Senior Manager, Best Friends Embed Project - LAAS

Location: Los Angeles, CA region - LAAS shelter system

Hiring Range: This position’s hiring range is anticipated to be $100,000 to $120,000 annually, depending on experience, plus great benefits, an annual premium and a monthly cell phone stipend. Relocation assistance may be available.

This is a limited duration position that will last no more than 3 years from the start date.

Transform Shelter Operations. Save More Lives. Lead Meaningful Change.

Do you believe every animal deserves a chance to thrive? Are you an experienced animal welfare leader who excels at building partnerships, inspiring teams, and creating lasting organizational change? If so, we'd love to meet you!

Best Friends Animal Society is seeking a Senior Manager, Best Friends Embed Project - LAAS to serve as an on-site strategic advisor within Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS). This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of one of the nation's largest municipal shelter systems while advancing lifesaving outcomes for thousands of animals. As the Senior Manager, Best Friends Embed Project -LAAS, you'll work side-by-side with LAAS leadership to implement the ambitious three-year strategic partnership between Los Angeles Animal Services, Best Friends Animal Society, and the ASPCA.

This isn't a traditional management role. You'll serve as a trusted advisor, change leader, coach, and collaborator—helping transform shelter operations through proven best practices, staff development, and strategic implementation.

Your leadership will help create safer, more efficient shelter operations while increasing lifesaving outcomes for animals throughout the City of Los Angeles.

If you're ready to use your experience to drive meaningful change and be part of a collaborative effort to make Los Angeles a place where every pet has the opportunity to thrive, we encourage you to apply!

Position Summary: This position is a leadership and management position within Best Friends Animal Society where the Senior Manager, Best Friends Embed Project -LAAS (SME), is working within Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) as an "embed" consultant to advise prioritized, lifesaving efforts for said organization. The SME is responsible, in support of the LAAS general manager and onsite leadership team, for advising the general management of a partner organization's training and implementation of the 3-year LAAS, Best Friends and ASPCA plan, creating systemic change, and achieving safety, efficiency and lifesaving impact for LAAS shelter workers and animals.

Emphasis for the SME will be on implementing and training core shelter proven practices based on the aforementioned 3-year, LAAS, Best Friends and ASPCA plan activity in the six local Los Angeles Animal Services (LAAS) shelter locations. In addition, the embed will assist on creating awareness and buy-in within the LAAS staff, volunteer, union representatives, and broader stakeholders and community in maintaining awareness for all, including Best Friends' leadership, on tactics, key performance indicators (KPIs) measure progress, timelines, as well as areas of opportunities and barriers.

This position will spend 95% of the time working within/at one or more of the six LAAS locations (can vary daily) with 5% remote or reporting to the West Los Angeles Best Friends adoption center (as determined by Best Friends). The SME is also responsible for managing the day-to-day work and integration of Best Friends additional embed advisors as well as Best Friends' volunteers and mentors working at LAAS.

Culture Statement and Responsibility: We believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, building trust through authenticity and following through on commitments. We prioritize well-being alongside our mission, fostering strong relationships through open communication and transparent feedback. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, enriching team dynamics by valuing diverse perspectives. Each team member is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where all voices are respected and contributing to a workplace that embodies our shared values and commitment to progress. By consistently aligning our actions with our Guiding Principles, we strengthen our culture and ensure that our values are lived every day.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• On rotation, work onsite at all six of the LAAS shelters for approximately 3 years in a leadership position, working collaboratively with LAAS to create systemic change to achieve stated goals for the project. Direct consultation of shelter and field lifesaving operations with the LAAS shelter system; plan, implement, facilitate, engage, monitor, and evaluate all lifesaving programming. Continuously evaluate and monitor proven strategies and continuing education for attainment of organizational goals and to achieve no-kill by scheduled deadline.

• Implement, communicate and advise on the operations plan with specific metrics and goals for Best Friends and LAAS, including the definition of what success looks like by a timestamp and the interim milestone goals. Create and act on written recommendations on how the program, embed partner organization and partner city shelter(s) or rescue(s) can fill those gaps and how they can work collaboratively with others outside the shelter system to achieve no kill by 2025 (or sooner) in that community.

