Senior Manager: Behaviour and Population Management

The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) is seeking an experienced and strategic leader to grow and lead our Behaviour and Population Management function. This newly created role combines deep technical expertise in animal behaviour, animal welfare, and shelter population management with strong people leadership. The successful candidate will build and lead programs, teams, and strategies that support positive animal welfare outcomes while balancing the complex operational demands of a animal welfare organization.

This is a full-time, in-person position based in Ottawa, with an anticipated start date of January 2027.

The Senior Manager: Behaviour and Population Management leads the behaviour strategy and performance, foster programming, and animal population management from intake through outcome, ensuring evidence-informed behavioural care, effective use of foster and placement pathways, and timely, welfare-centered decisions.

• Research, develop, implement, manage, monitor, and evaluate all aspects of OHS Intervention Services, Foster, and Animal Population programs and services
• Determine short- and long-term tactics and strategies to achieve department and organizational strategic goals
• Guide and support manager, supervisor, and coordinator leads in functional areas of responsibility
• Assess, monitor and evaluate functional areas, including formally reporting on and providing statistical analysis of programs and trends
• Lead cross department collaboration with other OHS programs and departments to ensure successful delivery of functional areas
• Develop and maintain excellent relationships with OHS partners and stakeholders to achieve department goals
• Be aware and make use of community resources
• Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of best practices and trends in social, environmental and cultural issues relating to animal care and welfare and behavioural and educational programming
• Develop, implement, evaluate and ensure adherence to standard operating procedures within assigned functional areas
• Develop, manage, and ensure adherence to department program budgets
• Provide advice and assistance to other managers, directors, CEO, and OHS Board and committees as required
• Manage and coordinate department resources
• Be thoroughly familiar with and ensure adherence to pertinent legislation, regulations, contracts, guidelines, OHS mission, policies, procedures, plans and collective agreement
• Prepare and deliver written and verbal presentations including media appearances
• Produce and maintain accurate reports, records, and files
• Manage department administrative files and human resources documents and files
• Participate in supervision, evaluation, training, and other meetings as required
• Lead and manage department staff and volunteers including orientation, training, performance management, and daily supervision
• Provide training, orientation and supervision for students and work placements as required
• Hire, fire and discipline staff in consultation with Director: Operations and People and Culture
• Be familiar with and ensure compliance with all health and safety policies and procedures
• Participate in the identification and evaluation of OHS program goals and objectives
• Participate in professional development opportunities
• Participate in public relations and promotional activities as required
• May be required to assume some of the responsibilities of the Director: Operations

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in animal behaviour, animal science, animal welfare, veterinary technology, zoology, psychology, or a related discipline
• A recognized professional certification in animal behaviour, training, or a related field is preferred
• Demonstrated technical expertise in applied animal behaviour, including behavioural assessment, behaviour modification, enrichment, welfare-centred decision-making, and the application of evidence-informed practices to improve animal outcomes.
• A minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in animal behaviour, preferably in a humane society, animal shelter, or other animal welfare setting, including experience managing complex behavioural cases and applying behavioural expertise to program development and animal placement decisions
• Minimum of six years staff management experience
• Full professional proficiency in spoken and written English is required

• Employee may be required to work occasional evening, holiday and weekend shifts
• Employee will be required to be available to respond to after-hours emergencies as needed
• Employment is conditional upon the ability to provide services in a safe manner, including, but not limited to, lifts and transfers of large animals and interaction with potentially aggressive animals
• Employment is conditional upon having and maintaining a valid driver's license
• Employment is conditional upon maintaining confidentiality of OHS information
• Employment is conditional upon the ability to work around all species of animals safely

The Ottawa Humane Society is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workplace and encourage applications from all qualified individuals of any race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, or other protected characteristic. We offer accommodation for applicants with disabilities in our recruitment processes. If you are contacted by the OHS regarding a job opportunity, please let us know prior to interview if you require any accommodation.

We use AI-powered tools to review and shortlist applications based on job-related criteria. Human recruiters and hiring managers review results and decide who moves forward.

This posting is for a new role.

The schedule is Monday - Friday 75 hours bi-weekly. May be required to work occasional evening, holiday and weekday shifts.