Animal Care and Events Coordinator - New York, NY

Best Friends•New York, NY

14h•Onsite

About The Position

Animal Care and Events Coordinators create and organize events that engage and connect the local community with Best Friends’ lifesaving and advocacy programs. Working with multiple departments and in coordination with marketing, volunteers, and public relations, the coordinator designs events to increase brand awareness and engagement and support the organization’s no-kill mission. The role supports the daily functions and growth of lifesaving programs, including adoptions, and provides basic animal care at the New York Lifesaving Center and adoption events. Coordinators may receive intensive assignments in a particular program based on organizational needs. The coordinator works with Lifesaving Center leadership and cross-departmental stakeholders to plan and execute events, build community relationships, engage and lead volunteers, and support customer service and daily operations. The role also assists with public relations and media events, center marketing and social media content, animal listings, street teams, and external communications. Work schedules vary according to departmental needs and include weekends, nights, and holidays. Travel, including overnight stays, may be required, potentially up to 50% locally and out of state. The position is based at 307 W Broadway, New York, NY 11206. The anticipated hiring range is $23 to $25 per hour, depending on experience, plus benefits.

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 conditions or concerns.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work as a personable, professional team member with people from different backgrounds.
Ability to 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 and organize multiple competing tasks and demands.
Resourcefulness, initiative, problem-solving ability, flexibility, and persistence in achieving goals.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products.
Routinely lift 40 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity, 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 motion.
Ability to work indoors and outdoors in varied weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold, and to be exposed to dogs, cats, and other animals of all 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.
Ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed; travel may be up to 50%, locally and out of state.
Applicants must have U.S. work authorization that does not now or in the future require visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

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

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.
Create an events content calendar that delivers priority messaging and themes and is tailored to local audiences.
Create, host, coordinate, and execute events, including managing internal and external stakeholder relationships and maintaining 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 lifesaving impact.
Recruit and engage organizations, individuals, and stakeholders to establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships.
Implement engagement and advocacy strategies that advance mission awareness and lifesaving impact.
Lead and empower volunteers and volunteer teams in support of local events, using volunteers to expand lifesaving capacity and delivering superior customer service.
Assist team members with community engagement and daily operations, and develop, improve, and implement efficient processes to achieve lifesaving goals.
Follow policies, procedures, and task lists, including timely communications, work completion, data entry, merchandise inventory, and recordkeeping.
Support the daily functions and growth of lifesaving programs, including adoptions, and provide basic animal care at the New York Lifesaving Center and adoption events.
Maintain a safe workplace, follow organizational safety practices and rules, and address or communicate unsafe practices and conditions to leadership.
Assist with public relations events and represent Best Friends in the media as needed.
Support center marketing through social media content creation, updating animal marketing on the website, supporting street teams, and assisting with external communications and name gathering.
Work varied hours and days, including weekends, nights, and holidays, and travel, including overnight stays, when needed.