, animal quarantine laws, reporting requirements, and related procedures. Budget, Records, and Administration Assists the Chief of Police with budget development, expenditure monitoring, purchasing, inventory control, equipment replacement, and long-term operational planning. Maintains accurate records related to animal intake, disposition, adoptions, redemptions, transfers, euthanasia, bites, quarantines, citations, investigations, complaints, and daily operations. Prepares reports, statistics, recommendations, and other documents for the Chief of Police, City administration, courts, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders as needed. Monitors operational trends, staffing needs, facility concerns, equipment needs, and liability issues and provides recommendations to the Chief of Police. Community Relations and Public Service Responds to citizen complaints, service requests, public inquiries, and emotionally charged situations involving animal control or shelter operations. Serves as a liaison with local veterinarians, rescue groups, public health officials, law enforcement agencies, neighboring jurisdictions, vendors, volunteers, and community partners. Develops and supports community education efforts related to responsible pet ownership, vaccinations, spay/neuter programs, animal welfare, adoption, and City ordinances. Promotes a positive public image of the City and Police Department through professional service, community engagement, and problem-solving. Additional Duties Adheres to the assigned work schedule and City attendance policies and ensures that the assigned personnel do the same. Performs all assigned duties with the highest regard for professionalism, safety, accountability, customer service, and humane treatment of animals. Performs other duties as assigned by the Chief of Police. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities with: Principles and practices of effective supervision, leadership, employee development, scheduling, performance management, and organizational accountability. Budget preparation, purchasing, inventory control, recordkeeping, program administration, and operational planning. City ordinances, Department policies, State animal control laws, public health requirements, rabies control procedures, shelter standards, and applicable Federal, State, and local regulations. Animal behavior, humane animal handling, animal care, shelter operations, disease control, sanitation practices, and safe capture and restraint techniques. Basic municipal operations, public service expectations, records management, and customer service principles. Managing people, resources, facilities, equipment, records, citizen complaints, and daily operations in a professional and accountable manner. Supervise employees who work in field, shelter, administrative, and emotionally difficult operational environments. Making competent decisions under stress involving public safety, animal welfare, enforcement action, personnel issues, and resource limitations. Communicate clearly and professionally, both orally and in writing. Prepare clear reports, case narratives, operational summaries, correspondence, budget recommendations, and legal documentation. Handling conflict, citizen complaints, distressed animal owners, irate citizens, rescue partners, volunteers, and staff concerns with professionalism and sound judgment. Maintaining confidentiality involving personnel matters, enforcement cases, investigations, medical information, and sensitive City business. Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with employees, citizens, elected and appointed officials, veterinarians, courts, law enforcement personnel, rescue organizations, vendors, and outside agencies. Operating computers, records management systems, radios, vehicles, animal control equipment, shelter equipment, and standard office equipment. Set the example for assigned personnel in professionalism, ethical conduct, accountability, customer service, safety, and leadership. An equivalent combination of education, experience, certifications, and training may be considered.

Education, Training, and Experience:

High school diploma or GED is required; an associate degree or higher in public administration, business administration, animal science, criminal justice, management, or a related field preferred. Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in public service, municipal operations, animal services, code enforcement, law enforcement, shelter operations, nonprofit operations, business operations, or a closely related field. Minimum three (3) years of supervisory, management, or leadership experience involving personnel supervision, scheduling, performance accountability, budget responsibility, operational oversight, or program administration.

Licenses and Certifications:

A valid Texas Driver's License is required and must be maintained throughout employment. Basic Animal Control Officer Certification required or ability to obtain within twelve (12) months of hire. Euthanasia Technician Certification required or ability to obtain within twelve (12) months of hire. Local Rabies Control Authority experience or ability to meet requirements within twelve (12) months if designated by the City.

Other Requirements:

Must maintain eligibility to perform duties involving animal control, shelter operations, public contact, City vehicles, and access to sensitive information. Must maintain all required certifications and complete required continuing education. Must successfully pass a background investigation, drug screen, and physical examination.

Conditions and Environment:

The physical, mental, and work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be provided, in accordance with applicable law, to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Physical Requirements Work is performed in the office, shelter, vehicle, field, and outdoor environments. Essential duties require the ability to stand, sit, walk, lift, carry, push, pull, reach, handle, kneel, crouch, crawl, bend, twist, climb, balance, see, hear, talk, and run when necessary. The position may require capturing, restraining, lifting, carrying, loading, unloading, pushing, pulling, dragging, or holding domestic animals, livestock, wildlife, deceased animals, or animal-related equipment. The position may require handling aggressive, injured, sick, frightened, or unruly animals. Moderate to heavy physical activity may be required, including lifting animals up to 100 pounds, loading and unloading food bags up to 50 pounds, carrying and setting traps, and capturing or moving large or unruly animals with assistance when appropriate. Adequate speech, hearing, eyesight, and manual dexterity are required. The employee must wear and properly use prescribed safety equipment and follow all Department and City safety rules, regulations, and policies. Working Conditions This position operates in a law enforcement and animal services environment. Work may occur in an office, shelter, vehicle, public facility, private property, roadside, outdoor area, or other field setting. The employee may be exposed to inclement weather, extreme temperatures, odors, noise, animal feces, urine, saliva, blood, chemicals, cleaning agents, insects, wildlife, diseased animals, aggressive animals, communicable diseases, and emotionally stressful situations. The employee may interact with members of the public who are upset, angry, grieving, frightened, or experiencing stressful circumstances. The position may require flexible hours, weekends, holidays, emergency response, call-back, or on-call status.