Animal Care Services Manager

THE POSITION

The City of Sacramento, California is seeking a collaborative and forward-thinking Animal Care Services Manager to lead the Front Street Animal Shelter and the Animal Care Services Division within the Community Development Department. This position oversees 63 full-time employees and an annual budget of approximately $9.4 million, providing operational and strategic leadership for shelter services, field enforcement operations, veterinary programs, and community outreach efforts that support approximately 224,000 pets citywide. The Manager directs operational resources, develops policies and procedures, and serves as the Division’s representative in official and public settings. In this role, the Manager actively engages with City leadership, advisory bodies, nonprofit organizations, volunteers, and the broader community to build partnerships, align priorities, and support positive outcomes. The ideal candidate is an experienced leader who brings strong operational oversight, a passion for animal welfare, and the political acumen to thrive in a highly visible public environment, while fostering a supportive, accountable, and mission-driven team culture. Champion animal welfare for the community; apply today!

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate has demonstrated success overseeing multiple program areas within a complex public service organization and brings a strong strategic vision, emotionally intelligent leadership, and a commitment to community partnerships. Expertise in animal welfare operations and industry best practices is deeply valued, as is experience in fundraising, grant development, leveraging creative funding streams, and success in negotiating and managing external service contracts with partner organizations. The ideal candidate will also be comfortable managing staff in a unionized environment, with exposure to labor relations processes. The ideal leader for this role is dynamic, confident, and solutions-oriented, capable of guiding policy and operational decisions in a highly visible public environment. A collaborative bridge builder, the successful candidate thrives in a forward-facing role and is energized by engaging with the community, external partners, advisory commissions, nonprofit organizations, volunteers, City leadership, and the media. They are a strong communicator who builds credibility through clarity, consistency, and professionalism. The successful candidate will bring emotional intelligence, resilience, and an empathetic leadership style to this role, fostering a supportive, team-oriented culture and maintaining a visible presence with staff and volunteers.
The ideal candidate will also have the following core competencies...

• Decision Making: Makes timely, informed decisions in a high-accountability environment, weighing operational, legal, and community considerations, while remaining steady under pressure.
• Creativity: Identifies resourceful and forward-thinking approaches to service delivery, partnerships, and program development.
• Political Acumen: Effectively navigates complex stakeholder dynamics, maintaining credibility with elected officials, advisory bodies, advocacy groups, and the public.
• Positive Impact & Mission Focus: Champions animal welfare and public service outcomes, aligning staff efforts and community partnerships around clear, measurable results.

View the full recruitment brochure here: https://indd.adobe.com/view/dfbd5fe3-5766-4360-9a93-3c3114e49f79

Under limited direction, the Animal Care Services Manager performs responsible and complex administrative management duties in managing a division in the Community Development Department ; plans, coordinates, directs and reviews the activities of the Animal Services Division (doing business as the Front Street Animal Shelter); develops division policies, procedures goals and objectives; serves as liaison and coordinates projects; and provides professional and technical staff assistance to the Director of Community Development Department.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is a single position classification at a division-level manager in the Animal Care Services Division of the Community Development Department. Duties are primarily administrative/managerial in nature, and the incumbent performs work involving significant authority for various day-to-day operations within the Animal Care Services Division. The incumbent interfaces frequently with public officials, State/Federal/Local agencies, other public/private organizations, and the general public. The incumbent works extensively with Community Development Department managers/staff, other City employees, various public/private organizations and the general public. This class is distinguished from the Chief Animal Control Officer in that the latter is the first line supervisor over field operations while the this classification has broader overall responsibility for management of the division.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Limited direction is received from the Community Development Director. Responsibilities include direct and indirect supervision of supervisory, technical, and support personnel.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Plans, organizes, staffs, directs, and controls a wide range of activities to manage the division; establishes priorities and business plans; oversees the development and implementation of Division goals, objectives, policies, and procedures in accordance with the Department's core purpose, mission, vision, and values; develops and oversees the implementation of strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Division operations; monitors the efficiency and effectiveness of Division work products through quality control and related activities; directs, develops, recommends, and oversees the administration of Division budgets.
• Selects, assigns, trains, directs, and evaluates subordinate staff, including subordinate, supervisors, technicians, and others; provides professional and technical guidance to staff; oversees and implements disciplinary actions as necessary.
• Monitors legislation and assures Division compliance with laws, regulations, statutes, and codes related to animal services; informs and educates staff regarding changes and new issues.
• Establishes and maintains contacts with Community Development Department managers/staff, City managers/employees, public and private agencies, the general public and others; coordinates Division activities with these groups/individuals as appropriate; represents the Department as assigned; receives and oversees staff responses to citizen inquiries and/or complaints; participates on committees and task forces as assigned; conducts and/or attends meetings, classes, conferences and workshops.
• Directs and/or participates in the preparation of complex statistical and narrative reports, correspondence, and other documents, including those required by law; makes presentations to individuals and/or groups as required.
• Manages special projects such as special animal adoption and spay/neuter events.
• Other related duties may also be performed; not all duties listed may necessarily be performed by each individual holding this classification.
  

