POSITION SUMMARY
The Back of House Shift Leader / Key Holder is a hands-on leadership position responsible for safely and efficiently directing daycare and boarding operations during assigned shifts. This role leads employees, oversees animal care and playgroup safety, maintains cleaning and operational standards, supports customers, and completes opening or closing duties. When a manager is not on-site, the Shift Leader serves as the person in charge and is expected to make sound decisions, respond appropriately to incidents, protect facility security, and ensure every pet receives compassionate, consistent care.
We are currently hiring at our other locations too. Including in Summerville & Johns Island
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Shift Leadership and Team Accountability
- Lead the assigned shift, communicate priorities, delegate work, and adjust assignments based on reservations, staffing, dog needs, and facility conditions.
- Prepare or follow daily work schedules; assign playgroups, feeding, medication, cleaning, laundry, dishes, enrichment, breaks, and opening or closing tasks.
- Monitor employee performance and completion of duties; provide timely coaching, redirection, and positive feedback while maintaining professional standards.
- Train and support employees in job duties, company policies, canine handling, safety, sanitation, and emergency procedures; identify additional training needs for management.
- Address routine performance or workflow problems, document significant concerns, and promptly communicate attendance, conduct, safety, or performance issues to management.
- Maintain productive shift transitions by giving clear written and verbal handoffs regarding pets, staffing, incidents, maintenance, medications, and unfinished work.
- Serve as the primary decision-maker when management is unavailable, while escalating emergencies, serious incidents, customer complaints, or policy exceptions as required.
2. Animal Care, Playgroup Safety, and Enrichment
- Provide direct care and affection to dogs of varied breeds, sizes, ages, temperaments, and activity levels, including dogs weighing more than 100 pounds.
- Observe and engage with dogs to maintain safe, even-tempered playgroups; recognize canine body language, calming signals, stress, fear, illness, injury, overheating, resource guarding, escalating arousal, and incompatible play.
- Use Dog Tired handling and safety techniques to prevent or de-escalate unsafe behavior; safely separate dogs and modify groups, rotations, or rest periods when needed.
- Complete or oversee dog evaluations and introductions according to company procedures; ensure dogs are placed in appropriate playgroups, kennels, suites, or rest spaces.
- Ensure all pets receive scheduled water, meals, potty breaks, rest, exercise, and enrichment in accordance with owner instructions and company standards.
- Verify food, supplements, and authorized medications are administered accurately, on time, and documented on the appropriate scorecard or system.
- Organize and accurately track each pet’s food, medication, leash, bedding, belongings, and special-care instructions throughout the stay.
- Conduct regular headcounts and kennel/play-area checks and immediately address missing information, incorrect placement, unsafe equipment, or changes in a pet’s condition.
3. Safety, Incidents, and Emergency Response
- Enforce facility rules, staffing expectations, safe dog-to-employee ratios, gate and door controls, and all animal-handling and cleaning procedures.
- Respond calmly to dog altercations, injuries, illness, escape risks, severe weather, alarms, utility failures, employee injuries, or other emergencies in accordance with company protocols.
- Provide basic first aid within the employee’s training, contact management and veterinary professionals when required, and follow emergency transportation or owner-notification procedures.
- Complete accurate incident, injury, behavior, medication, and communication records before the end of the shift; preserve relevant facts and avoid unsupported medical or behavioral conclusions.
- Inspect gates, doors, fencing, kennels, crates, play equipment, cleaning equipment, and grounds for hazards or needed repairs; remove unsafe items from service and report concerns promptly.
- Maintain awareness of all dogs, employees, visitors, contractors, and active areas of the facility throughout the shift.
4. Opening, Closing, and Key Holder Duties
- Open and/or close the facility using the approved checklist, including disarming or arming alarms and maintaining secure control of assigned keys, access codes, and restricted areas.
- Complete an initial or final facility walkthrough to verify cleanliness, temperature, lighting, water, equipment, gates, doors, kennels, yards, and security.
- Confirm all pets are physically accounted for and matched to reservations, housing assignments, feeding/medication instructions, and departure status.
- Ensure final potty breaks, feedings, medications, dishes, laundry, cleaning, trash removal, and documentation are completed before closing.
- Ensure the building is secured, nonessential equipment is shut down as required, and any overnight, maintenance, or safety concerns are reported to management.
5. Sanitation and Facility Standards
- Inspect boarding areas, condos, suites, playrooms, yards, dog-wash areas, public areas, and grounds for cleanliness, appearance, odor control, and safety.
- Perform and oversee cleaning and disinfection of kennels, sleeping areas, playgrounds, bowls, toys, equipment, floors, drains, and high-touch surfaces using approved products and procedures.
