Vice President, Administration

Puppies Behind Bars (PBB), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to service, rehabilitation, and the remarkable human-animal bond, seeks a strategic, collaborative, and mission-driven leader to serve as its inaugural Vice President, Administration (VP). The VP will join an organization that has spent nearly three decades transforming lives through an innovative model that trains incarcerated individuals in New York State correctional facilities to raise and train service dogs for wounded veterans and first responders, facility dogs for schools and law enforcement agencies, and explosive detection canines for public safety partners. The VP position will be a hands-on executive leadership role reporting directly to the President/Founder of PBB, managing day-to-day administration and engaging in strategic thought partnership.

Since its founding in 1997, PBB has helped raise and train more than 2,000 service dogs and has adapted its programs to address the evolving needs of a country that experienced the tragedy of 9/11, years of overseas military conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, and dramatic changes in how police departments relate to their communities. During this time, PBB has become a respected leader at the intersection of public safety, service, workforce development, and healing. PBB currently operates in six correctional facilities across New York, maintains offices in Manhattan, and owns a property in the Hudson Valley used for whelping, training, events, and more.

PBB’s impact is sustained by a dedicated team of approximately 10 professionals working across dog breeding, training, and placement; correctional facility partnerships and program operations; development and fundraising; finance and administration; communications; and volunteer engagement. The organization is supported by an 11-member Board of Directors, and its FY2025 revenue totaled $5.7 million, the majority of which was derived from a broad base of individual and foundation contributions.

PBB seeks its first VP, Administration to help guide the organization as it builds on its strong foundation and prepares for its next phase of operational maturity and growth. Much of the VP’s portfolio will focus on internal operations and administrative management, so that the President/Founder can focus more fully on relationship-building, fundraising, external partnerships, and long-term vision. The VP will be expected to grow organizational capacity, enhance cross-functional collaboration, upgrade PBB’s human resources capability, and ensure that the systems, people, and resources are in place to support the successful execution of organizational, financial, and programmatic goals.

The VP will bring experience creating scalable systems, processes, and infrastructure that advance organizational effectiveness and long-term sustainability. Specific experience in human resources and exposure to financial best practices are desired. The VP will have a track record of cultivating productive relationships and serving as both a strategic advisor and an operational leader. They will bring an empowering and inclusive leadership style; a demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and empathy; and experience developing staff, engendering trust, and creating a culture of continuous improvement. The successful candidate will be resourceful, conscientious, and adaptable, with the ability to balance high-level planning with hands-on execution in a dynamic, lean environment.

COMPENSATION AND LOCATION

Salary Range and Benefits: $180,000-$220,000. 401(k) plan, employer contribution to health insurance, 14 paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation starting at three weeks, increasing over time.

Location: The VP should expect to work in person five days a week at the Puppies Behind Bars office in Midtown Manhattan.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

Nominations, inquiries, and applications, including resumes with cover letters that address the opportunities and challenges outlined in the full position profile, should be submitted to the search team via the hyperlink below. Screening of applications will begin immediately and continue until the search process is completed. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete an application, interview, or otherwise participate in the candidate selection process, we welcome you to submit an inquiry to the team.

Tatiana Oberkoetter is leading this search with Quizayra Gonzalez and Melissa Barravecchio.

Puppies Behind Bars is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, socio-economic background, protected veteran or disability status, or genetic information.