Animal Services Director

Overview

At the heart of our mission lies a powerful connection: when we surround our people with care, empathy, and support, we naturally empower them to extend that same extraordinary care to our animals.

The Opportunity

Multnomah County is seeking a progressive and visionary leader who brings a steady, compassionate presence and a deep passion for animal welfare and community service to serve as its next Animal Services Director. Positioned in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, this role offers an extraordinary opportunity to balance complex municipal operations with compassionate, community-centered care.

In this deeply impactful role, you will be a visible and trusted voice for our division, guiding a passionate team and shaping progressive animal welfare policies. Your ability to build authentic public trust and nurture community relationships will directly uplift both the people and animals we serve every day.

About Multnomah County Animal Services (MCAS)

MCAS is an open-admission public animal care and control agency guided by a vital mission: to protect the health, safety, and welfare of animals and people throughout the county. Reporting directly to the Director of the Department of Community Services (DCS), you will lead a division backed by a  $13.8 million annual budget, 74 full-time employees, and an active, passionate network of over 100 volunteers and foster parents.

MCAS provides comprehensive regional services, including humane sheltering, emergency response, pet adoption, licensing, and reunification. As a founding member of the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland (ASAP), our collaborative regional efforts allow us to regularly maintain a live release rate exceeding 90%. Looking forward, our shelter environment is evolving, presenting the incoming Director with a unique opportunity to advocate for modern shelter developments, update operating policies, and implement industry best practices.

Who you are

We are seeking an authentic, collaborative executive whose leadership shines through a seamless blend of high-level strategic acumen and deeply compassionate, people-first guidance.

Our guiding philosophy is simple: exceptional animal care begins with exceptional staff care. By investing in the well-being of our team, we empower them to bring their absolute best to the animals who need us most. Success in this role requires a visionary leader with strong management experience, preferably gained within a large, complex organization. 

Core Competencies

We're looking for a leader who embodies our core values, including:

• Leadership and Management Skills: An expert in change management, you translate high-level vision into measurable, accountable results. You bring rigorous oversight to a multi-million dollar budget, possessing the learning agility and creativity to develop modern enterprise solutions and collaborate with cross-agency community partners.
• Open and Inclusive Culture: You foster an approachable, open-door environment rooted in safety, equity, and trust. You lead with emotional empathy, empowering a diverse, passionate workforce and management team to excel. You take a trauma-informed approach to manage staff and difficult situations. 
• Community-Centered: You  understand the connection between people and their pets and honor the human-animal bond, particularly within underserved communities.. You are skilled at navigating political landscapes and building bridges with elected officials, and community leaders.
• Transparent & Decisive Communication: You build trust through collaborative communication. You possess the ability to navigate Board politics, manage public perception, translating complex strategies, and de-escalate sensitive conflicts.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills:

• A Bachelor’s degree in public health, business administration, public policy, or a related field or equivalent related experience.

AND

• Minimum of (5) years of senior-level management, preferably working in a Union (represented) environment, including fiscal management experience, developing and directing budgets, and managing capital expenditures.
• Strong preference for experience in the animal welfare industry.
• Experience communicating complex information clearly and persuasively through presentations to various partners, ranging from staff-level colleagues to external partners and the Board of Commissioners. 
• Experience coaching and mentoring management staff
• Demonstrated success in process implementation and performance measurement.

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Please clearly explain on your application how you meet any of the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills.

• Master’s Degree 
• 5 years of Experience in Senior Level role
• Public Sector/Governmental Experience: Direct, substantial experience in a large county, state, or municipal government or other comparable complex public-sector entity.

*Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experience that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position

Screening and Evaluation

Your completed application must include the following items:

1. Required completed online application.
   
   
2. Required resume covering relevant experience and education. Be sure your resume includes: name of employer, location, dates of employment, your title, a brief summary of your responsibilities, and the number of teams, managers and staff under your supervision.
   
   
3. Required cover letter Detail your interest and explain how your skills and experience prepare you to succeed.
   

Commitment to Safety, Trust, and Belonging: Multnomah County advances workforce equity by removing structural and policy barriers to equal opportunity.

Multnomah County offers excellent benefits: funded retirement, low-cost health and dental, paid parental leave, wellness programs, and work-life balance. Find more details on our benefits website.

Type of Position: This is an Unclassified Executive position that is at-will, salaried, FLSA Exempt, and not eligible for overtime pay.

Equal Pay Law: The listed range is a general guide. In compliance with the Oregon Equal Pay Law, final compensation is based on factors like experience, education, and tenure. Initial offers will be within the range and typically below the maximum.