Animal Care Manager

Job Title Animal Care Manager

Hire Type - Direct Hire

Work Location - Minneapolis/MN

Applicant Eligibility- USC, GC, EAD

Start Date Immediate Upon Selection

Required Experience & Competency

• We are hiring for the position of Animal Care Manager. This position will be responsible for supervising and directing the activities of approximately half of the departments 10 animal care supervisors in collaboration with a second Animal Care Manager. Together, the Animal Care Managers and Supervisors oversee a team of nearly 100 people responsible for the care of laboratory animals. This management role is intended to provide another level of support to the supervisors and staff in the department, ensuring all safety, sanitation, and research requirements are followed and that the needed resources (human, facilities, and equipment) are available. The manager will also be asked to lead and oversee various husbandry-related projects.
  

• The work duties for this position are complex and varied and will require the interpretation of technical and detailed guidelines, policies, and procedures. Analytical ability is needed to gather and interpret data and information to aid in making decisions regarding refining methods, processes, and techniques used to maintain high quality animal care and customer service. Innovation, critical thinking, and problem solving are an essential underlying part of the job duties described within this posting. Also, a balanced commitment to the employees, animals and management must be maintained.
  

• This position reports to the Assistant Director of Operations.
  

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Education

• BA/BS degree plus at least 5 years of experience or a combination of related education and work experience to equal at least 9 years
  

• Direct managerial experience of employees, >2 year in duration
  

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Preferred Qualifications

• Direct managerial experience with bargaining unit employees
  

• Supervisory experience in the laboratory animal industry
  

• ALAT or higher certification through AALAS
  

• Hands-on experience working with multiple research animal species
  

• Thorough understanding of cage wash and vivarium sanitation operations
  

• Excellent communication skills and experience working in a university setting with diverse staff, laboratory researchers and research models
  

• Working knowledge of generally accepted laboratory animal husbandry practices and the ability to work collaboratively with operations and husbandry supervisors and animal care technicians to promote advances in animal care and research
  

• Excellent attention to details, analytical thinking skills, resourcefulness, ingenuity, project organization, and management skills
  

• Computer skills necessary to learn and use current electronic systems and to adapt to new software programs as they are implemented
  

• Experience with conflict management and the ability to deescalate difficult situations
  

• Must be flexible, resilient, change-agile, forward-thinking, and motivated to succeed
  

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Possess communication, independence and leadership skills needed to interact with veterinary technician employees, professional staff, other technical and administrative staff, and husbandry operations staff
  

• Ability to work collaboratively with co-manager in making consistent and cohesive management decisions
  

• Ability to delegate appropriately as needed
  

• Ability to work and think independently to produce quality work and to encourage the same quality work from employees
  

• Interest in mentoring, teaching, and cross-training staff to promote professional growth of employees
  

• A thorough knowledge of animal welfare regulations related to areas in the Preferred
  

Duties/Responsibilities

50% - Direct supervision of the animal care supervisors

• Supervise and direct the work of 5-7 animal care supervisors
  

• Plan training/cross-training of staff to ensure standard, consistent operations across all animal facilities
  

• Ensure staff implement proper and consistent husbandry care for all species & areas
  

• Create and maintain work schedules (including weekend/holidays) and work with team to cover work during employee absences2 year in duration