- Ensure pet waste is removed and disposed of promptly and that contaminated items are isolated and handled appropriately.
- Share in routine chores, including dishes, laundry, trash, stocking, organizing supplies, and maintaining cleaning equipment.
- Monitor inventory and report low supplies, damaged equipment, pest concerns, plumbing issues, or other maintenance needs.
6. Customer Service and Administrative Support
- Greet customers and pets and assist with check-in, check-out, phones, reservations, payments, tours, or service questions when front-of-house staff or managers are unavailable.
- Review and clarify feeding, medication, belongings, behavior, pickup, and special-care instructions, and ensure information is accurately entered or communicated.
- Provide courteous, factual updates regarding a pet’s behavior and experience while in care; promptly escalate health concerns, incidents, complaints, refund requests, or sensitive conversations.
- Maintain an exceptional phone and in-person presence, including during difficult or complex situations, and complete required follow-up and recordkeeping.
- Use company software and communication systems to review reservations, enter notes, document services, track care, and communicate with management and coworkers.
- Support facility tours and promote appropriate Dog Tired services without making guarantees or commitments outside assigned authority.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Prior animal-care, kennel, daycare, boarding, veterinary, grooming, customer-service, or supervisory experience; internal promotion based on demonstrated competence may substitute for outside leadership experience.
- At least 18 years of age and eligible to hold facility keys and alarm/access codes.
- Ability to read and follow written instructions, perform basic arithmetic, use computers and telephones, and maintain accurate records.
- Ability to recognize basic canine body language and signs of stress, illness, injury, or unsafe play; willingness to complete all required Dog Tired safety and animal-care training.
- Pet First Aid/CPR certification preferred or required within the timeframe established by the company.
- Availability to work early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak periods as scheduled.
CORE COMPETENCIES AND WORK STYLE
- Leadership and teamwork: Builds trust, motivates employees, shares work, and holds the team accountable without creating unnecessary conflict.
- Judgment and problem-solving: Identifies likely problems, acts within policy, and knows when immediate escalation is necessary.
- Dependability and initiative: Honors commitments, arrives prepared, follows through, and proceeds without requiring continuous direction.
- Composure and self-control: Remains calm, respectful, and safety-focused during emergencies, stressful interactions, and unexpected situations.
- Communication and social awareness: Listens actively to employees, customers, and animal cues; communicates clearly in person, by phone, and in writing.
- Organization and attention to detail: Prioritizes multiple responsibilities while accurately tracking pets, care instructions, staffing, and operational issues.
- Integrity and confidentiality: Acts honestly, protects customer and company information, and follows all policies and reporting expectations.
- Compassionate animal care: Demonstrates genuine kindness, patience, and natural respect for animals while maintaining safe boundaries and professional handling.
PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
- Work is performed in a moderate-to-high noise environment with frequent barking, odors, pet hair, cleaning products, wet surfaces, and changing indoor/outdoor temperatures.
- Must be able to stand and walk for up to 100% of the shift; bend, stoop, kneel, reach, twist, climb, and maintain balance around active dogs.
- Must be able to operate hoses and pressure-washing equipment; move playground and kennel equipment; handle 50-pound bags of food; and safely restrain, leash, or walk dogs weighing more than 100 pounds.
- Must be able to lift and carry at least 50 pounds independently and request team assistance when a task exceeds safe individual handling.
- Must be able to work around dogs with varied energy levels and behavior while maintaining continuous situational awareness.
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
- All assigned animal-care, medication, cleaning, safety, and opening/closing tasks are completed accurately and on time.
- Shift staff understand their assignments, receive appropriate support, and follow Dog Tired policies and safety standards.
- Incidents, customer concerns, maintenance problems, and employee issues are documented and communicated promptly.
- Playgroups, kennels, yards, and public areas remain safe, sanitary, organized, and professionally presented.
- The Shift Leader models respectful conduct, participates in required meetings and training, and actively contributes ideas for operational improvement.
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
- This position is hands-on and includes the same animal-care and cleaning work assigned to the employees being led.
- Job duties, schedules, reporting relationships, and responsibilities may be modified based on operational needs. Employees may be assigned reasonable duties outside this description.
- All employees must comply with the Dog Tired Employee Handbook, confidentiality requirements, safety rules, and Drug & Alcohol Free Workplace policy.
- The statements above describe the general nature and level of work performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of every responsibility, duty, or skill required.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: $15.00 - $17.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Life insurance
- On-the-job training
- Opportunities for advancement
- Paid time off
- Paid training
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Are you willing to work rotating weekends and some holidays?
- Will you pass a background and reference check?
- Do you have your own personal reliable transportation?
- What area of Charleston do you reside? (this helps us determine best location for you).
Work Location: In person
