Animal Manager Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

Foothills Animal Shelter seeks an Animal Experience Manager who believes exceptional animal care is shaped by more than daily husbandry. This role brings together people, systems, and strategy to ensure every animal in our care benefits from thoughtful decisions, strong collaboration, and a shelter designed to help them thrive.

Who We Are

As an open admissions shelter, we are committed to being here for families and their pets in Jefferson County, Colorado. We identify as a socially conscious shelter, caring for over 9,000 dogs, cats, and small animals every year with a compassionate team of staff and volunteers who are committed to the physical and emotional wellbeing of every pet we serve.

• You build bridges. You value collaboration and know the best solutions come from bringing people together across teams, perspectives, and areas of expertise.
• You improve what you inherit. You don't expect systems to be perfect, but you also don't accept that they can't be better. You enjoy understanding root causes, removing barriers, and building thoughtful, practical solutions.
• You help people thrive. You enjoy creating an environment where people feel supported, empowered, and encouraged to grow.
• You exercise sound judgment. You know when to act quickly, when to listen, and how to balance the needs of individual animals with the realities of an open-admission shelter.
• You create momentum. You bring calm, curiosity, and thoughtful problem-solving to a fast-paced environment, helping others stay focused on possibilities and the next right step.
• You believe in our mission. You're excited to help build a community where pets and people can thrive together.

• Oversee shelter population management, animal movement, and housing strategy to support capacity for care, timely progression through the shelter, and the best animal experience possible.
• Lead and develop two Animal Care Supervisors who oversee a team of 10–14 Animal Care Technicians and Leads.
• Partner with peers across the organization to identify and remove barriers to an animal’s progression.
• Develop, implement, and maintain standard operating procedures that reflect current best practices in animal welfare and sheltering.
• Use shelter data and daily observations to identify opportunities to improve length of stay, organizational efficiency, and the animal experience.

• Let’s start with the obvious: we offer truly meaningful work that positively impacts the lives of thousands of animals each year.
• You will work with a team of animal welfare professionals who work hard, care deeply, and are 100% dedicated to the well-being of our shelter animals.
• We strive for a healthy work-life balance, and we offer generous time off including six paid holidays, additional floating holidays (awarded annually on your employment anniversary), three weeks of accrued vacation, and paid sick leave.
• We offer a full spectrum of employee benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, and a retirement plan with up to 4% employer match and immediate vesting. Currently, two of our medical plans and our dental and vision plans are offered at no cost for employee-only coverage.
• The salary range for this position is $60,000 - $65,000 annually, commensurate with experience.
• Foothills Animal Shelter is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer.

• 2 years of supervisory experience, including experience training and leading a team
• Prior experience in animal sheltering or a similar professional animal care field
• Demonstrated aptitude for safe animal handling, including dogs, cats, and small animals
• Physical ability to stand and walk for extended periods on hard surfaces, lift and carry up to 50 pounds regularly, and handle dogs of all sizes, including dogs weighing over 100 pounds
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions year-round
• Ability to maintain regular and reliable attendance to ensure consistent coverage for essential daily operations

• 40 hours per week with at least one weekend day required
• Schedule will include some holidays

For a full list of duties and qualifications, view the complete job description here.

Education and Experience

• 2 years of experience in a supervisory role required
• Prior experience in animal sheltering or similar professional animal care field required
• Prior experience in a physical work environment preferred
• Prior experience training and leading a team

Licenses and Certifications

• Must obtain and maintain euthanasia certification within six months of hire
• Must obtain and maintain rabies pre-exposure vaccination series within six months of hire
• Must obtain Fear Free Shelter certification within 60 days of employment
• Valid driver license with insurable driving record preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated aptitude for safe animal handling including dogs, cats, and small animals
• High attention to detail and ability to complete work without supervision
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills
• Ability to utilize effective problem solving/decision making skills
• Ability to extend compassion and empathy to staff and volunteers under a variety of circumstances
• Ability to maintain confidentiality when dealing with proprietary information and sensitive situations
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with a variety of people and personality types
• Basic proficiency with computers; ability to learn and use cloud-based shelter management software for daily recordkeeping
• Ability to maintain professional composure and emotional resilience when working with sick, injured, or at-risk animals

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods on hard surfaces with minimal sedentary work
• Ability to bend, twist, kneel, and squat frequently throughout the shift
• Ability to lift, carry, and move up to 50 pounds regularly throughout the shift
• Ability to handle dogs of all sizes on leash, including dogs weighing over 100 pounds
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions year-round including heat, cold, rain, and snow
• Ability to push and pull loaded carts, kennels, and equipment regularly throughout the shift
• Ability to reach above shoulder height and below knee level frequently throughout the shift
• Ability to work in confined spaces including animal kennels and housing areas
• Ability to work safely on wet and slippery floor surfaces throughout the shift

Working Conditions

• Eight- to Ten-hour shifts with at least one weekend day required; schedule will include holidays
• Noise, odors, chemical fumes, and animal hair/dander are encountered due to equipment and animals
• Exposure to common allergens including animal dander, feathers, hay/straw, latex, peanut butter, dairy products, and other food items used for animal enrichment
• Exposure to zoonotic diseases and infectious agents through contact with animals and their bodily fluids (urine, feces, vomit, blood, saliva)
• Exposure to cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, and sanitizing agents used in animal care and facility maintenance
• Exposure to emotionally challenging situations including sick or injured animals; euthanasia procedures; and end-of-life decision-making
• Frequent hand washing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required
• Subject to animal bites and scratches
• Work in areas with fluctuating temperatures, humidity, and limited climate control

Equipment Used

• Computer using Microsoft Office, e-mail, and cloud-based data management software
• Chemicals and cleaning tools to provide care for the animals
• Animal handling equipment and tools including leashes, hide boxes, shields, and gloves

About Foothills Animal Shelter: Foothills Animal Shelter is an open admission shelter serving the Jefferson County community. We are a Fear Free Certified Shelter, adhering to force free and positive reinforcement philosophies, and are a Socially Conscious Animal Shelter, seeking the best possible outcomes for the animals at our shelter and our community. Each year, we shelter almost 9,000 dogs, cats, and small animals with the help of our skilled and experienced teams of staff and volunteers. In addition to adoptions, we offer a wide range of services including lost and found pet reunification, pet licensing for Jefferson County, and supportive programs like Better Together, which helps keep pets and families together during times of hardship. Foothills Animal Shelter operates under an intergovernmental agreement between Jefferson County and the cities of Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Westminster, and Wheat Ridge.    

Benefits: Foothills Animal Shelter offers a competitive total compensation package. Full-time employees become eligible for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, and an array of supplemental benefits after 60 days of employment. Foothills offers coverage of the premiums for employee-only medical, dental, vision, and long-term disability plans. Full-time employees earn sick and vacation time each pay period, plus six recognized holidays. After six months of employment, employees who complete eligibility requirements may enroll in a 401K retirement plan that we will match up to 4%.  Foothills Animal Shelter is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer.