Nursery Program Manager
APA! BACKGROUND: Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and best-loved nonprofits. The organization is the leader in the no kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at-risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a no-kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals. The organization is distinguished by the scrappiness of its grassroots, non-traditional community-based animal rescue work.
The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and teaches its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, AmPA! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) project, a collaborative movement of more than 10,000 animal welfare professionals working in nearly 1,900 organizations. HASS is the first-of-its-kind collective of shelters and animal welfare professionals coming together to build community-focused animal services that better meet the needs of people and pets by keeping human-animal families together and keeping pets unnecessarily out of shelters.
APA!’s Neonatal Nursery is one of the first of its kind, providing round-the-clock care and support for the most vulnerable of neonatal populations. With over 2,500 neonatal animals cared for every year, it is a key lifesaving program at APA! and an important piece of the equation that keeps Austin a No-Kill city.
POSITION SUMMARY/OVERVIEW:
The Neonatal Program Senior Manager owns the strategic and operational leadership of APA!’s Neonatal Program year-round — not just during peak kitten season. This role sets program direction, builds and develops a strong leadership bench, and ensures the program runs as a well-resourced, well-trained, continuously improving lifesaving operation in every season.
A central priority of this role is shifting the program’s center of gravity from the nursery to foster homes. The Senior Manager drives a foster-first model in which the nursery functions as a brief intake and stabilization point rather than a place animals live — with the goal that every cat and kitten is matched to a foster home and leaves the nursery the same day they arrive. The Senior Manager builds the systems, staffing, and volunteer capacity needed to make same-day foster placement the norm rather than the exception.
This work depends on a deep, ongoing investment in a volunteer-centric program: the Senior Manager treats volunteers and foster caregivers not as a supplement to staff capacity but as the primary engine of the program, and builds recruitment, training, and retention systems accordingly.
This is a leader-of-leaders role: the Senior Manager directly manages the staff and volunteer Neonatal Team Manager, coaching them to lead their own teams effectively, in addition to holding overall accountability for program staff, volunteers, and outcomes. The position is expected to be roughly 50% strategic/administrative leadership and 50% hands-on presence in the program.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Team & Leadership Management
- Provide direct leadership and people management to the Neonatal Team Manager, coaching them in staff supervision, prioritization, and decision-making so they can effectively lead their own teams
- Support Neonatal Team Manager with team goals, oversight, and day to day scheduling and functions, checklists, and responsibilities
- Own hiring, onboarding, scheduling oversight, performance management, and professional development for program staff and management, ensuring the right coverage and leadership is in place year-round
- Manage personnel and program spending within budget, and partner with leadership on staffing plans that scale appropriately with seasonal volume
- Build a strong, resilient team culture grounded in APA!’s core values, with clear accountability and growth paths for staff and managers alike
- Provide hands-on support to teams as needed, including feeding, medical and specialty care, cleaning, foster support, transport, and other tasks
- Ensure that all ShelterLuv records, spreadsheets, and other tracking systems are up-to-date and in use according to protocols
Foster-First Program Strategy
- Set and drive the strategic shift from nursery-based care to foster-based care, with the goal of same-day foster placement for every healthy cat and kitten entering the program
- Define and track length-of-stay and time-to-foster-placement as core program metrics, and hold the team accountable to continual improvement against them
- Design intake, triage, and matching workflows that get animals into an appropriate foster home as quickly and safely as possible, using the nursery only for animals who medically require it and only for as long as they medically require it
- Identify and remove structural barriers to same-day placement — staffing gaps, foster capacity shortfalls, supply or logistics bottlenecks — and build the systems to solve them
- Partner with the Neonatal Team Manager and placement staff to ensure this strategy is executed consistently on the floor
Volunteer-Centric Program Development
- Build and continuously grow a volunteer- and foster-caregiver-centric program, treating volunteer capacity as the primary lever for achieving same-day placement rather than a supplement to staff
- Own the end-to-end strategy for foster caregiver and volunteer recruitment, onboarding, training pathways, recognition, and retention
- Set and track volunteer engagement targets (e.g., volunteer-to-staff ratios) and adjust recruitment and retention strategy to hit them
- Partner closely with Volunteer Managers to align on shared systems and processes, while owning the strategic direction of the program’s volunteer base
- Create feedback loops with volunteers and foster caregivers (surveys, check-ins) to continuously improve their experience and address friction points
Year-Round Program Operations (Peak Season & Off-Season)
- Set and drive the annual program strategy across both peak kitten season and the off-season, ensuring the program is never simply “paused” but is continuously improving, training, and preparing
- Use the off-season to lead retrospectives, refresh protocols, cross-train staff, invest in facility and systems improvements, and prepare the team for the next season’s volume
- Establish, enforce, and regularly review program policies and standard operating procedures to keep them current, compliant, and aligned with organizational goals
- Ensure ShelterLuv records, spreadsheets, and other tracking systems are accurate and consistently used, and use that data to identify trends and drive program improvements
- Partner with the Neonatal Team Manager to ensure smooth, same-day transitions of kittens from intake into foster care, and from the neonatal foster program into the broader Cat Program
Medical & Care Standards
- Partner with the Medical Director and/or Medical Team to establish and enforce care, sanitation, disease control, and medical treatment protocols in line with veterinary standards
- Provide hands-on support across the program as needed — feeding, medical and specialty care, cleaning, foster support, and transport — to stay close to the work and model standards for the team
Training & Education Partnership
- Partner with APATEC to ensure all required staff and volunteer training is scheduled, delivered, and tracked to completion across the season
- Collaborate with the Education team to develop and refine training curriculum and educational resources specific to neonatal care and foster-first placement practices
