Manager, Adoptions - West LA

Location: 1845 Pontius Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90025 (onsite)

Hiring Range: This position’s hiring range is anticipated to be $70,000 to $76,000 annually, depending on experience, plus great benefits!

Schedule: Sunday - Thursday 10 am – 7 pm, (one closing shift per week is required – maybe 7:30 pm / 8 pm). Schedule may be adjusted occasionally to accommodate special events.

Do you have a passion for making meaningful connections with all those you come into contact with (human and animal)? Are you a leader seeking to create a non-judgmental and fun environment for your community members and colleagues while advocating for pets in need? Best Friends Pet Adoption Center is looking for an engaging & dynamic manager for our adoption program who is outgoing, people focused, comfortable handing animals, and committed to improving the lives of both animals and the people in our community. If that sounds like you, we'd love to talk to you.

Culture Statement and Responsibility: We believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, building trust through authenticity and following through on commitments. We prioritize well-being alongside our mission, fostering strong relationships through open communication and transparent feedback. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, enriching team dynamics by valuing diverse perspectives. Each team member is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where all voices are respected and contributing to a workplace that embodies our shared values and commitment to progress. By consistently aligning our actions with our Guiding Principles, we strengthen our culture and ensure that our values are lived every day.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Treat people around you as our most valuable resource by leading with Kindness and Compassion in all your actions, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, encourage self-care and work-life balance through your own example, and work to build strong relationships with your team by creating communication loops to share and receive honest feedback. You are responsible and accountable for the culture of your team.
• Following the divisional OGSPs, work with Director and Senior Manager to develop annual department goals and metrics advancing Lifesaving Center work to increase shelter lifesaving. Review department progress to goals routinely and maintain ongoing review of operations as necessary to ensure department goals and metrics are achieved.
• Prepare and manage the department’s performance metrics; participate in the maintenance of physical facilities; develop a comprehensive knowledge of Best Friends’ programs.
• Lead teams and volunteers to oversee, coordinate and conduct day-to-day lifesaving program activities including animal flow, adoptions outcomes, and other activities; contribute to strategies for operational efficiency, superior customer service, and increased lifesaving.
• Assist customers through tours of the center, showcasing animals for adoption, processing adoptions, and processing adoption returns.
• Work with Senior Manager and/or Director to routinely evaluate onsite animal capacity and determine lifesaving needs for shelter conversions; develop and improve program efficiency to increase placement opportunities through improved customer service experience and staff familiarity with animal behavior and medical needs to increase adoption experience for visiting families; routinely audit length of stay trends in onsite animal population and work with foster and care team to expedite placement for long-stay animals.
• Oversee, support or assist with the creation of engaging content for social media platforms, including  creation and/or editing of written, video, and photo content. Work collaboratively with other departments and marketing teams to identify engagement opportunities with social media and PR to support lifesaving outcomes and programmatic needs at the center. Represent Best Friends in media relations when requested and ensure to maintain Best Friends’ voice across all communications.
• Assist other teams in providing basic care such as feeding, cleaning, walking, and medicating animals housed or transported within Best Friends’ vehicles, buildings, or facilities; follow all policies and local standard operating procedures when completing daily functions to ensure health and safety standards are upheld.
• Provide support, training, and performance feedback; participate in performance conversations; support hiring and onboarding; ensure teams meet expectations for Best Friends’ program requirements and procedures; support teams so that each person achieves their fullest potential as contributors to Best Friends’ mission and goals.
• Manage team schedules, absence requests, timecards, and other relevant administrative duties.
• Work collaboratively with and assist Best Friends’ team members in all areas of operations to develop, evolve, and implement efficient processes to achieve lifesaving goals; follow policies, procedures, and task lists, including accurate and timely communications, work completion, data entry, and recordkeeping. 
• Lead the maintenance of a safe workplace, value, and model safe work practices, adhering to organizational safety practices and rules, and addressing or communicating to leadership about unsafe practices and conditions 

Skills and Experience: 

• Experience in leading teams or managing people, including staff and volunteers, with a record of program growth is required. A minimum of 3 years of experience leading teams is preferred.
• Well versed/experienced in providing a high level of customer service and possesses a passion for engaging with people, building connections, and providing a positive and memorable experience.
• Prior experience working or volunteering in animal welfare, including with conversation-based adoptions or a willingness to learn, is preferred.
• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.
• Excellent communications skills: comfort with public speaking and presentation experience; ability to professionally advocate Best Friends’ position on issues.
• Bilingual or multi-lingual skills are preferred but not required.
• Basic ability to identify and speak to medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats.
• Strong interpersonal skills, a team player, personable, professional, and able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.  
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with well-developed organization skills to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands. 
• Resourceful, get-it-done attitude; initiative to assist in any area or process; problem solving, seeking answers independently and enthusiastically; flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software, or desire to learn.

Physical Requirements:  

• Routinely lift 40 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity including, but not limited to lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.    
• Perform repetitive tasks for extended periods of time including typing, sitting, walking, arm, and hand motion.     
• Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.    
• Exposure to dogs and cats of all sizes, temperaments, and medical statuses.  Ability to work with, leash, kennel, walk, and handle cats and dogs, including those with health and/or behavior conditions/concerns.
• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.   

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.