Chief Dog Warden

Position Summary

This critical leadership position is a pivotal opportunity for a results-driven, growth-minded leader. We are looking for a seasoned professional to become part of a vibrant team and lead the Dog Warden department with vision, strategic thinking and executional excellence - one who has the internal discipline to work effectively within the freedom and autonomy inherent in a start-up entity to achieve extraordinary results. The successful candidate is one who can rise above the day-to-day demands of the job to take a holistic approach to program development, using data to make decisions, and execute a strategic response. This person has deep law enforcement knowledge, strong leadership skills, and a successful history of collaboration and management. The ideal candidate is unsatisfied with the status quo and actively seeks and accepts feedback and opportunities for improvement. The Chief Dog Warden will lead the Dog Warden department, comprised of a Field Operations Manager, Field Training Officer and approximately 8 deputies. The Chief will interface with the community as a leader of CAC. We have high expectations and are committed to hiring a performance-minded individual who has a track record of growing and developing people, and producing remarkable results.

Under the direction of the Executive Director and in collaboration with executive leadership, the Chief Dog Warden is responsible for compassionate high-quality, community-based field services, protecting animals and people through the enforcement of state and local animal control laws within the jurisdiction of Hamilton County. The Chief is also responsible for overseeing the operations of our Humane Agents, conducting criminal investigations of alleged violations, enforcing laws to protect animals, and prosecuting acts of animal cruelty and neglect. The successful candidate will have the ability to balance law enforcement requirements and the need to endorse the Ohio Revised Code with the goals of a progressive, lifesaving, animal services organization. We are seeking an animal services professional who shares our commitment to building programs and services that support the organization's live outcome goals and one who can work collaboratively with shelter leadership to divert intake in the field to align with community support initiatives, when appropriate. The Chief will be tasked to build trust in the community through messaging that balances community engagement with enforcement. They will serve as the law enforcement face of the organization, interacting with county officials, prosecutors and other municipal, city and county law enforcement agencies. The Chief will direct the Field Operations Manager, who is responsible for internal day-to-day operations of the Dog Warden department.

Ours is a fast-paced, stressful, high-stakes industry. The successful candidate will thrive in an environment of uncertainty and ambiguity, rising to the challenges inherent in a start-up entity. This is a unique opportunity for an entrepreneurial-minded self-starter to make a significant impact and build a legacy through innovative program development in a professionally supportive, intellectually-stimulating environment.

Primary Responsibilities

The Chief Dog Warden will be responsible for setting department strategy, identifying key performance metrics and delivering exceptional results. This person must be able to “build the plane while flying it”. Key responsibilities include:

• Develop, prioritize and align strategic initiatives with executive leadership
• Effectively oversee the enforcement of Chapter 955 of the Ohio Revised Code
• Work with the executive leadership to solve problems and ensure a cohesive approach to animal services
• Form and leverage strong internal and external relationships to facilitate a community approach to lifesaving; effectively collaborate up, down and across the organization to executional excellence and operational efficiency
• Develop, foster and leverage strong relationships with law enforcement agencies
• Enable the Field Operating Manager and Deputies through coaching, development and resourcing
• Define key performance measures and metrics for the Dog Warden department
• Analyze data and turn insights from data into action to drive better results
• Coordinates with the County Prosecuting Attorney as needed in review and preparation of cases
• Ensure CAC is operating in a manner consistent with ASV Guidelines for care in Dog Warden operations
• Receives and maintain various records and reports such as call logs, Dangerous Dog declarations, bite reports/rabies exposures, field service statistics, animal seizure/disposition court orders, court dockets, and service complaints
• Ownership of department staff development - hiring, training, performance management, retention and career pathways
• Provide regular progress reports to the Executive Director, Board of Directors and County Commissioners
• Keep animal outcome pathways top of mind, ensuring animals flow through the system as quickly as possible
• Ability to make tough decisions and gain consensus through decisiveness, transparency, humility and respectful communications
• Develop a financial budget for department and manage to budget

Required Skills and Mastery

• Knowledge of county and state ordinances, specifically the Ohio Revised Code 955 and 956
• Ability to collect evidence and work with county prosecutors to successfully pursue cruelty charges
• Demonstrate animal handling skills, including safe handling of fractious animals and understanding how to use animal control equipment
• Ability to write citations and comprehensive reports free of spelling and grammatical errors
• Fluency in setting KPIs, forecasting and budgeting to deliver and execute a robust action-oriented plan that is aligned with organizational goals and objectives
• Anticipate and identify problems, and proactively seeks solutions in the absence of perfect data; practices excellent and creative problem-solving skills
• Practices dynamic, holistic and critical thinking that consistently delivers exceptional results while maintaining alignment on timelines and targets
• Demonstrates decisive decision-making
• Highly-effective communicator up, down, across and outside the organization
• Strong leadership skills to support organizational transition in times of uncertainty
• Ability to engage, empower, enable, energize and lead others within department and cross-functionally
• Effective cross-functional collaborator who works cooperatively with other leaders to find new and better approaches
• Experience successfully working for either a start-up or high-growth organization is a real plus
• Collaborative approach to working with other leaders to find new and better solutions

Professional Attributes

• Unwavering composure, integrity, and professional maturity
• Passionate for animal care and welfare
• Authentic leader and partner - ability to lead by forming productive cross-functional teams, showing respect for what the team has accomplished while bringing break-through thinking and solutions to improve the performance of the business
• Superior inspirational qualities - one who creates an atmosphere where people work together enthusiastically and cooperatively to produce outstanding results; one who attracts top talent from outside the organization while developing strong teams within
• Operates with a sense of urgency driven by a recognition that we are in a lifesaving business
• Innovative mindset- inspired and unafraid to bring something new to this space
• Results-oriented - ability to drive results to plan with full accountability
• Nimble - demonstrates learning agility, proactively shifting efforts as trends and business variables change
• Growth-minded - self-reflective, humble and open; seeks, welcomes and incorporates, professional feedback with an authentic commitment to improve and grow
• Inquisitive- has a history of seeking out best practices and successfully assimilating them into their organization
• Embodies unwavering commitment to CAC’s values and positive workplace culture

Qualifications/Educational Background:

• 7 years of law enforcement experience
• 7 years of leadership experience managing a variance of teams, including entry level and management
• 5 years of animal services experience preferred
• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Valid Ohio Driver’s License
• Licensed to carry firearm

Schedule and Availability:

• This is a 40 hour, exempt position
• Must have availability after-hours and on off-days for emergencies, consultation, and advisement to Officers, medical and shelter leadership, and Executive Leadership Team as needed

Salary and Benefits:

• Range $75,000-$90,000 dependent on experience and skill-level
• Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 403b, PTO, EAP, Professional Development

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $75,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• Day shift
• Holidays
• Night shift
• On call
• Weekends as needed

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Cincinnati, OH 45223: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Experience:

• law enforcment: 7 years (Preferred)
• Leadership: 7 years (Preferred)
• animal: 5 years (Preferred)

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $75,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• Holidays
• On call
• Rotating shift
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person

Salary : $75,000 - $90,000