Foster Care Coordinator

Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Foster Care Coordinator serves as the primary contact for foster volunteers, ensuring effective communication, and delivering excellent customer service. Responsibilities include matching animals with suitable foster volunteers, coordinating pick-ups and appointments, and collaborating with the medical team for health concerns. The position involves recruiting and training volunteers, managing adoption processes, and liaising with shelter leadership. Additionally, the role includes maintaining foster care supplies and handling various tasks such as animal care, cleaning, financial transactions, and paperwork. The role will work collaboratively with other Pet Alliance teams and provide support in different areas of the shelter as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities listed are not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties that are required of the position. Responsibilities, tasks, duties, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Act as main point of contact for all foster volunteers, keeping active communication while delivering excellent customer service in person and through email answering questions and giving recommendations of care
• Match animals to foster volunteers based on skills and circumstances, ensuring animal is placed in best situation for their well-being
• Coordinate animal pick up and drop off and schedule necessary appointments
• Coordinate and assist with shelter medical team for medical concerns and regularly scheduled exams and appointments, entering exam notes and instruct foster volunteers on medical care requirements
• Prioritize medical needs of foster animals and collaborate with shelter medical team for diagnoses and treatment plans
• Recruit and train new foster volunteers, coaching and providing support as needed
• Coordinate adoption process and paperwork for foster animals with shelter team
• Communicate with supervisor and shelter leadership for foster activities
• Maintain, distribute, track, and collect foster care supplies provided to volunteers
• Work in partnership with other Pet Alliance teams for upcoming events and social media posts
• Process returning foster animals by collecting animal’s vital signs, administering vaccines and medications, running basic blood testing, microchipping, inputting records, and preparing animal quarters
• Assist in providing general care and maintenance of foster animals including feeding, watering, medicating, bathing and grooming, providing enrichment and exercise opportunities, and monitoring for behavior or medical needs on a regular basis
• Assist in cleaning and disinfecting all shelter areas and animal equipment
• Use proper animal restraint techniques for the safety and well-being of the animal and the team
• Handle financial transactions of donations and purchases of merchandise or services and reconcile receipts
• Complete all necessary paperwork and data entry, maintaining accurate animal records
• Assist in other areas of the shelter, as needed

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred
• At least 2 years of previous experience working in a veterinary clinic, animal shelter or animal welfare organization, or similar environment 
• At least 2 years of experience understanding and interpreting animal medical terminology and procedures as well as animal behaviors and cues
• At least 1 year of customer service experience preferred
• Previous work experience with evolving leadership responsibilities preferred
• Fear Free certification preferred
• Euthanasia certification preferred
• Completion of certified Veterinary Assistant program preferred
• Certification as Veterinary Technician preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of and ability to perform tasks on a computer using different software programs
• Ability to work with animals safely and humanely and to remain calm in stressful situations
• Ability to comfortably work with animals, treating them with respect and care, including animals that are difficult to handle and/or stressed
• Ability to understand and interpret medical terminology and procedures
• Strong ability to assess animal behaviors and cues
• Effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to quickly adapt to volunteer, animal, and business needs
• Ability to collaborate with others and work effectively in a team environment
• Strong attention to detail and ability to focus with distractions
• Excellent ability to use good judgement in problem solving and decision making
• Strong organizational skills for efficient task management and prioritization
• Effective multitasking abilities, efficiently managing and prioritizing multiple tasks with attention to detail and effectiveness

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

• Physical demands include extended periods of standing, walking, sitting, bending, reaching, handling, grasping, and coordination with constant lifting and carrying requirements of up to 25 lbs.
• Visual acuity and depth perception is required for safe handling of animals
• Work is frequently performed in the small, enclosed spaces such as animal cages
• Work includes providing compassionate and dedicated care to others 
• Work requires the ability to maintain focus and composure while working under pressure, manage stress during difficult situations, and adapt quickly to resolve issues or conflicts
• Work requires the ability to maintain composure, empathy, and patience in challenging or emotionally charged situations, while demonstrating strong communication skills to foster compassion, understanding and resolution

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Most work is performed in the shelter area of Pet Alliance which is open and well lit, adequately ventilated, noisy and distracting environment. In addition, the kennels are subject to extremely warm temperatures during the summer months.
• The job may require moving between rooms and buildings, which may result in increased exposure to extremes in temperature and atmospheric conditions.
• Work environment involves exposure to potential hazards such as chemicals and sharps.
• The job requires frequent and routinely intense public contact as well as the ability to multi-task under conditions that can be described as extremely fast-paced/high volume and are potentially stressful on a routine basis.