Summary:

The ASPCA recognizes that one of the persistent challenges facing animal welfare is ensuring pets across the country have access to essential veterinary care. Our commitment to solving this problem is reflected in the organization’s 2025 Access to Veterinary Care Programmatic Area of Focus. The ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH) supports this focus in our three priority areas: Direct Care, Teaching, and Research. 

AAH provides expert, urgent medical care to some of NYC’s most vulnerable animals. As a component of the NYC safety net system, we provide subsidized care for animals whose owners are experiencing financial challenges and could not otherwise afford medical care for their pet. We also provide medical care for animals who come to us through our internal partners, including victims of cruelty and neglect as part of our partnership with the NYPD.

In AAH’s direct care work, we develop and use less costly, yet effective protocols to address common medical conditions with good prognoses in the patients we serve. In our teaching programs, we influence the next generation of veterinary professionals by teaching our access to care philosophies and techniques to our veterinary interns, fellows, and externs and veterinary technician interns. And in our research work, we test treatment protocols to identify effective, lower cost options to common conditions and share our findings with the broader veterinary community to influence others to provide greater access to care. 

Under the umbrella of AAH, also sit the Animal Recovery Center (ARC) and the Canine Annex for Recovery and Enrichment (CARE). The goal of ARC and CARE are to recover and rehabilitate animals admitted through NYPD and the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) and Community Engagement (CE) programs and to prepare them for adoption.

What you’ll do/Job Summary:

Are you someone who thrives on managing a busy and complex operation and is committed to animals living good lives?  Are you a strong communicator who builds high-performing teams?  Do you love using data to make decisions? Can you tackle complex problems across a large organization? If so, then this position is for you! 

The Senior Director, Operations (SDO) is responsible for a broad range of activities to ensure that the entire hospital team runs effectively, group-wide issues are raised and addressed, and the department has appropriate guidance and support to be a high-performing team. The SDO is responsible for building and implementing a strategic financial plan for a $21M budget to ensure that we utilize our resources responsibly and effectively deliver outstanding service to multiple internal and external clients.

This position requires a tremendous amount of initiative and collaboration, focused on team leadership and the planning and implementation of a variety of analytical, supervisory, and technical functions.  Moreover, the SDO will manage our Billing Operations team to ensure high-quality customer service, culturally competent care, and adherence to our financial guidelines.  Finally, this person will report to and heavily partner with the Vice President to promote departmental excellence in accordance with our organizational core values and strategic framework.  The SDO is a key member of the AAH, ARC, and CARE Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

This position is a 4-day/10-hour/day position working Tuesday through Friday.  Two days can be remote, and two days are in the office in close proximity to the operations team.  You will work ~4 Saturdays a year and be on-call on Saturdays 4 months of the year. 

To apply, please complete our application and upload a cover letter that outlines how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of this position.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Operational Strategy and Execution (35%):

• In conjunction with the VP, develop a financial vision and strategy to support our mission of being a research and teaching hospital and to maximize the number of patients we treat.
• Utilize advanced data analytics techniques to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities within operational processes, driving informed decision-making and optimizing efficiency across departments.
• Develop department Objectives, Activities, and Key Results (OAKRs) with SLT in alignment with the ASPCA’s areas of focus.
• Track, monitor, and regularly report on our OAKR status throughout the year.
• Build the budget for all three departments (AAH, ARC, and CARE), working with various stakeholders on each team.
• Track and monitor budget performance and proactively address any problem areas that need enhanced cost control.
• Resolve operational problems proactively and keep lines of communication open with staff to ensure responsiveness and productivity.
• Assist SLT in evaluating new opportunities and devising strategic plans to implement them.
• Partner with other teams in the organization to streamline the client, patient, and employee experience across teams.
• Promote communication and relationship development between AAH, ARC, and CARE and with other parts of our organization.
• Regularly present out our operational and strategic plans to staff, partners in the organization, executive leadership, and our CEO.

Team Leadership (35%):

• Facilitate AAH Leadership, quarterly team meetings, and All-Staff meetings, creating the agenda and guiding productive team discussion.
• Guide the AAH Leadership Team in identifying, collecting, monitoring, and interpreting important indicators that will inform sound decision-making as well as training and development plans.
• Establish systems for regular communication and celebration to support a positive work environment.
• Collaborate with Leadership Team members, identifying and developing opportunities for mutual ownership and enhanced teamwork throughout the department.
• In conjunction with the Leadership Team and the Learning and Development Team, assess team learning needs and implement new learning programs, including peer coaching/mentoring, e-learning, and off-site learning.
• With the VP, promote and ensure the continual and consistent practice of organizational core values throughout the entire team.
• Collaborate with Strategy and Research to provide both strategic and tactical support for ongoing research projects.
• Own miscellaneous team projects to ensure best-in-class team operations.

People Management (30%):

• Provide leadership to ensure operations teams meet or exceed annual performance targets while operating within budget. Manage Director of Financial Services, Director of Training & Education, and Office Manager. Co-manage the Client Program Liaisons with the Adoptions Department to ensure a consistent, friendly, and cohesive experience for anyone who enters our 92nd Street ASPCA location.
• Prioritize nurturing growth and development of your team members to help them reach their full potential, while achieving operational goals for the department.
• Conduct bi-annual skip-level meetings with all operations team members to drive engagement and support continuous personal and professional growth.
• Guide the Director of Financial Services in building and maintaining strong-performing teams, utilizing training and continuous feedback to ensure the teams have what they need to be successful.
• Guide the Director of Financial Services in the development and improvement of simple, smart, and effective policies and practices.
• Support staff in handling of any adverse client or patient events appropriately and professionally.
• Support the Director of Training & Education to further the capabilities of the entire department in adult-learning skills and practices.

Exemplifies the ASPCA’s Core Values:

• Has Commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals
• Demonstrates Ownership and feels responsible for outcomes
• Believes in Team – that we are stronger together
• Seeks to Elevate others and reimagine what is possible
• Focuses on Impact, specifically making change for animals

Knowledge & Skills Requirements:

• Highly motivated self-starter who can provide strategic thought leadership and lead projects with limited guidance
• Understands organizational systems and structures, teamwork, and project management
• Proven record of sound management skills for a diverse range of positions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to synthesize complex information, communicate key messages and influence organizational thinking
• Confidence and composure required to effectively communicate with senior management
• Ability to work well under pressure, adapt to changing circumstances, make decisions quickly and juggle multiple priorities simultaneously
• Strong track record of managing/navigating wide-ranging organizations and processes
• Proven problem-solver and generator of new ideas with strong sense of key business issues and opportunities
• Ability to develop and sustain successful, productive relationships
• Strong sense of integrity and discretion; ability to handle sensitive information and issues while maintaining complete confidentiality
• Advanced computer skills, especially Excel

Compensation and Benefits:

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future. 

The target hiring range for this role is $140,000 - $150,000.

For more information on our benefits offerings, visit our website.

Stay Connected – Join Our Talent Community:

If you are interested in joining our team but do not see a position listed that fits your experience or interests, please join our Talent Community to stay connected to future opportunities with the ASPCA.

 Our EEO Policy:

The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws.  A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA.  Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status,  or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).

Please don’t forget to attach your resume to complete your application.

Qualifications:

See above for qualifications details.

  

Language:

English (Required)

Education and Work Experience:

Bachelors (Required)

  

Experience working with unions preferred, Minimum of 5 years operational management and leadership experience in a large business, non-profit, or veterinary practice, Significant experience in fiscal and budget management

Our EEO Policy:

The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws.  A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA.  Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status,  or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).