Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, Chief Executive Officer

Company: Noetic Search
Location: Orlando
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

OVERVIEW Pet Alliance is a mission driven 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to educating, sheltering, placing, and healing pets and their families with compassionate, responsible care maintained to the highest professional standards. Founded close to 90 years ago, Pet Alliance, with three facilities in Central Florida, is a managed intake organization. Welcoming nearly 4,000 dogs and cats annually, Pet Alliance has an operating budget of approximately $6 million and is supported by dedicated staff and over 800 volunteers. It is well-respected in the community, and has a strong, growing donor base. Pet Alliance is poised for an exciting and transformative next chapter with the opening of a brand new, debt-free 25,000 square foot state of the art facility that includes a new adoption center with indoor and outdoor play yards, climate-controlled housing, and enrichment amenities, as well as a state of the art veterinary center that has the capability to serve both routine and complex medical needs. BACKGROUND Founded in 1937 as the Orlando Humane Society, Pet Alliance is one of Central Florida’s oldest and largest animal welfare organizations. While the organization has evolved over time, its purpose has remained constant: to improve the lives of dogs, cats, and the people who love them through compassionate, professional, and forward-thinking care. Today, Pet Alliance is widely regarded as the region’s trusted animal welfare leader—an organization that combines lifesaving work with innovation, expertise, and deep community partnership. Pet Alliance operates two shelters and two public veterinary clinics out of three brick and mortar facilities: Orlando, Sanford and Alafaya. Pet Alliance transfers in pets from Seminole, Orange and Osceola counties. They also have a robust transfer program with partners across the United States and the Caribbean. These collaborative transfer partnerships with other shelters and rescue groups moves adoptable animals from crowded shelters, helping manage capacity and improving adoption outcomes for dogs and cats in the community. With a proactive adoption program, counselors work to minimize owned animal surrender by providing a range of resources including pet food pantry and low cost veterinary care. Pet Alliance embraces a capacity to care model, where intake is managed based on available staff. This model has produced strong outcomes with pets often adopted within 24 hours of intake. Pet Alliance delivers programs that support both shelter animals and owned pets, with an unwavering commitment to access, dignity, and excellence. Core programs include adoption, foster care, veterinary care, pet food pantry, and a community cats initiative featuring Trap/Neuter/Vaccinate/Return (TNVR). The Pet Apartment Registry, an innovative resource developed by Pet Alliance, helps families navigate rental housing pet policies and extends the organization’s influence well beyond Central Florida. Highly skilled veterinarians provide comprehensive care for all shelter animals, while two public veterinary clinics in Sanford and Alafaya offer preventive and wellness services for owned pets, including spay/neuter surgeries at reduced cost. By prioritizing access to affordable veterinary care, Pet Alliance plays a critical role in reducing pet overpopulation and keeping families together. Pet Alliance is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors and supported by a dedicated team of 60 staff and more than 800 volunteers, including 300 active foster families. Signature fundraising events, Fur Ball, which raised a record $1.6 million in 2025, and Paws in the Park, reflect the strength of community support. Under the leadership of Steve Bardy over the past decade, Pet Alliance has grown significantly and enters this next chapter fiscally strong and programmatically vibrant. THE OPPORTUNITY Pet Alliance is poised for an exciting and transformative next chapter. Following a devastating electrical fire in 2021 that destroyed the Orlando shelter, the organization rallied community support to complete a successful $9 million capital campaign. The result is the Kylie J. Capri Campus and Edward H. Hensley Adoption Center a flagship designed to be both welcoming and highly functional. At its heart is a 10,000-square-foot veterinary center with advanced treatment capabilities, disease-specific quarantine spaces, and dedicated neonatal care, dramatically expanding the organization’s ability to serve animals with complex medical needs. With the new Adoption Center and the state of the art medical center designed specifically to serve shelter animals, the Sanford facility will evolve into a dedicated enrichment and behavior training center. This timely shift is important to build on Pet Alliance’s longstanding commitment to behavior support and increasing the number of adoptable pets into forever homes. This is a rare opportunity for a CEO to step into an organization with strong fundamentals, deep community trust, and significant momentum, and to shape how that momentum translates into long-term impact. Embracing technology and data-informed practices to enhance veterinary care, improve staff efficiency, and strengthen organizational sustainability will maximize utilization of all the organization’s resources resulting in more lifesaving outcomes. The next CEO will guide Pet Alliance through a period of leadership transition while anchoring the organization in its values, culture, and mission. As the chief strategist, fundraiser, ambassador, and advocate, the CEO will steward recent growth and help Pet Alliance fully realize the promise of its new and existing facilities and programs. This leader will cultivate and deepen relationships with the Board of Directors, donors, partners, and elected officials; expand sustainable and diversified funding streams; and elevate Pet Alliance’s visibility and influence as a model for modern, compassionate animal welfare. Pet Alliance