Volunteer Services Coordinator

The Humane Society for Southwest Washington is currently seeking a Volunteer Services Coordinator to join our team. This is a full-time, FLSA nonexempt opportunity. 

Since 1897, HSSW has been the leader in animal welfare across Southwest Washington. With an annual operating budget of $15 million, we are the largest and most innovative animal welfare organization in the region. Our shelter campuses in Vancouver and Longview, WA serve more than 10,000 animals each year, providing high-quality care, medical services, and the compassion they deserve. 

Our community-based approach helps keep pets and people together. Through the Nierenberg Community Veterinary Clinic, the Sandra Richardson Miller Mobile Veterinary Clinic, the Swigert Family Behavior & Training Center, and programs like free pet food and other essential resources, we serve more than 18,000 owned animals annually expanding access to affordable veterinary care, spay/neuter, training, and support. 

We also own and operate ReTails Thrift Store, a top shopping destination named Best Thrift Store in Clark County for eight consecutive years, providing vital funding for our mission. 

At HSSW, you’ll find an innovative, high-energy culture where your passion for animals and people can make a real difference. We’re looking for team members who want to be part of something bigger: supporting pets, strengthening families, and shaping the future of animal welfare in Southwest Washington. HSSW has been honored as Best Non-Profit for two years running—a recognition of our impact and leadership in the community. 

Volunteer Services Coordinator (Longview Campus)

Volunteers are an essential part of maintaining the wellbeing of our animals, managing inventory at ReTails, engaging our community and contribute roughly 1.5 million dollars in labor to HSSW annually. The Volunteer Services Coordinator will work under the direction of the Volunteer Manager in a vital role to assist with onboarding and supporting our team of over 500 volunteers. Day to day work will include responding to email requests, scheduling, working directly with volunteers, troubleshooting, and mission driven community building. This position requires some work to be completed on weekends and occasional evenings to support volunteers and volunteer related events.

Essential Duties and Primary Responsibilities

• Fulfill outreach and mission goals, recognizing HSSW’s commitment of expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion for building our volunteer base and community partnerships.
• Provide administrative and technical support to a passionate and diverse population of volunteers with a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, competencies, and abilities. 
• Provide support to volunteers, volunteer manager, and works across departments to ensure effective volunteer onboarding and hand-off to department supervisors. 
• Exercise courtesy through polite and professional communication via phone, e-mail, and in person. 
• Provide technical support and troubleshoot technical issues with volunteers; to include scheduling, access to volunteer software, etc.
• Carry out clerical duties such as filing, typing, copying, scanning 
• Assist with volunteer facing events, orientations, and trainings.
• Ensure Standing Operating procedures are current and utilized for meeting HSSW’s standards. 
•  Participate on committees and perform other duties as you see the need for.

Qualifications

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Licenses, and Credentials:

• Demonstrated experience and working knowledge of utilizing conflict resolution and de-escalation skills for outcomes with positive results.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, highly distracting, multi-task work environment with the ability to shift priorities with little notice. 
• Ability to read, understand, comprehend, and follow instructions, training plans & SOP’s 
• Exercises good judgment that includes working with sensitive and/or confidential information regarding the public, volunteer/employee issues, and animal-related concerns. 
• Possess effective verbal and written communication skills, and high degree of computer literacy.
• Effective at utilizing data to problem solve and support volunteer program. 
• Coachable, ability to take direction and receive constructive feedback. 

Preferred qualifications include:

• Training and/or experience in a high compassion field of work. 

General Expectations

• Promote, and follow safety guidelines to ensure a safe work environment. 
• Is visible to staff, volunteers, and workforce partners; communicates with supervisor and directors on significant developments within the department.
• Promotes communication and cooperation between HSSW departments in addition to integration and utilization of volunteers and workforce partners.
• Exercises good judgment when working with the public, volunteers, workforce partners and staff.
• Committed to maintaining the integrity of the HSSW’s mission and adoption program.
• Adheres to agency policies and procedures, providing a positive example/role model for other employees.
• Maintains a positive and respectful attitude, displaying excellent interpersonal skills and high degree of emotional intelligence. 
• Demonstrates flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
• Consistently reports to work on time prepared to perform duties of position.
• Meets department productivity standards

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

This position requires you to be comfortable speaking with diverse populations and groups. Work duties and tasks may require walking, standing, sitting, stooping, squatting, bending, typing, speaking, seeing, listening, utilizing arms, hands & fingers for grasping, lifting, operating computers, answering telephone, and working with and handling animals. Position will call for repetitive use of hands to perform tasks in addition to operate computers, telephone, and cell phone; use computer keyboard for extensive periods of time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Additional physical requirements may include occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds with assistance. 

Work is performed in an animal shelter that operates seven days per week, with exposure to environmental conditions that include working with and/or near animals, with potential exposure to fractious animals, high noise levels, zoonotic diseases, animal bites and scratches, cleaning chemicals, allergens, and potential exposure of infectious diseases to personally owned animals.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related duties required by their supervisor. This document does not create an employment contract implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship. Some positions may require a criminal background check and Driving Record Release or Motor Vehicle Records Search. HSSW participates in E-Verify. 

Compensation 

The hourly pay for this position ranges from $20.85 to $25.24 per hour. Starting wage is dependent upon experience. 

Employee Benefits and Perks
In addition to serving in an organization with a compassionate and strategic purpose, eligible employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package and a variety of employee perks. 

Benefits include: 

• Health insurance effective the first of the month following hire (full-time employees). 
• Dental and vision insurance effective the first of the month following hire. 
• Matching percentage 401(k) retirement plan.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Section 125 FSA Cafeteria Plan for out-of-pocket health and/or dependent day care expenses. 
• Access to affordable life, disability, and accidental supplemental insurance. 
• Numerous employee discounts and discounts with partner organizations. 
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer. To learn more about this Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, go to https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation. 

Paid Time Off (PTO)  

This position accrues PTO at a rate of 2 hours for every 40 hours worked.  

Additional Paid time includes: 

• Floating Holidays (full-time employees). 
• Bereavement leave 
• Pet bereavement leave

Culture 

Vision: A community where everyone loves and cares for animals. 

Mission: Rescue. Return. Restore. Rehome. Reconnect. One animal at a time 

Values: Compassion. Collaboration. Excellence. Service. Integrity. 

The ultimate team player: 

• Displays interest, enthusiasm, and an affinity for working with people. 
• Demonstrates an attitude in being of-service, using good judgment, maintaining a positive outlook, and ideally, a sense of humor. 
• Works well in teams and demonstrates an attitude and commitment to collaboration with a sincere interest in helping others succeed. 
• Is committed to achieving excellence individually and as a part of the team. 
• Exhibits adaptability, curiosity, flexibility to change, open to new ideas, and encourages others to recognize changes in work tasks, situations, and environment as an opportunity for transformation. 
• Is committed to personal and professional development through life-long learning. 

How to Apply 

Does HSSW sound like the right place for you?  

Does this job sound like a great fit & do you meet the qualifications for this position? 

If so, then click the Apply button to begin your journey to join our team today. HSSW participates in E-Verify 

The Humane Society for Southwest Washington is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations during the hiring process for qualified applicants with disabilities. 

For more information visit https://HSSW.org/careers/.  

Application Deadline: Open until filled.