• Work within the operations budget as well as the LAAS budget to facilitate resources for LAAS appropriately to achieve goals with LAAS and within LAAS constraints.

• Identify areas where additional support is needed to create or improve specific programs and coordinate with Best Friends staff to facilitate additional support needed to ensure success and sustainability of the project.

• Manage communication within assigned agency and with stakeholders to ensure that all teams, leaders and stakeholders are communicated with regularly and are delivering training to staff and volunteers. With LAAS general manager and leadership team, ensure the performance of tasks and behaviors in conjunction with all policies and procedures of LAAS by assisting in the creation of, updating, and obtaining approval implementation of standard operating procedures in compliance with laws and ordinances for all LAAS locations. This also includes timely and proficient performance management oversight for BF staff and job descriptions for BF staff and volunteers, as well as training with LAAS staff in assistance with LAAS leadership.

• Manage communications within Best Friends, ensuring everyone is updated on progress and challenges and kept abreast of lifesaving progress to goal. Work with Executive Director to extend that to other communities and LAAS stakeholders. Identify opportunities for content (stories, videos, pictures, testimonials), marketing, public relations, communications, and development to showcase progress on local and national platforms. Oversee the data collection for the KPI and shelter programs including shelter and field stats and update HERO and KPl's accordingly. Build relationships in the LAAS and broader LA community to improve awareness and image of the shelter, grow partnerships with local organizations, increase brand exposure for Best Friends, and increase opportunities for safety, better shelter practices and reduction in shelter death in neighboring communities.

• Establish and track key quantitative and qualitative success metrics, ensuring alignment with mission impact, organizational priorities and collaboration across teams.

Leadership

• Responsible for collaboration with other LAAS teams and volunteers to communicate and implement strategic direction for the LA project. The collaboration responsibility is vital to prioritize and maximize services to advance and measure the plan work, both shared and independent.

• Elevate programming stories and achievements for promotion and increased industry credibility and to maintain strong interdepartmental/divisional relationships to ensure we are supporting one another's goals as appropriate.

• Provide thought leadership, strategy, business planning, and tactical guidance ensuring work maximizes value towards Best Friends' LAAS shared plan and goals; stay abreast of external changes in animal welfare and community support systems; work with leadership to support the Sanctuary's value and contributions to organizational objectives.

• Ensure and execute key relationship building with community partners, city officials, community members and other key stakeholders to increase strategic partnerships to implement community strategies and/or grow unengaged partners into the Best Friends Network.

• Generate ideas and content topics on animal welfare industry-related thought leadership for BF leadership and board communication channels including PR, blog, and social media.

Skills and Experience:

• A minimum of least 3 years of director level, or higher, animal shelter leadership and management experience related to the essential responsibilities, including overseeing large-scale strategy, operations, budgeting and staffing, preferably including oversight of high intake and multiple locations and/or facilities within a municipal shelter system.

• Familiarity and knowledge of the Los Angeles Animal Services system is required.

• Previous experience working with unions within an animal shelter system is required.

• Strengths and experience in utilizing statistical information to inform, develop and implement division and department level strategic plans, including change management strategies and program direction; proven attention to detail with advanced organizational and time management skills.

• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with nonjudgmental philosophies.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to act decisively with a get-it-done attitude in difficult and fast-paced situations; strong interpersonal skills, a team player, upbeat, energetic, tactful, and diplomatic, able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.

• Excellent communication skills, public speaking, and presentation experience with the ability to professionally advocate Best Friends' position on issues; experience in supporting, engaging with, and developing relationships with volunteers and donors.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software and Asana, or desire to learn, comfort learning new systems, including online information systems.

Physical Requirements:

• Work at a computer for extended periods of time with repetitive typing, arm, and hand motion. Sit, stand, or walk for extended periods of time.

• Bend, stoop, reach, climb, twist, crawl, and lift up to 50 pounds.

• Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.

• Ability to be in a shelter environment and work in the presence of both cats and dogs, including organizations that are not yet no-kill. 

• Exposure to and ability to safely and humanely engage with dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status as well as the ability to drive transports with animals.

• Must have a valid driver's license and be eligible to be covered by Best Friends’ vehicle insurance.

• Must possess the ability and means to regularly travel to various locations on a flexible schedule as an essential function of this position.

• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.