- Salary
- $75k – $104k/yr
- Location
- Waxahachie, TX
- Seniority
- Manager
- Education
- Associate
- Source
- GovernmentJobs
Description
This position will remain open until filled, with applications reviewed on an ongoing basis. This job posting may be removed at any time without prior notice. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for full consideration.
Under limited supervision of the Director of Animal Services, plans, coordinates, and manages the daily operations of the City's Animal Control Field Services and Animal Shelter/Kennel Operations. This position directly supervises Animal Control Officers and shelter personnel, overseeing daily operations and ensuring effective service delivery, animal welfare, and public safety. This position promotes a professional, respectful, and customer-service oriented environment for residents, employees, and various community stakeholders.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
This position exercises independent judgment in coordinating personnel, scheduling, enforcement activities, animal care, kennel operations, facility readiness, and implementation of established departmental policies and procedures.
The duties listed below represent the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is related or a logical assignment to this class.
- Plan, coordinate, and oversee daily field operations, including officer assignments, dispatch coordination, service calls, investigations, enforcement activities, and follow-up; monitor field performance, response times, case documentation, and enforcement activities to ensure effective service delivery.
- Supervise investigations involving animal cruelty, neglect, nuisance complaints, animal bites, rabies exposure, quarantines, and dangerous animals; ensuring compliance with applicable laws, ordinances, and departmental procedures.
- Ensure officers are properly trained and equipped to perform animal control duties safely and humanely; provide direct field assistance when necessary.
- Direct daily shelter and kennel operations, including animal intake, housing, feeding, sanitation, enrichment, population management, and humane animal care.
- Ensure animal health, behavioral, and welfare concerns are promptly identified and addressed; coordinate veterinary care and compliance with established medical and disease-prevention protocols.
- Coordinate the operational activities supporting animal adoptions, owner reclaims, rescue transfers, volunteer participation, and other departmental programs.
- Directly supervise, train, coach, and evaluate assigned Animal Control Officers and shelter personnel; monitor performance, attendance, productivity, and compliance with City policies and departmental procedures.
- Prepare employee schedules, coordinate staffing assignments and on-call coverage, and ensure adequate personnel are available to maintain field and shelter operations.
- Establish and maintain a professional, respectful, collaborative, and accountable work environment that emphasizes teamwork, employee development, and operational excellence.
- Monitor operational performance, ensure consistent implementation of departmental procedures, and recommend improvements to service delivery, efficiency, and accountability.
- Establish and maintain high standards of internal and external customer service by fostering positive working relationships with outside partners and assist residents seeking to adopt, surrender, or reclaim animals, ensuring a positive customer experience and adherence to established departmental policies and procedures.
- ensuring employees appropriately address inquiries, complaints, and difficult or emotionally sensitive situations.
- Respond to escalated customer concerns, resolve operational complaints within delegated authority, and escalate significant or sensitive matters to the Director.
- Utilize departmental software and technology to maintain accurate records and track animal services, staffing, and operational performance. Oversee operational readiness of facilities, vehicles, equipment, and supplies; coordinate maintenance, inventory management, and purchasing requests within delegated authority.
- Prepare operational reports, identify resource needs, and provide recommendations to the Director regarding staffing, equipment, facilities, and service improvements.
- Coordinate operational responses to emergencies, critical incidents, large-scale intakes, and urgent staffing needs; participate in assigned on-call and after-hours response as required.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Education, Training and Experience:
- High School Diploma or GED required; Associate's degree in animal science, biological science, veterinary technology, public administration, business administration, or a related field preferred.
- Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in animal control, animal shelter operations, or a closely related field, including at least two (2) years of supervisory, management, or progressively responsible lead experience.
- Municipal animal services experience, including direct experience with field enforcement and shelter operations preferred.
Licenses and Certificates:
- Valid Texas driver's license.
- Possession of, or ability to obtain, Animal Control Officer Certification issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services within six (6) months of employment.
- Successful completion of, or ability to successfully complete, Euthanasia Technician training required by the Texas Department of State Health Services within one (1) year of employment.
- Must obtain and maintain other certifications, training, and continuing education required for assigned responsibilities.
Special Requirements:
- The regular work schedule is Tuesday through Saturday. The employee must be available to work additional evenings, weekends, and City-observed holidays as necessary to meet operational needs. Occasional on-call duties may also be required.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:
Knowledge of:
- Principles and practices of municipal animal control, shelter operations, animal welfare, and public safety.
- Federal, state, and local laws and ordinances governing animal control, rabies prevention, enforcement, and animal care.
- Humane animal handling, shelter sanitation, disease prevention, population management, and animal care practices.
- Animal control investigations, citations, evidence documentation, rabies control, and occupational safety practices.
- Principles of employee supervision, training, performance management, scheduling, and operational accountability.
- Customer service, conflict resolution, effective communication, and positive employee and volunteer relations.
- Computer applications, shelter management software, electronic recordkeeping, data management, and operational reporting.
- Facility operations, animal control equipment, occupational hazards, and safety procedures.
Ability to:
- Plan, coordinate, and supervise daily animal control field and shelter operations.
- Lead, train, evaluate, and hold employees accountable while fostering a positive and professional work environment.
- Provide exceptional customer service and maintain effective relationships with residents, employees, volunteers, and community partners.
- Interpret and enforce applicable laws, ordinances, policies, and procedures; exercise sound judgment in difficult or emergency situations.
- Efficiently utilize computers and departmental software, maintain accurate electronic records, analyze operational data, and assist with implementing new technology solutions.
- Communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, prioritize competing responsibilities, and prepare
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS:
The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical Demands
The employee is regularly required to sit, walk, and stand; talk and hear; use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, equipment, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and perform repetitive movements of hands or wrists. Duties may also involve bending, kneeling, climbing, and physically handling or restraining animals.
The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 75 pounds and may occasionally be required to assist in handling larger or more aggressive animals using appropriate equipment and assistance. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Mental Demands
While performing the duties of this class, an employee uses written and oral communication skills; reads and interprets data, information and documents; analyzes and solves problems; must have the mental capacity to euthanize animals and determine/avoid dangerous situations; deal with multiple concurrent tasks; and interact with others encountered in the course of work, including frequent contact with customers and/or the public and dissatisfied/abusive individuals.
Work Environment:
The work is performed in a variety of environments, including office settings, animal shelter and kennel facilities, and outdoor field locations. The employee may be exposed to loud noises, odors, animal dander, body fluids, cleaning agents, controlled substances, infectious diseases, animal bites and scratches, inclement weather, and potentially hostile or emotionally charged situations. Work may involve contact with sick, injured, aggressive, or deceased animals.