Animal Care Manager

Rhode Island Parrot Rescue | West Warwick, RI

Volunteer To-Hire | On-Site

 

Department: Facility Operations

JOB SUMMARY: RIPR’s Animal Care Manager oversees the care of our flock by providing food, water, medical attention, record keeping, and a squeaky-clean environment

VISION:  The Animal Care Manager manages the process in which parrots move through our facility to ensure that each parrot spends the least amount of time required in the rescue while living the “5 freedoms”; aligning with our mission. The Five Freedoms:

  1. Freedom from thirst or hunger

  2. Freedom from pain or injury

  3. Freedom from disease

  4. Freedom to express themselves 

  5. Freedom from fear or distress.

INTRODUCTION:  RIPR is looking for an Animal Care Manager who is great at seeing the big picture, as well as the little details, and is always striving to make lives better for the animals in our care. We need someone who approaches challenges with enthusiasm and optimism and knows how to get the job done right. 

This position is supervised by:           Facility Director, Executive Director

DUTIES:

Serving measured feedings, providing clean water, monitoring, and noting health observations and concerns, assist management staff and avian veterinarian with medical procedures, establish procedures of animal care, inventory, preparing food supply orders, and assorted daily tasks such as sanitizing cages, changing cage dressings, set up handicap environments, laundry, and various others. Training Animal Care Specialists to adhere to RIPR’s mission and animal handling policies.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB INCLUDE:

Supervisory Responsibilities

  1. Together with Director welcome onboard, train and engage new staff.

  2. Together with Volunteer Coordinator, onboard, train and engage volunteers.

  3. Schedule, train, coach, and provide feedback to staff including performance reviews and disciplinary action.

  4. Implement a variety of methods of communication with staff & volunteers including department meetings, one-on-one’s, other verbal, or written communication methods as determined to be effective with your team.

Administrative/Organizational Responsibilities

  1. Responsible for overall animal care. Together with leadership team members, enrichment coordinator and director, adjust to animal processes to improve quality of life for animals in our care using the ASPCA’s 5 Freedoms as a guide.

  2. Create, maintain and distribute departmental logs including, but not limited to: cleaning, feeding, animal inventory, product inventory, daily rounds, and aspects of animal flow not obviously under the responsibility of another department.

  3. Plan and execute fun, engaging and informative training for staff on animal care

  4. Responsible for and member of the feather rounds committee, which oversees parrot path/flow planning and recommendations for individual birds. Assess current rounds process and reconfigure as needed for maximized efficiency. Document daily rounds process in google drive form.

  5. Responsible for ensuring accurate animal inventory daily, with RIPR Basecamp software. Work closely with leadership team to ensure all staff responsible are trained and accountable for tasks related to flock.

  6. Monitor and report animal length of stay (LOS), identify bottlenecks leading to increased LOS and work with leadership team to expedite animal flow.

  7. Participate in the on-call manager rotation (+/- 1 week per month) for after-hours emergencies both via phone and in-person at the shelter. This responsibility includes making decisions for and performing euthanasia when an animal is irremediably suffering.

Departmental Responsibilities

  1. Assess current processes for care, feeding and cleaning of animals, and reconfigure as needed to ensure the 5 Freedoms are met or exceeded

  2. Assess opportunities for volunteers to assist with the workload in Animal Care by becoming part of the team.

  3. Create inventory system for food, cleaning supplies and enrichment within the first 90 days in this position.

  4. Inventory of animal food, and cleaning supplies

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS:

  1. Required

  • Patience

  • Positive, optimistic outlook

  • Inherent love for animals

  • Minimum of two years of supervisory or management experience

  • Problem solving skills

  • Parrot handling experience

  • Demonstrated understanding of companion animal behavior

  • Volunteer minimum 12 months, or 2-year degree related to veterinary

  • Skills in working independently as well as on teams

  • Proven ability to handle multiple tasks in a busy workplace environment

  • Must complete RIPR’s OAC or Volunteer Training Modules (coming 2023)

  • Excellent communication skills – both verbal and written

  • Basic common sense with knowledge of parrot husbandry that aligns with our mission

  • Must be able to handle the physical and emotional aspect of working in an animal rescue environment

  • Advanced computer skills (database software administration and reporting, office, etc.)

  • Willingness to participate in one fundraising event per year

WORKING CONDITIONS:

  1. Indoors in a high noise air-conditioned/heated building, outdoors at shelter or on-location for various activities

  2. Equipment use:

  • Includes use of PC, printer, copy machine, telephone, hand tools, cleaning equipment and supplies

  • Work hours may vary

  • AM shift 8a-11a, PM shift 2p-5p

  • Weekend hours 9a-3pm

  • Evening and weekend and holiday hours will be required

  • Shared on-call responsibilities (via phone/BaseCamp and in person at the rescue)

This position is ultimately fun and rewarding, but it places certain demands on mind and body. 

You must be prepared for:

  • Regular exposure to animals and their bodily fluids, cleaning feces, dust, bites, bumps, and bruises.

  • Developing self-care skills to combat compassion fatigue

  • Heavy lifting and/or moving up to 100 pounds with assistance

  • Regular upright movement, such as standing or walking

  • Working independently, with minimal supervision

  • Working indoors in a high noise air-conditioned/heated building, outdoors at the shelter, or on-location for various activities

 

This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related duties required by their supervisor. This document does not create an employment contract implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship

Think this position is for you? Reply and send your resume to riparrots@gmail.com. 

About Rhode Island Parrot Rescue

Rhode Island Parrot Rescue is the only 501(c)3 nonprofit rescue in the state of Rhode Island to focus exclusively on rescuing, rehabilitating, and placing exotic birds into qualified homes for adoption. A small, independent rescue, RIPR houses an average of 60 parrots at any given time and adopts on average up to 85 per year into loving homes.

Victoria Catherine