Coordinator, Lifesaving and Care

Best Friends•Bentonville, AR

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Lifesaving & Care Coordinators manage the daily functions and growth of lifesaving programs, including adoption, and provide basic animal care and enrichment at Best Friends program locations. They model warm, welcoming hospitality for visitors and guests at the Lifesaving Center, building connections with the organization and its lifesaving mission. Coordinators act with urgency and contribute directly to Best Friends Animal Society’s no-kill mission and organizational success. Intensive assignments in a particular program may be made based on organizational needs. The role promotes and coordinates animal placements, supports adoption and foster matching, provides care and enrichment, and coordinates volunteer assistance. Coordinators help create a welcoming visitor experience, maintain safe and clean animal areas, support dog playgroups and cat interactions, and contribute to program communications and social media. They work collaboratively across departments, follow policies and procedures, keep accurate records, and uphold workplace safety. Regional travel may be required up to 25%.

Requirements

Strong communication skills.
Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach when engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.
Ability to leash, kennel, walk, and handle cats and dogs, including animals with health or behavioral conditions or concerns.
Basic ability to identify and discuss medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats.
Strong interpersonal skills; personable and professional; able to work with people from different backgrounds and handle sensitive and confidential situations.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and use well-developed organizational skills to 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 daily 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 varying weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold.
Ability to work around and handle dogs and cats of all sizes, temperaments, and medical statuses.
Valid driver’s license held for at least 3 years, eligibility to be added to Best Friends’ insurance, and ability to travel and drive on behalf of Best Friends, including overnight stays when needed.
Availability for a schedule that may vary with department needs and includes weekends, nights, and holidays.
Applicants must have valid U.S. work authorization that does not now or in the future require visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading teams and implementing programs.
Bilingual or multilingual skills.
Familiarity with shelter software or animal management software, or willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

Promote, coordinate, and facilitate animal placements, including adoptions and foster placements, by matching potential adopters with animals and providing customer service, counseling, and medical and behavioral information.
Coordinate adoption opportunities through events and offsite adoption meets, identify pet-retention opportunities, and utilize volunteers when able.
Develop general knowledge of animals in Best Friends’ care and assist adopters, fosters, and transfer partners by gathering information, arranging introductions and pet-to-pet meets, providing records and health certificates when necessary, and following up as needed.
Create a welcoming and engaging visitor environment, provide superior customer service, and use interactions to develop constituent engagement in support of organizational goals.
Coordinate volunteer support for basic animal care, including feeding, cleaning, walking, and medicating animals housed or transported in Best Friends vehicles, buildings, or facilities.
Follow policies and local standard operating procedures to uphold health and safety standards.
Coordinate and provide daily enrichment and training opportunities to improve animals’ emotional wellbeing and decrease length of stay.
Ensure low-stress housing, cleaning practices, and handling for all animals.
Work with volunteers to provide daily interactions for cats, meet individual cats’ emotional and interaction needs, and provide appropriate stretching and exercise opportunities for individually housed cats.
Oversee and execute dog playgroups using safe handling practices and knowledge of dog behavior; support volunteers with playgroups and enrichment practices.
Maintain clean workspaces and animal housing areas, stock supplies, and support the master inventory process.
Develop detailed knowledge of Best Friends programs to match animals and clients’ needs and provide superior customer service.
Assist with or oversee engaging social media content, including written, video, and photo content.
Collaborate with departments and marketing teams on social media and public relations opportunities that support lifesaving outcomes and program needs.
Represent Best Friends in media relations when requested and maintain Best Friends’ voice across communications.
Collaborate with team members across operations to develop and implement efficient processes; follow policies, procedures, and task lists and maintain accurate, timely communications, work completion, data entry, and records.
Maintain a safe workplace, model safe practices, follow organizational safety rules, and communicate unsafe practices and conditions.
Travel regionally up to 25%, including driving and overnight stays when needed.