- Stay current on emerging research, best practices, and new program models in neonatal animal welfare and foster-based care, and bring relevant learnings back into APA!’s protocols and training
- Establish, enforce, and regularly review program policies and standard operating procedures to ensure relevance and compliance
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Innovation
- Support cross-functional development of dog neonatal care programs as needed, applying lessons learned from the cat neonatal nursery — including the foster-first, volunteer-centric model — to inform the growth of dog-focused programming
- Represent the Neonatal Program in cross-departmental planning with the Medical Clinic, Cat Program, and other teams
- Maintain open, consistent communication with the Director of Strategic Customer Service, supervisors, and colleagues across the organization
Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager
OTHER FUNCTIONS:
- Must demonstrate dependability, accountability, time management, use of reasoning, and good judgment skills
- Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings
- Maintain open and consistent communication with Program Manager or designee, supervisor, and other colleagues
- Partner with Volunteer Managers to learn about the volunteer programs and manage volunteers interested in your department on an ongoing basis
- Able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned
- Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
- Able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment
QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, & EXPECTATIONS:
- High school diploma or equivalent is required
- Minimum of two (2) years management experience in a customer-facing role required; animal care experience preferred
- Exceptional customer service skills and abilities
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; interpersonal skills required to maintain positive relationships and effectively resolve conflict
- Highly organized; ability to manage multiple projects at once and prioritize assigned work to meet deadlines
- Proven ability in utilizing data to drive change, identify and solve problems, and inform decision-making
- Proven ability to manage employee performance, including accountability measures, improvement plans, disciplinary and corrective actions
- Willingness to be flexible and to go above and beyond to meet the needs of APA! stakeholders
- Computer skills and office equipment
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to thrive in a dynamic environment
- Positive outlook and desire to coach team members to meet goals
- Must embody APA!’s core values of innovation, respect, drive, resourcefulness, and inclusion
- Commitment to APA!’s customer experience expectations
- Willing and committed to working well with volunteers and staff in all roles
- Knowledge of and passion for the No Kill movement and its aims in Austin and throughout the region
- Valid driver’s license required for occasional transport
PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be able to comfortably interact with animals of unknown health and behavior status and that may carry zoonotic diseases such as ringworm, scabies, intestinal parasites, etc.
- Must be able to routinely lift 40-50 pounds
- Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, chlorine or other chemicals, and inclement weather
- Able to be on your feet for multiple hours of the day
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Must be able to be on your feet for long periods of time
- Must be able to pass all required dog handling training required for this position
- Will sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, stoop, bend, stretch, squat, kneel, grasp, grip, put fingers together firmly and reach above and below shoulder level, lift and/or carry up to 30 pounds and push and pull up to 50 pounds for situations of moving supplies and setting up for events; repetitively use hands to operate computers; flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist.
- Must be able to position self to tend to animals in crates at varying heights from floor to ceiling
- If reasonable accommodations are requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job absent undue hardship to the organization.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Standard office environment, with exposure to environmental conditions that include working with and near animals
- Uses own transportation to travel and transport
- Occasional after-hours or weekend work may be required to support program needs
- Work is normally performed inside; some outside work is required
- Exposure to unpleasant odors and noises.
- Exposure to bites, scratches and animal waste
- Possible exposure to contagious diseases
- Rapid pace with exposure to potential hazards including animal waste, disinfectants, and high levels of noise
- Potential for animal bites and scratches and diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people
TIME COMMITMENT:
- This is a full-time, exempt position with an average of 40 hours per week.
- Shift and schedule flexibility is required, as weekly schedule is subject to change
- Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
PAY:
This position starts at $52,000 - 57,000 / Year. Eligible employees will be able to receive up to $8,320 in annual stipends within approximately 1-2 years through successful completion of internal APATec certifications (applicable to shelter operations, customer service, and medical roles). *Certifications and stipends are discretionary and subject to change based on business need.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: The Nursery Senior Program Manager directly supervises the Neonatal Program, including the Neonatal Foster Manager and the Neonatal Medical Team, and reports directly to the Director of Strategic Customer Service. This position also works closely with the Medical Clinic and Cat Program.
LOCATION(S):
- APA! Neonatal Nursery at 3102 Windsor Rd, Suite D, Austin, TX 78703
- May travel to offsite locations as needed
BENEFITS
Austin Pets Alive! is proud to offer a competitive benefits package for full-time employees, including up to 95% subsidy on employer-sponsored medical coverage, subsidized and voluntary life insurance, voluntary dental, vision and short-term disability options, all effective the first day of employment. We also offer voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans, up to 2% match on 401(K) retirement plan, supplemental benefits, subsidized pet insurance, flexible spending accounts and additional life coverage. Full-time employees receive 10 paid holidays and accrue 10 days paid time off during the first year of employment, with an additional 5 days of PTO accrual upon completion of 12 months of employment. Employees will also receive professional development opportunities through APA!’s ongoing mission to advance our animal welfare professionals in our life saving work.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT
Austin Pets Alive! is an equal employment opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we engage on. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ people, women, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.
Austin Pets Alive! does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Austin Pets Alive! is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, community focus, and innovation.
APA! is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the employment application process. To request an accommodation, please contact Talent Acquisition at
[email protected] at least one week in advance of your interview.
