Animal Services Director

About the role

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. 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. I n 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 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.

Requirements

• 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.
• Core Competencies
• We're looking for a leader who embodies our core values, including:
• 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.
• 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 pre

Benefits

Additional Information

Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity. Pay Range: $118,948.83 - $190,317.60 Annual Department: Department of Community Services (DCS) Job Type: Regular Non-Represented Exemption Status: United States of America (Exempt) Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified): June 29, 2026

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at multco? Share your experience