Shelter Experience & Adoptions Manager

Tree House Humane Society•Chicago, IL

6d•$53,830 - $63,250•Onsite

About The Position

At Tree House Humane Society, we envision a world where every cat thrives. The Shelter Experience & Adoptions Manager leads guest-facing operations including adoption, café, and retail while ensuring exceptional experiences for adopters, visitors, volunteers, and community partners. This role blends compassion-driven customer service with operational leadership, advancing Tree House’s mission by delivering humane outcomes, strengthening community trust, and supporting mission-aligned revenue goals in partnership with senior leadership. In addition, the Manager oversees the physical environment of the shelter, ensuring spaces are safe, welcoming, and functional for both cats and visitors. This includes facility maintenance, safety protocols, and enhancements that support operational efficiency and a positive guest experience. Through cross-department collaboration, staff development, and data-informed decision-making, this position supports adoption success, enhances retention, and contributes to Tree House’s goal of exceptional care for all stakeholders.

Requirements

3–5+ years of experience in animal welfare, shelter operations, or nonprofit program management.
2+ years of supervisory experience managing staff and/or complex programs.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional operations and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency with ShelterLuv or a comparable shelter management system.
High school diploma or equivalent required.

Nice To Haves

Experience in population management, capacity for care planning, or shelter flow operations.
Experience managing retail, café, reception, or other customer-facing operations, including sales, merchandising, inventory management, and creating exceptional guest experiences.
Experience leading large volunteer programs or mentorship models.
Background in SOP development, change management, or continuous improvement.
Knowledge of feline health, behavior, handling, and restraint.
Food Handler Certification.
Bachelor's degree preferred.
Spanish Bilingual.

Responsibilities

Lead, manage, and develop department staff and supervisors. Onboard, train, coach, schedule, and provide performance management to staff.
Recommend hires and promotions, direct and evaluate employment decisions for assigned positions; address employee relations and performance issues in collaboration with the Senior Director and HR.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.
Implement and monitor SOPs and operational standards aligned with Tree House’s mission and industry best practices; recommend updates to the Senior Director as needed.
Ensure staff and volunteer competency in customer service, adoption counseling, and safety procedures through training and ongoing oversight.
Promote positive morale, conflict resolution, and healthy work-life balance across the team.
Monitor industry trends and practices at peer organizations to keep Tree House current on best practices in human-animal services and sheltering; bringing relevant recommendations to the Senior Director.
Lead day-to-day operations across adoption, café, retail, and shelter diversion programs to ensure smooth, compassionate, and efficient experiences.
Use data and outcome metrics to monitor adoption results and client satisfaction; bring findings and recommendations to leadership for review and implementation.
Supervise customer service teams to ensure professional, mission-aligned interactions with visitors, adopters, donors, and the public.
Oversee retail and café operations, including inventory, merchandising, revenue tracking, promotions, and community engagement initiatives.
Manage off-site adoption events, ensuring operational standards and branding consistency.
Collaborate cross-departmentally with animal care, behavior, foster, and veterinary teams to ensure seamless pet pathways and positive outcomes.
Manage relationships with department vendors and service providers (e.g., phone systems, scheduling platforms, retail suppliers, café vendors, and software systems), ensuring services meet operational needs and support a positive guest and staff experience.
Coordinate with vendors on contracts, ordering, troubleshooting, service updates, and performance issues, in partnership with leadership as needed.
Evaluate tools, technology, and vendor services and bring recommendations for improvements to the Senior Director of Operations that increase efficiency, customer service quality, and support revenue goals.
Track and analyze adoption conversion metrics, using data to identify barriers, improve matchmaking processes, and increase successful placement rates.
Support facility maintenance, equipment repairs, improvements, and preventative inspections to maintain operational readiness and compliance with safety standards, including OSHA regulations; implement approved changes with Senior Director oversight.
Implement and monitor safety protocols for employees, volunteers, and visitors; identify and address safety concerns within departmental authority, and escalate issues requiring organizational-level response to the Senior Director.
Supervise daily operations of all public-facing areas, including adoption spaces, café, retail, and shared guest spaces, maintaining a high-quality experience for the public and staff. Ensure all shelter environments are safe, clean, organized, and welcoming for guests, staff, volunteers, and cats.
Collaborate with senior leadership on facility projects, emergency preparedness plans, and long-term infrastructure initiatives.
Track and respond to facility-related feedback from staff and guests, implementing improvements that enhance safety, functionality, and the visitor experience.
Performs other duties as assigned by Management
Directly supervises team members across adoption, retail, café, and guest services.
Manages volunteer relationships supporting adoption, guest services, and events, including recruitment, training, and day-to-day oversight.
Recommends hires and promotions for assigned positions; addresses performance and employee relations issues in collaboration with the Senior Director of Operations and HR.