seeks an entrepreneurial and empathetic leader, someone who will engage the Board of Directors, inspire a shared vision, empower talented staff and volunteers, and lead an organization where innovation and kindness go hand in hand. THE POSITION Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer provides inspirational, values-driven leadership and strategic direction for Central Florida’s leading animal welfare organization. The CEO holds overall responsibility for mission advancement, organizational health, financial sustainability, and community impact across multiple locations. The CEO oversees adoption services, shelter medicine, public veterinary clinics, education and outreach programs, and administrative functions, while fostering strong partnerships across the animal welfare ecosystem. Working closely with the Board, the CEO ensures that strategy, operations, and culture are aligned in service of Pet Alliance’s mission. This individual is responsible for the overall management and operation of Pet Alliance in compliance with Board-adopted policies and with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations and laws. Key Responsibilities: Lead with Purpose: Provide continuity and stability while advancing a compelling vision for the organization’s future. Champion Lifesaving Work: Strengthen and expand adoption, veterinary care, behavior and training, and community-based programs. Advance Financial Sustainability: Lead fundraising strategy, major and planned giving, grants, and responsible fiscal stewardship. Oversee financial operations, including budgeting, reporting, and compliance, ensuring the organization's sustainability, fiscal health, and integrity. Build Relationships: Serve as a visible and trusted leader with the Board, donors, volunteers, partners, funders, and public officials. Invest in People: Foster a workplace culture rooted in learning, integrity, collaboration, and kindness; prioritize professional growth, retention, and succession planning. Elevate the Brand: Act as a compelling spokesperson locally, regionally, and nationally. Embrace Innovation: Anticipate trends in animal welfare, leverage technology, and champion data-informed decision-making. THE PROFILE Pet Alliance seeks a seasoned, mission-driven executive who brings both heart and discipline to leadership. The ideal candidate is a collaborative and resilient leader with a passion for humane animal care and a track record of guiding organizations through growth and change. The successful candidate will provide overall leadership for operations and long-term sustainability while ensuring the highest standards of animal care, community engagement, and fiscal stewardship. A successful track record of reporting to or working with a Board of Directors as well as inclusive leadership, to facilitate open communication to harmonize staff, the Board, and the other constituents with whom they will interface, is sought. Personnel management skills that include an ability to build trusting relationships, listen, provide feedback, build morale, delegate, “roll up one’s sleeves” and make decisions are essential. Experience managing a multi-site organization is beneficial. As chief fundraiser and public ambassador, the CEO will inspire confidence among donors and partners while expanding sustainable revenue streams. The successful candidate will balance strategic vision with operational excellence and bring high emotional intelligence to fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and shared purpose. Qualified candidates will have exceptional interpersonal skills and will be able to relate well to all constituencies. This individual should have demonstrated success in building and sustaining coalitions toward the achievement of goals. The successful candidate will have significant financial management experience as well as demonstrated accomplishments in fundraising, including securing major and planned gifts from individual donors, foundations, and corporations. An understanding of business principles applied to a nonprofit enterprise, including a background of good budget management, is necessary. Working closely with the Board, the CEO guides strategic planning, governance, and capital initiatives that position the organization for future growth. The successful candidate will be a strong leader who exhibits exceptional listening skills, ensuring camaraderie and staff participation. A leader who is trustworthy is of the utmost importance as are the traits of humility, honesty, integrity, and empathy. The successful candidate will build an accountable culture; recruit and mentor high-performing staff; and ensure programs are delivered humanely, effectively, and in alignment with organizational priorities. We seek exceptional oral and written communication skills with a successful background in external relations, including experience speaking with the media in a variety of situations. This person will be a credible and passionate spokesperson who will welcome and respect the multiple perspectives and groups that demonstrate an active interest in animal welfare. The candidate should be motivated by the best interests of the organization and continue the organization’s strong presence in the community. At least 10 years of successful leadership experience within a complex nonprofit, community-based organization is expected. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree preferred. Prior experience in animal welfare or related field highly desirable. CAWA certified is a plus. Key Leadership Qualities: Visionary, compassionate, and inclusive leader. Strategic thinker who balances mission with sustainability. Skilled communicator who can build bridges across communities. Dedicated advocate for animals and their well-being. SALARY & BENEFITS $200,000 - $250,000 plus comprehensive benefits package including a 4% matched 401(k) plan, and 100% paid coverage for basic healthcare plan. Pet Alliance is an equal opportunity employer.

Keywords: Noetic Search, Deltona , Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando, Chief Executive Officer, Healthcare , Orlando, Florida