Wildlife Care Center Director

Job Title:           Wildlife Care Center Director

Department:      Wildlife Care Center

Reports to:         Executive Director

Supervises:        Oversees the entire WCC Program and directly supervises Wildlife Care Center

Manager, and Senior Veterinary staff 

Classification:    Exempt (Salaried) 1.0 FTE

Compensation:  $85,000–$90,000 per year plus full benefits package

Benefits Include:

• Medical insurance: 100% payment of premiums for medical and dental insurance, for employees only
• Competitive leave benefits which include two (2) weeks paid vacation during a staff member’s first year of employment, accrual of eight (8) hours paid sick time per month, eight (8) recognized paid holidays as well as 40 hours of flexible holiday time per year, and family leave.
• 401(k) 3% match plus annual fixed amount contribution
• Ability to attend free or subsidized courses at Bird Alliance of Oregon
• Substantial discount at our Nature Store, including optics
• Opportunity to work in one of the most beautiful forests in Oregon

About Bird Alliance of Oregon

Bird Alliance of Oregon has been a leading voice in conservation for over a century. Through conservation advocacy, environmental education, and wildlife rehabilitation, we promote the understanding, enjoyment, and protection of native birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. We are located in a 172-acre wildlife sanctuary next to Forest Park, just minutes from downtown Portland. 

Bird Alliance of Oregon believes that inspiring all people to love and protect nature is best achieved when we embrace diversity as a value and practice. In the same way an ecosystem needs many types of plants and wildlife, an organization thrives when it includes a diversity of people and perspectives. We recognize that inequities are widespread and create gaps between our present reality and our aspirations. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment, reflecting the diversity of our community in our board, staff, volunteers, and members; ensuring our internal culture, business practices, and programs are welcoming and advance our diversity goals.

Position Summary
Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Wildlife Care Center is Oregon’s oldest and busiest wildlife facility, treating thousands of animals and responding to more than 15,000 wildlife-related inquiries (phone calls and emails and social media) each year. The Wildlife Care Center is busy and complex, with three major programmatic areas – wildlife rehabilitation, the wildlife advice hotline, and wildlife rescue and transport.  In addition, the WCC program includes a wide variety of additional projects and services, including wildlife coexistence outreach, events, and media, wildlife rehabilitation-related research efforts, and providing career development opportunities for volunteers and young wildlife professionals.

Bird Alliance of Oregon is thrilled to announce the acquisition of a new 12.5 acre site in Northeast Portland, which will soon become the new home of our state-of-the-art Wildlife Care Center! This milestone represents a bold step forward in our mission to protect and rehabilitate wildlife, while educating and inspiring our community. We are seeking a passionate and experienced Wildlife Care Center Director to play a vital role in shaping the vision of this transformative project, and lead our wildlife care team into an exciting new chapter. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play a central role for the new Wildlife Care Center, which will serve as a beacon for wildlife conservation and education.

The Wildlife Care Center Director is a newly created leadership role that will oversee all aspects of the Wildlife Care Center, ensuring that it operates efficiently, complies with all regulatory requirements, and aligns with Bird Alliance of Oregon’s mission, programs, and advocacy agenda. This role will also play a pivotal part in leading the transition to the new Wildlife Care Center site. In close partnership with the Conservation, Education and Communications departments, the Director will also advance the organization’s Living with Wildlife campaigns, which are focused on helping people coexist with wildlife across Oregon.

The Wildlife Care Center Director will manage our current team of seven permanent staff members (5.5 FTE), in addition to overseeing seasonal staff, volunteers and interns as needed. Our team consists of specialized wildlife veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitators with a high degree of technical skills from both formal and experiential education. In addition, the program is supported by up to 200 volunteers (there’s a lot of activity during baby bird season!), and welcomes three to five interns per year through our Bird Alliance of Oregon program and through the PCC Veterinary Technician Program. 

Duties Include:

Leadership of the Current Wildlife Care Center Program

• Management and Oversight
• Lead the development and implementation of programs and policies for the Wildlife Care Center
• Represent the WCC within the Senior Management Team and with the Board of Directors
• Develop, implement, and maintain operational procedures and protocols in collaboration with the WCC manager and senior veterinarian, to ensure the program adheres to industry standard best practices
• Oversee the recruitment, retention and training of a dedicated team of wildlife rehabilitation professionals, including interns and seasonal staff
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement
• Ensure that our WCC intake databases, and public outreach communications are maintained and accessible for summary and research analysis.

• Financial Oversight
• Develop and track the Wildlife Care Center Budget, ensuring alignment with available funding and operational goals
• Manage timesheets for WCC staff
• Regulatory Compliance and Partnerships
• Ensure the Wildlife Care Center operations, volunteers and staff comply with all applicable local, state, and federal rules and regulations
• Maintain strong relationships with partners, including the Oregon Wildlife Rehabilitation Association, and regulatory agencies, including US Fish & Wildlife, and Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, Metro Region Government (Oregon Zoo), Oregon State Police, Various County Animal Services, etc.

Transition to the New Wildlife Care Center Site

• Lead the Wildlife Care Center Capital Project Management Committee in collaboration with the Executive Director to facilitate the completion of the new Wildlife Care Center and associated projects
• Partner with the development team to identify, create and execute funding strategies
• Build and maintain relationships with donors, ensuring alignment with organizational goals
• Represent Bird Alliance in outreach and fundraising events to create awareness and inspire support for the new Wildlife Care Center

Living with Wildlife Campaigns and Advocacy

• Advance the organization’s Living with Wildlife campaigns, which are focused on helping people coexist with wildlife across Oregon, in collaboration with the Communications, Education, and Conservation departments
• For Example: Cats Safe at Home, BirdSafe Program (Lights Out, BirdSafe Building Design), Backyard Habitat Certification Program, Urban Coyote Project.
• Serve as spokesperson with the media and to the general public regarding the Living with Wildlife campaigns and other relevant WCC related issues
• Keep up-to-date on local conservation issues and provide expertise and/or testimony relevant to wildlife rehabilitation and humane coexistence issues

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology, environmental science, nonprofit management, or related field
• At least 5-7  years of experience in Wildlife Rehabilitation and/or 3-6 years in a leadership role in wildlife rehabilitation, conservation or related field, with at least 3 years of direct supervisory experience
• Experience working with a development team in fundraising and donor relations
• Strong knowledge of federal and state wildlife regulations and permitting processes
• Demonstrated expertise with care and rehabilitation of wild birds, mammals, and herptiles
• Strong natural history background, ideally with a focus of fauna of the Pacific Northwest
• Proven ability to manage budgets and oversee complex projects
• High level of customer service experience for a high-volume environment
• Must have strong administrative skills and computer applications literacy, including experience with Google Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, and WRMD (HelpDesk and Better Impact a plus)
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Passion for wildlife conservation and a deep commitment to Bird Alliance of Oregon’s mission
• Interest and experience with research methods, data collection and analysis

Preferred:

• Masters degree in wildlife biology, environmental science, nonprofit management a plus
• Experience with endowment management is a plus
• Nice to have relevant certifications:
• • Oregon Radiography Technician Certification
  • State and Federal Wildlife Rehabilitation Permits
  • Oregon Euthanasia Certification

Physical Demands

• Must frequently stand, sit, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and lift objects up to 25 pounds
• Ability to give and receive verbal communication and see at varying distances, and in color

Work Environment

• Work for this role is performed both indoors and outdoors in all weather, and occasionally on uneven terrain.
• The Wildlife Care Center is a veterinary hospital which includes animal enclosures, medical equipment, an administrative space, and outdoor animal enclosures and facilities.