Scientist (Weekend shift)

ASPCA - Columbus, OH

Full-time - Senior

Columbus, OH

1,001-5,000 employees

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

The Senior Director of Animal Behavior at the ASPCA's Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC) is responsible for overseeing the behavioral health and welfare of animals, ensuring effective collaboration among team members, and guiding the development and implementation of behavior modification plans. This role involves managing a team of behavior experts, fostering a positive team culture, and making critical decisions regarding animal treatment and outcomes. The position requires strong leadership skills, a comprehensive understanding of shelter animal behavior, and a commitment to improving the lives of at-risk animals.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the behavioral health and welfare of animals housed at the CRC, in emergency temporary shelters, and in foster care.
• Ensure effective collaboration among Behavior Branch members and all other CRC team members.
• Maintain efficient systems for collecting behavior information to inform decision-making.
• Oversee the development and implementation of behavior modification plans.
• Ensure the maintenance of behavioral records in appropriate databases.
• Lead Senior Managers in providing hands-on coaching for Behavior Branch staff.
• Produce administrative reports and communicate progress and animal status updates.
• Participate in planning for upcoming criminal cases and disaster responses.
• Guide Senior Managers in developing and implementing plans for temporary shelter behavior support.
• Partner with other ASPCA teams to deliver learning experiences and participate in applied research projects.
• Facilitate and participate in pathway planning aligned with an integrated care model.
• Welcome and answer staff and volunteer questions about shelter animal behavior care and decisions.
• Provide ongoing training in shelter animal behavior basics and low-stress handling for all staff.
• Regularly review and update SOPs, leveraging input from staff for program improvements.
• Ensure that CRC staff understand and support their team's role in achieving cross-team and ASPCA goals.
• Supervise and manage three direct reports, ensuring sound management practices and developmental tools are used.
• Partner with the ASPCA's Talent Acquisition team to hire and onboard new CRC staff members.

Requirements

• BS or BA in animal behavior or a related subject strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience managing a team, preferably in the animal welfare field, required.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience managing a shelter behavior team required.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working as a professional animal behavior expert required.
• Experience working in an animal shelter required.
• Experience working with animal victims of cruelty and neglect preferred.
• Experience in building and maintaining shelter behavior programs strongly preferred.
• Mastery of applied animal behavior and behavior change principles gained through professional experience or an advanced degree in a related field.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience using Salesforce or a comparable database is a plus.
• Certification from Animal Behavior Society CAAB/ACAAB or IAABC preferred.

Benefits

• Relocation assistance for candidates moving to Columbus, OH.