Animal Care and Events Coordinator - New York, NY

Best Friends Animal Society•New York, NY

3d•$23 - $25•Onsite

About The Position

Animal Care and Events Coordinators create and organize events that engage the local community with Best Friends’ lifesaving and advocacy programs. The role works across departments and coordinates with marketing, volunteers, and public relations to increase brand awareness and engagement and advance the organization’s no-kill mission. Coordinators also support daily lifesaving programs, including adoptions, and provide basic animal care at the New York Lifesaving Center and adoption events. Assignments may focus intensively on a particular program based on organizational needs. The position represents Best Friends to visitors, volunteers, partners, and the public. It includes event planning and execution, volunteer leadership, community relationship-building, marketing and communications support, daily operational tasks, and animal handling and care. The schedule varies according to departmental needs and includes weekends, nights, and holidays. Travel may be required, including overnight travel, and could reach 50% locally and out of state.

Requirements

Previous experience coordinating, hosting, and managing events, including assisting with public relations events.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.
Experience and comfort working with, leashing, kenneling, walking, and handling cats and dogs, including animals with health or behavior concerns; ability to identify and discuss basic medical and behavioral characteristics is strongly preferred.
Strong interpersonal skills; ability to work as part of a team, interact professionally with people from different backgrounds, and handle sensitive and confidential situations.
Ability to represent and professionally advocate for Best Friends in public, including with the media.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, organize work, and manage competing tasks and demands.
Resourcefulness, initiative, problem-solving ability, flexibility, and persistence in achieving goals.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products.
Ability to routinely lift 40 pounds and perform strenuous activities including lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.
Ability to perform repetitive tasks for extended periods, including typing, sitting, walking, and arm and hand motions.
Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varied weather, including extreme heat and cold, and to be exposed to dogs, cats, and other animals of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical status.
Valid driver’s license and ability to meet Best Friends Animal Society’s driver qualification standards.
Ability to pass a DOT physical exam and operate the Mobile Adoption Vehicle.
Availability for a variable schedule that includes weekends, nights, and holidays.
Ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed; travel may be up to 50% locally and out of state.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading teams and implementing programs.
Experience working with or leading volunteers.
Bilingual or multilingual skills.
Relationship management experience.
Prior experience communicating with the media.
Familiarity with shelter or animal management software, or willingness to learn.
Strong ability to identify and discuss basic medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats.

Responsibilities

Model kindness, inclusion, respect, authenticity, and compassion in interactions with colleagues, visitors, volunteers, and animals.
Work with Lifesaving Center leadership and cross-departmental stakeholders to understand program goals and priorities and create an event content calendar tailored to local audiences.
Create, host, coordinate, and execute event logistics, managing internal and external stakeholder relationships and ensuring a consistent brand and visitor experience.
Evaluate event success by gathering feedback from attendees, volunteers, and staff.
Collaborate with internal teams and marketing to identify local opportunities to expand brand awareness and maximize lifesaving impact.
Recruit and engage organizations, individuals, and stakeholders to develop mutually beneficial relationships and implement engagement and advocacy strategies.
Lead and empower volunteers and volunteer teams in support of local events, using volunteers to expand lifesaving capacity and providing superior customer service.
Assist team members with community engagement and daily operations, develop and implement efficient processes, and follow policies, procedures, and task lists.
Complete communications, work tasks, data entry, merchandise inventory, and recordkeeping accurately and on time.
Support daily lifesaving programs such as adoptions and provide basic animal care at the New York Lifesaving Center and adoption events.
Maintain a safe workplace, follow safety practices and rules, and communicate unsafe practices or conditions to leadership.
Assist with public relations events and represent Best Friends in the media as needed.
Support center marketing by creating social media content, updating animal marketing on the website, supporting street teams, and assisting with external communications and name gathering.