Breeding Kennel Manager

Guiding Eyes for the Blind • Patterson, NY

5d

About The Position

The Breeding Kennel Manager leads the daily operations of Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s Breeding and Puppy Kennel, overseeing the care and well-being of brood dogs, studs, and young puppies. The role combines hands-on animal care, team leadership, and operational support, ensuring high standards of animal husbandry, enrichment, socialization, health monitoring, and canine welfare. The manager works alongside kennel staff, provides real-time coaching, and coordinates with veterinary and other teams to support each dog’s health, safety, and continuity of care.

The manager oversees staffing, schedules, performance management, hiring, onboarding, and staff development; provides operational coverage during emergencies and staffing disruptions; and directs kennel operations, inventory, facility maintenance coordination, recordkeeping, and emergency preparedness. In coordination with veterinary staff, the role supports clinical care and procedures, medical protocols, disease control, biosecurity, and quarantine. The manager also collaborates with program teams and foster homes, leads kennel tours, represents the breeding program to stakeholders, contributes to committees and improvement projects, and manages the department budget.

This is an essential-personnel role requiring flexible availability, including overnight shifts, weekends, evenings, and holidays. The position requires physical work in an active kennel environment, including handling dogs and repetitive tasks. Salary is $65,000–$70,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States and are asked to submit a cover letter with their resume.

Requirements

• Three to five years of leadership experience managing teams, with a focus on coaching, team development, and day-to-day supervision.
• Experience supervising staff in an animal care, veterinary kennel, breeding, or similar operational environment.
• Experience handling dogs in a clinical, veterinary, breeding, research, or similar professional environment.
• Solid understanding of dog behavior and puppy development, including recognizing healthy behaviors and supporting appropriate care using positive methods.
• Flexible availability for overnight shifts, weekends, evenings, and holidays.
• Dependability, punctuality, professionalism, and personal integrity.
• Valid driver's license.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work in a dynamic, fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills.
• Sound judgment and ability to assess situations and make decisions regarding animal care and staffing needs.
• Ability to lead by example and promote accountability, teamwork, and high-quality animal care.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Strong relationship-building skills and ability to foster teamwork, build consensus, and collaborate across teams.
• Clear communication and coaching skills, including explaining animal behavior and care concepts in an approachable way.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Comfort leading kennel tours and speaking with visitors, volunteers, donors, and community members about the breeding program, canine care, and the organization's mission.
• Ability to collaborate with veterinary staff, canine program teams, foster volunteers, and other partners.
• Ability to work independently and contribute effectively within a collaborative team.
• Ability to maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, foster families, and other stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs.
• Comfort working with cleaning agents and maintaining cleanliness and sanitation.
• Physical ability to safely handle, restrain, lift, and control dogs weighing up to 80 pounds and perform repetitive physical tasks on concrete surfaces.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States.
• Applicants are asked to include a cover letter with their resume.

Nice To Haves

• Salesforce familiarity.
• Knowledge of canine reproductive practices and reproductive laboratory procedures.
• Experience supporting canine, working dog, service dog, livestock, or companion animal breeding programs, including understanding breeding program management, genetic diversity, and population sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Direct and support kennel staff to provide appropriate coverage for feeding, cleaning, enrichment, and medication administration.
• Supervise, train, mentor, and coach kennel staff, supporting professional growth, accountability, teamwork, and consistent care standards.
• Oversee staffing operations, including scheduling, performance management, hiring, onboarding, and ongoing development.
• Work hands-on alongside staff and provide operational coverage during emergencies, inclement weather, staff shortages, or call-outs, including daytime or overnight shifts as needed.
• Participate in kennel technician duties, including feeding, bathing, health checks, grooming, medication administration, medical treatments, and quarantine procedures.
• Maintain standards for animal welfare, husbandry, enrichment, socialization, and behavioral support.
• Coordinate clinical oversight with veterinary staff and ensure care follows protocols, treatment plans, and welfare standards.
• Maintain compliance with medical documentation, medication handling, and treatment protocols; support vaccines, preventatives, fluid therapy, intensive care protocols, and other treatments as needed.
• Support diagnostic and clinical procedures, including sample collection, testing, x-rays, ultrasound, and DNA sampling.
• Use triage and clinical judgment to identify pain, illness, stress, medication reactions, and urgent medical conditions, escalating care appropriately.
• Monitor animal health and support continuity of care in alignment with veterinary guidance.
• Oversee daily Breeding and Puppy Kennel operations, maintaining a safe, clean, organized, and efficient environment.
• Monitor kennel occupancy, dog movement, and care needs to support breeding program objectives.
• Maintain inventory of food, medications, medical supplies, equipment, and enrichment materials.
• Coordinate facility and equipment maintenance and work with internal departments to resolve operational concerns.
• Maintain accurate and timely kennel, health, and operational records.
• Support emergency preparedness and response to maintain continuity of care and operations.
• Collaborate with Veterinary, Genetics, Whelping Kennel, and Home and Early Socialization teams.
• Conduct kennel tours and represent Guiding Eyes by explaining the breeding program, canine care practices, and organizational mission to visitors, volunteers, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Communicate with foster homes about brood and stud health, care status, and ongoing needs.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and contribute to committees, meetings, and special projects related to canine care, breeding operations, kennel management, and program improvement.
• Develop and implement strategies, policies, and procedures to improve the health and well-being of broods, studs, and puppies, in collaboration with and subject to approval from the DVM.
• Ensure kennel operations follow established policies, procedures, and care protocols; oversee disease control, biosecurity, and quarantine compliance.
• Monitor inventory controls, including controlled drug logs, in accordance with regulatory and organizational requirements.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives for operational efficiency, consistency, employee effectiveness, and quality of care.
• Prepare and manage the department budget, monitor expenses, and operate within approved financial parameters.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the department and organizational mission.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Competitive and generous healthcare coverage, including medical, dental, and vision.
• 403(b).
• Life insurance.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Employees may bring a well-behaved dog to work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed