Overview
Canine Program Manager Jobs in Eugene, OR at Greenhill Humane Society
Greenhill Humane Society seeks a thoughtful, capable, and people-centered Canine Program Manager to lead a dedicated team, shape the experience of dogs in our care, and create positive outcomes for animals and their loved ones. If you believe great animal care starts with great people and enjoy balancing hands-on animal welfare with leadership, problem-solving, and management, we’d love to hear from you.
About Greenhill:
Greenhill Humane Society is a private, non-profit, open-admission animal shelter serving Lane County and the surrounding community. We care for thousands of animals each year and provide a wide range of services including sheltering, veterinary care, foster care, adoption, community outreach, humane education, disaster response, and animal welfare services. To learn more about Greenhill, please visit www.green-hill.org
About the role:
The Canine Program Manager leads and oversees Greenhill’s Canine Program, including care, housing, enrichment, behavior, placement, and daily operations. You will manage a team of animal care staff, supervise canine housing, monitor animal welfare, support staff development, and collaborate with Veterinary, Volunteer, Foster Care, Outreach, and Customer Service teams.
What you will do as Greenhill’s CPM:
This position is active, hands-on, and sometimes physically and emotionally demanding. You’ll spend significant time on your feet, in canine housing and outdoor areas, working alongside staff and animals. You’ll encounter barking, cleaning, unexpected behavior, difficult cases, emotional conversations, and days when the workload changes by the hour. There will also be incredibly rewarding moments: watching a fearful dog gain confidence, seeing a team member grow into a stronger animal care professional, helping an adopter find their match, or helping to reunite a lost dog with their family. If those challenges sound meaningful to you, you may be the kind of leader we’re looking for.
Lead & Develop People
- Supervise and support the Canine Animal Care team, setting expectations and fostering accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and respect.
- Participate in hiring, onboarding, evaluations, and ongoing management, including scheduling & employee training.
Champion Excellent Canine Care & Manage a Busy Canine Care Program
- Oversee the daily care and well-being of dogs in Greenhill’s care, including feeding, exercise, enrichment, socialization, grooming, housing, and medical care. Monitor animals for changes in health, behavior, stress, and welfare and ensure concerns are addressed promptly through foster care, additional enrichment, behavioral support, transfer, or other placement options.
- Work closely with members of our Canine Welfare Panel to develop appropriate pathway plans for dogs with medical or behavioral needs.
- Promote safe, humane, and fear-free handling practices.
- Coordinate within Capacity for Care to monitor population levels and available housing, support informed intake decisions, and proactively manage animal flow.
- Oversee the cleanliness, safety, organization, and maintenance of canine housing and enrichment areas.
- Manage supplies, equipment, and other resources responsibly and within established budgets.
- Develop and improve policies, procedures, and systems that make the Canine Program more consistent and effective.
Support Positive Experiences for People
- Oversee canine adoption operations and ensure adopters receive accurate, objective, and compassionate information.
- Support staff in navigating difficult or emotional customer interactions.
- Work collaboratively with volunteers and foster caregivers to ensure they have the information and support they need.
- Partner with Outreach and other departments to promote dogs and increase adoption opportunities.
Be Part of a Bigger Picture
- Build positive relationships with shelters, rescue organizations, animal control agencies, and other community partners.
- Collaborate across departments to solve problems and improve animal outcomes.
- Participate in leadership meetings, all-staff meetings, trainings, and industry events.
- Use data and operational information to identify trends, evaluate program effectiveness, and make informed decisions.
- Contribute ideas to continuously improve Greenhill’s programs and services.
- Represent Greenhill professionally and compassionately in the community.
We are looking for someone who is both an excellent animal welfare professional and an excellent people leader.
- Demonstrated experience supervising, coaching, or leading a team.
- Professional experience working with dogs and a strong understanding of canine behavior, body language, handling, enrichment, and welfare.
- Experience in an animal shelter, veterinary, boarding, daycare, rescue, training, or other animal care environment.
- Excellent judgment and the ability to make thoughtful decisions in a fast-paced environment. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
- The ability to give clear feedback, have difficult conversations, and hold people accountable while maintaining respectful working relationships.
- A calm, compassionate approach to stressful or emotionally challenging situations.
- The ability to work collaboratively across departments and with people who have different perspectives and areas of expertise.
- A commitment to humane, individualized animal care and positive outcomes.
- A high school diploma or equivalent; additional education in animal science, animal behavior, veterinary technology, management, or a related field is a plus.
- Shelter experience is strongly preferred, but we are interested in candidates with transferable leadership and animal-care experience. If you have strong leadership skills and a passion for canine welfare, we encourage you to apply.
What Makes Someone Successful in This Role?
The right person will be someone who can move comfortably between the big picture and the details. You might spend part of your morning helping your team troubleshoot a challenging dog, reviewing kennel capacity, meeting with Veterinary staff about a medical or behavioral case, coaching an employee through a difficult situation, and then helping an adopter find the right match. You will need to be comfortable making decisions when there isn’t a perfect answer, communicating clearly when things are busy, and balancing the needs of individual animals with the realities of operating a high-volume shelter.
Most importantly, you will need to genuinely enjoy developing people and improving animal lives.
Schedule & Physical Requirements:
This is a full-time position. The Canine Program operates seven days a week, and the schedule may include weekends, holidays, and occasional evenings based on program needs.
The position requires the ability to safely handle and restrain dogs of varying sizes and strengths and to perform physical activities including standing, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching, lifting, and carrying. Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.
The position also involves regular exposure to animal allergens, noise, cleaning and disinfecting products, bodily fluids, infectious materials, and potentially stressful or unpredictable animal and human interactions.
Why work for Greenhill?
At Greenhill, you won’t simply manage a kennel department. You’ll have the opportunity to help shape a program and develop the people who make it work.
You’ll join a collaborative team of animal welfare professionals who care deeply about their work and are committed to finding practical, compassionate solutions for animals and the people who love them.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary: $52,000–$56,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.
Greenhill offers a competitive benefits package that includes:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Paid time off and sick leave
- Paid holidays
- Employer-matched retirement benefits
- Professional development and continuing education opportunities
- Employee assistance resources
- Pet-related discounts, including food, veterinary care, and adoptions
- Benefits and eligibility are subject to Greenhill’s current policies and plan requirements.
Ready to Join Us?
If you’re an experienced animal care professional who loves developing people, solving problems, and improving outcomes for dogs, we’d love to meet you. Please submit your resume and a cover letter to [email protected] telling us about your leadership experience, your approach to animal welfare, and why you’re interested in leading Greenhill’s Canine Program.
Greenhill Humane Society is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
Pay: $52,000.00 – $56,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Opportunities for advancement
- Paid time off
- Uniform allowance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
Title: Canine Program Manager
Company: Greenhill Humane Society
Location: Eugene, OR
Category:
