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Attention Elected Officials: The Following is a Suggested Guide for
Hiring a Shelter Director as Suggested by The No Kill Advocacy Center The Shelter Director job description should serve three main purposes: 1. It should define criteria for recruiting and selecting an Executive Director and holding the successful candidate accountable for meeting the responsibilities of the position; 2. Provide an important public document which outlines the direction the agency wants to go in responding to public criticism, thereby addressing those issues responsibly and openly; and, 3. Set a standard for the type of agency Animal Services wants to be. In the job flier, we would recommend that a background section be added which speaks not only to Animal Services' responsibilities in the areas of animal control and public safety, but to concerns over animal care and lifesaving, and the desire for an entrepreneurial background in candidates to draw a wider range and number of candidates to help in the selection criteria. Here is the language we have used in the past: "Animal Services serves two important functions: 1. Providing a shelter for homeless, abandoned, and abused animals; and, 2. Protecting the public health, safety and welfare. Animal Services is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Executive Director to transition the agency into a model of animal care nationwide while enhancing its animal control responsibilities." In order to achieve that, we would suggest the job description have the following duties: · Oversee the care provided for the animals that come under the protection of Animal Services and ensure their humane treatment. · Implement short and long term strategies that responsibly reduce intakes, increase adoptions, improve animal care, provide behavior and medical rehabilitation, encourage spaying and neutering, and help pets stay with their responsible caretakers. Second, and the single most important recommendation we would make, is to eliminate any necessary prerequisites in the area of training and experience. We really encourage you to remove the requirement of animal sheltering experience in order to make the job description as inclusive as possible. Too many shelters insist on multi-year experience running shelters or animal control facilities. Unfortunately, as often as this might bring experience, it also can bring set methods and shortsightedness that prevent innovation in lifesaving, public relations and community support. It also shrinks the pool of pro-No Kill and qualified applicants. If the job description eliminates that requirement of specific shelter experience, seeking instead specific skills (accountability, working in a team environment, leadership, financial responsibility, management, bottom line results) that can be transferred to the shelter environment, such is found in other professions (business, legal, etc.), the base of qualified candidates will increase, many who may bring a fresh perspective and innovation to shelter operations. It does not take long to learn the basics of running an animal shelter. Here is the language we have used in the past: Animal Services is looking for an innovative and dynamic individual who brings skills, enthusiasm, and accountability to animal care and control. It is not essential that the successful candidate have senior management experience of an animal shelter or animal control facility. Animal Services is looking for someone with specific and transferable skills (working in a team environment, leadership, financial control, management, bottom line results) that can be transferred to the shelter environment, such is found in other professions (business, law, veterinary medicine, public administration, public relations, etc.). Education: A BS or BA is required in Business, Public Relations, Communications, Public Administration, Public Health, Veterinary or Animal Sciences, Law, or a closely related field. Experience: A minimum of five years experience in a supervisory position with transferable skills such as business, law, veterinary medicine, communications, public administration or other related field. Experience working in a union environment helpful, but not required. Compassion: Affection for animals, concern for their welfare and a willingness to accommodate animals in the work place. In addition to all the normal recruitment channels, advertise the position broadly (career service offices of law schools and business schools which stay in touch with alumni who may be seeking a change, animal list servers, and websites, etc.) |
