Adoption Center

Do you have a heart as big as your ambition? Are you passionate about animals and ready to make a real impact in their lives and the lives of their humans? Dakin is on the lookout for a dynamic, compassionate, and innovative leader to guide our shelter operations and help us continue to save lives—furry and otherwise!

As our Shelter Director, you won’t just manage an animal shelter; you’ll inspire a team, build relationships with community partners, and help set the course for the future of animal welfare in our community.

Why You’ll Love This Role:

• Lead a talented team in delivering top-notch care to our animals. Your work will directly impact the lives of thousands of animals each year.
• Be at the forefront of modern animal sheltering. Got a brilliant idea? Let’s hear it! Your creativity and leadership will help shape current and future programs.
• You’ll have the opportunity to ensure that pets and their families get the resources they need to thrive. Your leadership will help Dakin continue to be a beacon of kindness and support for people and animals alike.
• Join a team of passionate, animal-loving professionals who value integrity, compassion, and teamwork. You’ll lead and inspire others while maintaining high morale, excellent service, and quality program delivery.

What We’re Looking For:

• Experience: 5+ years in animal shelter management? Check. Leadership skills to match your love for animals? Double check.
• You can rally teams, build morale, and are a customer service superstar.
• You are data-savvy and can track key metrics and trends to continuously improve our operations and meet evolving community needs. Problem-solving and making data-driven decisions are second nature to you.
• You believe in Dakin’s mission to improve the lives of animals and the people who care about them. Kindness, understanding, and compassion guide your every decision.

Ready to change lives? Apply today and be part of something bigger—help us continue to innovate, care, and transform the future for animals and the community!

Salary: $70,000 - $75,000

Sign-On Bonus!

Bilingual English/Spanish candidates who apply to Dakin will receive a $500 bonus if they are hired and after they successfully reach 90 days of employment. Bilingual candidates must be fluent in both written and verbal communication to qualify for this bonus.

Benefits include:

-Ample amounts of PTO (like 30 days in your second year of full-time employment, and 35 days in your third year, in addition to 5 paid holidays)!

-Health, dental, and vision insurance

-Flexible Spending Account

-100% employer paid Life Insurance

-Employee Assistance Program

-401k with employer-paid advisors

-Discounted pet care for your pets

-Support from Dakin’s experts in Operations, Marketing, HR, and Finance

-Eligibility for the Non-Profit Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Dakin Humane Society is a leading non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals in need and the people who care about them through various programs and services, helping more than 20,000 animals each year including cats, dogs, and other common small animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.

We are seeking a motivated and collaborative leader to fill our Medical Director & Adoption Center Veterinarian role to continue our mission and work alongside other passionate individuals.

The Medical Director/Adoption Center Veterinarian is responsible for delivering high-quality, effective medical care to adoption center animals including diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and follow-up as well as maintaining compliance with applicable laws and protocols, and supervising our team of incredible veterinarians. You will be joining a knowledgeable, well-trained support team equipped with established organizational protocols to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.

Position Requirements:

-Graduation from a university or college accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or Veterinary Medical Doctor degree.

-Must be available to work a set, full-time schedule negotiated with Dakin at the time of hire.

Licenses and Certification:

• Current license to practice veterinary medicine in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Massachusetts controlled substance license.
• DEA license.

Benefits include:

-Ample amounts of PTO (like 30 days in your second year of full-time employment, and 35 days in your third year, in addition to 5 paid holidays)!

-Health, dental, and vision insurance

-Flexible Spending Account

-100% employer paid Life Insurance Policy

-Employee Assistance Program

-401k with employer-paid advisors

-Discounted pet care for your pets

-Generous continuing education allotment with paid days off, in addition to regular PTO

-Annual reimbursements for license fees, liability insurance, and professional membership dues

-Support from Dakin’s experts including Operations, Marketing, HR, and Finance

-Eligibility for the Non-Profit Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Salary: $150,000 -Additional compensation consideration may be given to candidates with significant shelter medicine and/or leadership experience.

Are you passionate about helping animals and their people? Dakin Humane Society is seeking full-time Animal Resource Counselors to provide resources to pets and people in our community. This full-time role is perfect for someone who thrives in a mission-driven, dynamic environment.

What We’re Looking For:

• You should be comfortable delivering customer service in a fast-paced environment. You’ll be the first point of contact for pet families in need and answering a variety of requests through email, on the phone, and in-person. You will spend part of your day doing hands-on animal care and part of the day in a call center environment.
• At least 1 year of experience in customer service, ideally in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to adapt to technology, learn quickly, and work well in a team.
• Flexibility to work weekends and holidays as needed.
• A positive attitude, excellent communication skills, a sense of humor, and the ability to handle both joyful and tough situations when animals and people need us the most.
• Collaborate with a supportive and dedicated team.

 Why You’ll Love Working at Dakin:

• We’re mission-driven, passionate, and we believe in the power of kindness. Also, there’s a good chance you’ll spend your day surrounded by adorable animals—it doesn’t get much better than that.
• We believe people are good and will make the best decisions for animals when treated with understanding and given the right resources. You’ll be part of that mission!
• Excellent benefits including extremely generous PTO for full-time employees (like 30 days in your second year of full-time employment, 35 days in your third year)!

Requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Strong knowledge of basic domestic animal care and humane handling.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office/Google Workspace.
• A passion for animal welfare and a soft spot for wet noses and wagging tails.

Come be part of an organization that’s committed to making a difference in the lives of animals and the community!

Interested in applying? Please attach your resume at the bottom of this page. Please also include a cover letter with your application. We’d love to hear why Dakin is the right fit for you and how your qualifications align with the role!

Pay: $17.00/hour

Sign-On Bonus!

Bilingual English/Spanish candidates who apply to Dakin will receive a $500 bonus if they are hired and after they successfully reach 90 days of employment. Bilingual candidates must be fluent in both written and verbal communication to qualify for this bonus.