Shelter Supervisor

**Status**:Part-Time (Weekend Coverage)

**Location**:PAWS for Life Rescue - Edmonton, AB

**Reports to**:Shelter Manager

**Wage**:$17-$19/hr

**Position Overview**

The Weekend Shelter Supervisor plays a key leadership role within the shelter, providing operational oversight, staff/volunteer support, and animal-care coordination during weekend shifts. This position ensures that all animals receive high-quality care, the facility remains clean and organized, and shelter operations run smoothly in the absence of the Shelter Manager.

This role is ideal for someone with hands-on animal care experience, strong communication and leadership skills, and the ability to problem-solve and remain calm in a dynamic rescue environment.

**Key Responsibilities**
- **Animal Care & Welfare**_
- Oversee and support staff in providing daily care for all animals, ensuring feeding, enrichment, cleaning, and monitoring are carried out to PAWS standards.
- Monitor animal behaviour, stress levels, and health concerns, communicating urgent issues to the Shelter Manager or designated contact.
- Assist with animal handling, assessments, intake procedures, and low-stress handling techniques.
- Ensure special-needs animals receive appropriate medical or behavioural care as directed.
- **Shelter Operations Oversight**_
- Coordinate and supervise weekend operations to ensure the shelter is clean, safe, and functioning effectively.
- Prioritize and delegate daily tasks to staff and volunteers, ensuring workflows remain organized and timely.
- Troubleshoot operational issues including supply shortages, minor facility concerns, scheduling challenges, or animal-related incidents.
- Maintain oversight of cleaning standards, sanitation protocols, waste disposal, and facility safety checks.
- **Leadership & Staff/Volunteer Support**_
- Provide on-shift leadership, guidance, and supervision to Shelterkeepers, volunteers, and weekend staff.
- Encourage safe, consistent, and compassionate animal handling practices.
- Support new staff or volunteers with training refreshers or direction as needed.
- Foster a positive and inclusive work environment, modeling professionalism and a rescue-first mindset.
- **Communication & Reporting**_
- Maintain clear communication with the Shelter Manager, providing updates on animal status, concerns, incidents, staffing, or facility needs.
- Complete shift logs, behaviour notes, incident reports, or other required documentation.
- Relay weekend updates effectively to ensure smooth transitions to weekday staff.

**Qualifications & Required**
- **Skills Required**_
- Previous experience in animal rescue, sheltering, dog handling, or veterinary/boarding/daycare environments.
- Strong understanding of canine behaviour, stress signals, and safe, low-pressure handling.
- Demonstrated leadership abilities—comfortable directing staff/volunteers and making decisions.
- Excellent communication skills and a calm, solution-focused approach under pressure.
- Ability to work in a physically demanding environment (lifting, standing/walking, cleaning, working outdoors).
- Reliability and strong time-management skills.
- First Aid Certification
- **Preferred / Assets**_
- Experience supervising teams or coordinating shelter/rescue operations.
- Knowledge of behavioural observation, enrichment planning, and basic medical triage.
- Comfort with incident reporting, digital logs, and basic administrative tasks.
- Familiarity with rescue policies, intake procedures, quarantine protocols, and disease prevention.
- **Work Environment**_
- Fast-paced, sometimes loud environment with dogs of various temperaments and backgrounds.
- Exposure to cleaning agents, bodily fluids, and outdoor conditions.
- Collaborative team setting where compassion, teamwork, and animal welfare drive every decision.

**How to Apply**

**Job Type**: Part-time

Expected hours: 8 - 10 per week

Work Location: In person