Transform the lives of U.S. Veterans through purposeful canine partnerships and integrated wellness programs.
Job Title: Foster Program Manager
Reports to: Shelter Programs Manager
Employment Type: Full-time, Salaried
About the Organization
Liberty Dogs™ is a premier Service Dog training program whose goal is to empower Veterans with disabilities to lead more independent and fulfilling lives - enhancing their well-being through the unconditional support that Liberty Service Dogs provide. Located on a 27-acre campus, it includes a training facility, dog housing, an administrative and multipurpose building, and accommodations for Veterans staying on campus to train with their Liberty Service Dogs.
Position Summary:
We are seeking an experienced Foster Program Manager to oversee the Liberty Dogs foster system and serve as the liaison between volunteer fosters and the Shelter Program. In this role, you will ensure foster placements meet Assistance Dogs International standards, match dogs to the right foster homes, and recruit, train, and retain the volunteers who make our program possible.
Key Responsibilities
- Foster Recruitment & Onboarding: Recruit, onboard, and manage volunteer fosters, and develop the foster onboarding program and onsite shelter volunteer opportunities.
- Volunteer Training & Supervision: Supervise volunteers on and off site, and lead training sessions for fosters with and without service dogs in training, educating staff and volunteers on humane, positive reinforcement training practices.
- Foster Placement & Matching: Develop individualized foster placements in collaboration with canine program staff, veterinary staff, outreach, and adoption teams, ensuring dogs are matched to appropriate foster environments.
- Communication & Engagement: Create and send a monthly newsletter and dog-in-training updates to fosters and partner shelters, maintain regular contact with fosters with and without dogs, and serve as the front-facing lead at volunteer events.
- Cross-Team Coordination: Partner with Outreach, Marketing, and Puppy teams to standardize volunteer engagement, recognition, and retention, and coordinate with fosters and medical teams on supplies, appointments, classes, boarding, and emergencies.
- Operations & Systems: Check dogs in and out of campus, track shelter program foster inventory, and help build scalable systems for a national program, including LMS platforms, volunteer tracking, community boards, and data collection.
- Public Engagement: Represent Liberty Dogs in media interviews and public events, and uphold organizational policies on safety, infectious disease control, and animal welfare.
- Schedule & Travel: Weekends, evenings, and on-call availability as required, plus up to 10% local and national travel.
Qualifications & Requirements
- Experience: Minimum of 2-3 years extensive experience developing, coordinating, and managing large-scale volunteer programs in a non-profit setting, ideally a shelter, humane society, or service dog organization.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Animal or Business-related field or equivalent experience.
- Training Philosophy: Commitment to science-based, positive reinforcement training.
- Skills: Comfortable teaching individuals and groups of volunteers, with excellent documentation and organizational skills and proficiency in Excel, Salesforce, DaySmart, and other scheduling software.
- Physical Requirements: Comfortable handling large breed dogs over 40 lbs and lifting up to 50 lbs, including dog food bags, crates, and exercise pens.
- Soft Skills: Strong interpersonal and communication skills and a professional, compassionate presence with colleagues, volunteers, adopters, and the public. Reliable, responsive, adaptable, and solution-oriented, working well both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
- Driving: Valid driver's license with a clean driving and criminal record.
- Bonus: Experience working with Veterans with PTSD; dog training certification from KPA, CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, IAABC CCBC, Fear Free, PPG, or CAAB/ACAAB; and knowledge of shelter medicine, infectious disease protocols, and disinfection standards.
Compensation: $85,000 – $105,000 DOE
Why Join Liberty Dogs?
At Liberty Dogs Foundation, we live by a simple truth: We care for those who have cared for our great nation. This role is your opportunity to shape a program that will set a national standard in Veteran wellness and service dog partnerships—changing lives, one Veteran and one dog at a time.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.