Executive Director

 POSITION SUMMARY

The Executive Director of The Oakland Animal Services (OAS) is responsible for overseeing the organization's consistent achievement of its vision, mission and financial objectives. The Executive Director is responsible for planning, organizing, managing, and supervising all aspects of the operations and directing the development of a strategic plan for the promotion of animal care, animal control, and reduction of euthanasia rates of animals in the City of Oakland, California. 

BACKGROUND

OAS serves two equally important functions:

            1. Providing a shelter for homeless, abandoned, and abused animals; and,

            2. Protecting the public health, safety and welfare.

OAS is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Executive Director to transition the agency into a national model of animal care while enhancing its animal control responsibilities.

OAS is committed to ending the euthanasia of adoptable and treatable animals in the City of Oakland.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential duties and job responsibilities include the following:

Humane Care and Shelter for Animals in Need

·        Oversee the care provided for the animals that come under the protection of OAS  and ensure their humane treatment.

• Implement short and long term strategies to address pet overpopulation in Oakland 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.
• Ensure responsible pet care through enforcement of public compliance with animal care and control regulations, including nuisance, animal licensing, public safety, and animal cruelty laws.

Program Development and Administration

• Plan, organize, coordinate, review, evaluate, and direct the implementation of programs providing animal care and control services to the general public and other animal welfare agencies.
• Direct through subordinate supervisors, the administration of such programs including, but not limited to, shelter management, adoptions, veterinary services, animal control, and animal welfare education.
• Develop, interpret, and implement policies and procedures relating to animal care and control programs; plan means of service delivery; develop multi-year plan for the direction of overall animal care and control activities for the City.
• Assure that the organization has a long-range strategy which achieves its mission, and toward which it makes consistent and timely progress.
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the animal welfare and animal control fields.

Communications

• Work with representatives of other animal welfare organizations, non-profit organizations, businesses and community groups to develop and implement collaborative programs and services, and to raise alternative sources of funding to aid in overall OAS goals.
• Provide direction and technical advice and assistance to City agencies, community and volunteer groups, animal welfare organizations, and the general public.
• Oversee marketing and publicity for the organization’s activities, programs, and goals.
• Define animal care and control program role in a variety of health, education and public safety initiatives, as well as improving overall quality of life in the City.

Staff management and Development

• Be responsible for overseeing the recruitment, employment, direction, management and release of all personnel, both paid staff and volunteers.
• Ensure that job descriptions are developed, that regular performance evaluations are conducted, that motivation systems are utilized and that sound human resource practices are in place that abide by local, state and federal law.
• Analyze organizational structure, staff responsibilities and staff response to demands for animal care and control services.
• Revise existing programs and services and develop new programs and services to meet changing demands.
• Develop and implement initiatives intended to change and improve employees’ provision of service to, and interaction with the public.
• Communicate agency policy and philosophy concerning provision of service and relationship with the public to agency employees.
• Participate in, and lead interagency teams formed to develop programs, policies and solutions to specific problems.
• Maintain a climate which attracts, retains, and motivates a diverse staff of top quality people by encouraging career development, continuing education, and professional growth for staff administrators, shelter employees, and others who support and promote the mission and goals of the agency.

Budget and Finance

• Be responsible for developing and maintaining sound financial practices.
• Prepare financial reports, budgets, and summaries, submit budgets for approval, and monitor compliance of expenditures within approved budgetary constraints.
• Determine staffing needed to provide adequate service delivery throughout the City.
• Meet with union representatives regarding contractual obligations, union grievances, and staff accountability.

Compliance with Laws, Regulations, Policies, and Guidelines

• Understand and implement operational compliance with current federal, state, county, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines that affect operations.
• Oversee record keeping practices for legally compliant adoptions, staff personnel files, budgetary accountability, and all other functions.
• Maintain official records and documents.

Perform related work as required.

 TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

OAS 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. OAS 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.).

1. 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.

2. EXPERIENCE:

A minimum of five years experience in either senior management of an animal shelter or animal control facility; or 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.

 3.      PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Allergic conditions which would be aggravated when handling or working with animals may be a disqualification.

4.      4. COMPASSION:
Affection for animals, concern for their welfare and a willingness to accommodate animals in the work place.

I hope you will find this information useful. Please contact me at (818) 781-5280 with any questions. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Charlotte Laws
14320 Ventura Blvd., Suite 408
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 781-5280 phone
drlaws@adelphia.net
www.ValleyGlen.us

*Job description written by Nathan Winograd for the City of Philadelphia.

(Potential Wording. Submitted to the City of Oakland on March 29, 2005 by Charlotte Laws)

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