Animal Care and Adoptions Specialist - NYC

Best Friends•New York, NY

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Animal Care and Adoptions Specialists are responsible for the daily functions and growth of lifesaving programs such as adoptions, as well as providing basic animal care for animals in our program locations. Specialists act with urgency to accomplish important tasks and play a direct role in achieving Best Friends Animal Society’s no-kill mission and organizational success. They may receive intensive assignments in a particular program, based on organizational needs.

Requirements

Previous experience handling dogs and cats in a professional or volunteer setting is required.
Basic ability to identify and speak to medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats.
Prior experience providing a high level of customer service in a client or community facing role is required.
Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.
Strong interpersonal skills, a team player, personable, professional, and able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with well-developed organization skills to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
Resourceful, get-it-done attitude; initiative to assist in any area or process; problem solving, seeking answers independently and enthusiastically; flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software, or desire to learn.
Ability to professionally advocate Best Friends’ positions on issues; experience in supporting, engaging with, and developing relationships with volunteers and donors.

Nice To Haves

Fear free certification is a plus.
Bilingual or multi-lingual skills are preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate kindness and the Golden Rule in our everyday actions by practicing inclusion and respect for every person for the value they bring to the table.
Be a role model for the spirit of authenticity, kindness and positive influence with each other, our visitors, and volunteers as well as to the animals every day. This includes listening, being present, being supportive of others and demonstrating compassion and curiosity in conflict.
Promote and facilitate pet adoptions, providing superior customer service, new pet parent counselling, and post-adoption support throughout.
Deliver superior customer service, assist adopters, fosters and transfer partners by gathering information to match them with appropriate animals; develop general knowledge of the animals in the Best Friends’ care, and in our partner shelters’ care, when necessary, to best match both animal and client needs.
Work directly with and support volunteers on all aspects and protocols of lifesaving care and outcome programs, including but not limited to program protocols, cleaning protocols, specific animal behavior and care, animal handling, transportation requirements and procedures, data entry, and communications.
Work collaboratively with Best Friends’ team members in all areas of operations to achieve lifesaving goals; follow Best Friends policies, procedures, and task lists for daily lifesaving outcome assignments, including accurate and timely communications, work completion, data entry, and recordkeeping.
Maintain a safe workplace, value, and model safe work practices, adhering to organizational safety practices and rules, and communicate to leadership about unsafe practices and conditions.