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Advanced principles and practices of animal services management, including the areas related to animal licensing, animal recovery/sheltering, pet adoption, and reuniting lost/found pets with owners.
• Occupational hazards related to animal services operations, and appropriate safety practices.
• Principles and practices of modern public administration including planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling.
• Principles and practices of human resources management, supervision, and training.
• Public relations practices and techniques.
• Current literature, laws, regulations, and developments, as well as various agencies, that impact municipal animal services operations.
• Research methods; report writing techniques; statistical concepts and methods.
• Principles and techniques of project management.

Skill in

• Use of modern office equipment including computers, computer applications and software.
• Conflict resolution and teambuilding.
• Effective leadership and mentoring employees.
• Developing strategies for advancing progressive humane education care programs.

Ability to:

• Manage a large city administrative operation; meet critical deadlines; make decisions under pressure.
• Supervise subordinate personnel, including supervisors and technical staff.
• Develop, recommend, and administer policies and procedures necessary for efficient and effective animal services management.
• Develop, administer, and control a large budget.
• Read and interpret complex laws and regulations impacting animal services activities; explain complex animal services issues to others.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with public officials/managers, co-workers, public/private agencies, and the general public on a variety of issues.
• Prepare and present complex narrative and statistical reports, correspondence, and other documents.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:
Three years of management-level supervisory and administrative experience in the operation of a municipal shelter or animal control facility.

-AND-

Education:

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in public or business administration, one of the biological sciences, law enforcement, or a closely related field.

Substitution:

An additional four years of qualifying management-level experience may substitute for the required education.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Driver License:
Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License at the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Permit:
Possession of a Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substances Permit (VACSP) issued by the State of California Veterinary Medical Board must be obtained within twelve (12) months of appointment. Failure to obtain the Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substances Permit (VACSP) is cause for discipline, up to and including termination.

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE

HOW TO APPLY

For consideration, apply by April 7 at : https://wbcp.applicantpool.com/jobs/1287994-300215.html

View the WBCP Job Board: https://wbcpinc.com/job-board/

SECURE THE DATES

Round one virtual interviews will take place on April 29. Finalists will move forward to round two in-person interviews on May 11. Selected candidates must be available for both days.

QUESTIONS?
Please contact your recruiter, Lauren Gerson-Greene, with any inquiries:

• lauren@wbcpinc.com
• 541-664-0376 (direct)
• 866-929-9227 (toll-free)

Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.

Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.

Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information

Civil Service Rules: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/CivilServiceBoardRules62012.pdf

Union Contracts: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/labor-agreements.html

Salary Schedule: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/SalarySchedule.pdf

Closing Date/Time: 4/7/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of Sacramento

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