San Diego Humane Society is hiring a Senior Director of Humane Law Enforcement!

How you’ll impact our mission:

At San Diego Humane Society, we’re united by our mission to Inspire Compassion. The goal of the Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) department is to ensure every animal receives proper care as required by law. We accomplish this goal by educating owners about proper care for their animals, responding to reports of animal cruelty or neglect and following up with pet owners after initial citations.

 

In this highly visible leadership role, you’ll be responsible for the direct oversight and operation management of our HLE department, which includes investigations, case management, emergency and disaster response, officer training, collaboration with local animal welfare, police, legal counsel, and court officials. You will also participate in a variety of other administrative and strategic functions.

 

This is a rare opportunity to lead humane law enforcement efforts at one of the largest and most innovative animal welfare organizations in the country!

 

What’s in it for you?

At SDHS, we’re proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and commit to being a place where every person – staff, volunteer, and guest – can feel a sense of belonging. We support and invest in employees through conscious delivery of benefits and a workplace environment based on our Core Values.

 

As an employee you’ll enjoy:

• Competitive pay and paid time-off (including your Birthday Day Off!)
• Comprehensive benefits package, training and well-being programs
• 403(b) retirement plan with 5% match after 1 year
• Free pet adoptions, pet vaccines and spay/neuter services
• Relocation and temporary housing available
• …and so much more!

 

What you’ll do:

Leadership and Strategic Initiatives

• Provide direct supervisory responsibility for HLE Managers.
• Oversee departmental management of caseload, Animal Services Contract deliverables as they relate to HLE and investigation of reported cruelty cases, witness interviews, suspect interrogations, preparation and execution of search and seizure warrants, managing evidence and chain of custody protocols, educational outreach programs and report writing.
• Oversee HLE functions such as cruelty investigations and disaster and emergency response. Serves as Incident Commander for SDHS participation in emergency and disaster response.
• Enthusiastically assist the public and other staff in all SDHS programs and special events. Motivate and assist in leading a high-performance management team; attract, recruit, develop and retain management team members.
• Implement and lead a continuous quality improvement process, focusing on systems/process improvement. Utilize data to identify strengths and opportunities. Promote regular and ongoing opportunities for all staff to give feedback on department operations. Ensure alignment within the department.

Relationships and Collaboration

• Work with the VP of Community Engagement, the Senior Director of Volunteer Engagement and other staff members to promote active and broad participation by volunteers.
• Work closely with the other operations leadership at all campuses regarding the necessary care requirements for animals held for cruelty cases.
• Work closely with the Government Affairs and Humane Law Enforcement teams to support the municipal animal field services and animal services contracts.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with other animal welfare organizations (e.g., San Diego Animal Welfare Coalition members), local municipal government officials, law enforcement agencies, District Attorney’s offices, court officials and municipal representatives.

 

General

• Oversee training and certification for HLE staff, updating Employee Engagement as required.
• Promote the culture of continuous improvement and lead teams to new levels of excellence through evolving methodologies and process improvement.
• Oversee the management of the Emergency Response Team (ERT), Reserve Officer and Intern Programs.
• Perform Duties of Humane Officer and Animal Cruelty Investigator, as needed.

 

What we’re looking for:

• Must have a Bachelor’s degree in Administration of Justice, Animal Science, or related field.
• Must have a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible related experience in animal control or animal services in an animal welfare organization and five (5) years’ supervisory experience, or an equivalent combination of related experience and education.
• Certified Animal Welfare Administrator preferred.
• Ability to motivate and manage a diverse team of people with varying degrees of experience.
• Must successfully complete Peace Officer Standards and Training, 832 and CA state-approved humane academy and satisfy the requirements of Section 1029, 1030, and 1031 of the Government Code within one year of employment.
• Must be willing to be vaccinated against tetanus, Hepatitis C, rabies or other diseases as deemed appropriate by the SDHS for the health and safety of the employee and others.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be approved by SDHS insurance carrier to drive a company or personal vehicle for work purposes.

The ideal candidate will have personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and commitment to the SDHS mission – you’re a proactive, hands-on strategic thinker with solid experience in bringing unity and cohesiveness to diverse teams, ad hoc work groups, task forces, and other interdepartmental collaborations.

 

Other relevant skills should include experience making public statements regarding law enforcement cases and strong report writing skills with the ability to synthesize and distill information that can be understood by both laypersons and law enforcement officials.

Location: Based at our San Diego campus, with expected travel between campuses and in the field. This position has the potential for remote work some days of the week.

Pay: The salary range for this position starts at $120,546 per year, with a midpoint of $150,682. The actual salary is determined by your related education and experience. Relocation and temporary housing negotiable.

 

If you’re compassionate, honest, and trustworthy and excited to participate in animal investigations and rescue operations, we’d love to talk to you. Click here to apply!