Foster Care Coordinator

FOOTHILLS ANIMAL SHELTER • Golden, CO

1d • $21 - $21 • Onsite

About The Position

Foster Care Coordinator who finds purpose in connecting animals who aren’t yet ready for adoption with the care and stability they need to get there. As an open admissions shelter, we are committed to being here for families and their pets in Jefferson County, Colorado. We identify as a socially conscious shelter, caring for over 9,000 dogs, cats, and small animals every year with a compassionate team of staff and volunteers who are committed to the physical and emotional wellbeing of every pet we serve.

Requirements

• Professional or educational experience with basic veterinary procedures such as vaccinations, medication delivery, observation documentation, and veterinary restraint strategies.
• Professional or educational experience with neonatal animal care, including feeding and nutrition, medical care, and hygiene preferred.
• Professional or educational experience in animal learning theory, animal behavior, and positive-based force-free animal training preferred.
• Experience in animal sheltering or a similar professional animal care field preferred.
• Valid driver’s license with insurable driving record required.
• Physical ability to stand and walk for the majority of an 8- or 10-hour shift, lift up to 50 pounds regularly, and physically restrain and handle animals of all sizes including dogs weighing 100+ pounds.
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions year-round and respond quickly to emergency situations requiring immediate physical intervention.
• Must obtain and maintain euthanasia certification within six months of hire.
• Must obtain and maintain rabies pre-exposure vaccination series within six months of hire.
• Must obtain Fear Free Shelter certification within 60 days of employment.
• General knowledge of animal care, treatments, disease, and proper, fear-free restraint of animals of various sizes, weights, and temperaments.
• Working knowledge of animal sheltering practices; highly supportive of open admissions philosophy.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office including word processing, spread sheets, meeting software and email; proficient with animal management software and databases.
• Ability to multi-task and maintain composure in a fast-paced environment while providing courteous service to potentially difficult, emotional, or frustrated clients.
• Ability to maintain the highest levels of confidentiality when dealing with proprietary information and sensitive situations.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with a variety of people and personality types.
• Ability to stand and walk for the majority of a 10-hour shift on hard surfaces with minimal sedentary work.
• Ability to bend, twist, kneel, and squat frequently throughout the shift.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move up to 50 pounds regularly throughout the shift.
• Ability to physically restrain and handle animals of all sizes and temperaments, including dogs weighing over 100 pounds.
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions year-round including heat, cold, rain, and snow.
• Manual dexterity to handle veterinary equipment including needles, syringes, and restraint tools.
• Ability to respond quickly to emergency situations requiring immediate physical intervention.

Nice To Haves

• Professional or educational experience with neonatal animal care, including feeding and nutrition, medical care, and hygiene.
• Professional or educational experience in animal learning theory, animal behavior, and positive-based force-free animal training.
• Experience in animal sheltering or a similar professional animal care field.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full foster care lifecycle for each animal, from placement through return-to-shelter coordination and handoff to adoption or other pathways, ensuring medical and behavioral documentation is complete and current at every stage.
• Provide specialized guidance and support to foster caregivers of neonatal and juvenile animals, including feeding protocols, developmental monitoring, weight tracking, and age-appropriate care standards to optimize survival and placement outcomes.
• Serve as the primary liaison between foster caregivers and veterinary services staff, communicating care instructions, relaying medical updates, and coordinating veterinary appointments for animals with active health needs in foster care.
• Respond to urgent foster care situations, including animal illness, injury, or death in care, providing timely guidance, emotional support, and appropriate escalation to ensure the wellbeing of both the animal and the caregiver.
• Recruit, screen, train, and retain foster volunteers by conducting background checks, providing orientations, performing home inspections, and maintaining ongoing relationships with active foster families.
• Match animals with appropriate foster homes and coordinate all pick-up and drop-off logistics.
• Support the animal intake and assessment team during the winter months and as-needed during the summer.

Benefits

• Generous time off including six paid holidays, additional floating holidays (awarded annually on your employment anniversary), three weeks of accrued vacation, and paid sick leave.
• Medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, and a retirement plan with up to 4% employer match and immediate vesting.
• Two of our medical plans and our dental and vision plans are offered at no cost for employee-only coverage.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed