On - Call Foster Support Coordinator

Ruff Start Rescue • Princeton, MN

2d • Remote

About The Position

The On-Call Foster Support Coordinator is an experienced animal welfare professional who provides scheduled weekend and holiday support for urgent foster situations and placements. This remote, on-call position is ideal for someone who remains calm during unexpected situations, understands foster-home matching and animal safety, and can make thoughtful decisions while working independently. Training, written protocols, and leadership backup are provided.

Requirements

• Must be 18+
• Reliable access to the internet and a smartphone
• Ability to use Gmail, Shelterluv, Facebook, and other designated communication and recordkeeping systems
• Ability to assess risk and make timely decisions with incomplete information
• Ability to remain calm, organized, and solutions-focused during urgent situations
• Ability to recognize when escalation or additional support is required
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaborate across departments
• Flexibility, resourcefulness, resilience, and the ability to manage stress and change
• Integrity, maturity, sound judgment, discretion, and accountability
• Calm, compassionate, and solutions-focused during urgent or emotional situations
• Clear and respectful communication skills, including the ability to set boundaries and explain decisions
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to manage several moving pieces
• Approachability and responsiveness to people's needs while maintaining established policies and expectations
• Ability to accept responsibility and lead by example
• Possibility-driven, proactive, personable, collaborative, and tactful
• Ability to work as a team player and support the overall goals of the organization

Nice To Haves

• Animal welfare, foster support, intake, placement, shelter, rescue, or comparable crisis-response experience
• Knowledge of animal behavior, safe handling, foster-home matching, and Ruff Start Rescue policies and procedures

Responsibilities

• Urgent, non-medical foster home concerns on weekends and holidays, including bite incidents, animal fights, lost foster animals, immediate safety concerns, and immediate foster animal moves
• Weekend and holiday foster placement approvals
• Documentation and handoff of on-call incidents to the appropriate staff teams
• Respond to urgent non-medical concerns involving the immediate safety of an animal, foster home, household member, or another animal. This includes lost or escaped animals, bites, animal fights, unsafe containment, and other situations that could result in injury.
• Provide immediate guidance based on established safety and behavior protocols, including separation, secure confinement, safe transport, preventing further injury or exposure, and completing required incident procedures.
• Coordinate emergency foster moves when an animal cannot safely remain in its current home until the next business day. This may include a sudden loss of housing, foster hospitalization, or another unexpected inability to continue care.
• Review and approve weekend foster placements, temporary placements, and foster-to-foster moves. Confirm the proposed foster is approved, trained, appropriate for the animal, able to meet the pickup plan, and aware of all known medical, behavioral, safety, and household requirements. Consider species, size, behavior, resident animals, children, experience level, location, transportation, and current placement restrictions. Speak with fosters as needed to determine fit before approving a placement.
• Refer illness, injury, medication concerns, and potential veterinary emergencies to the Medical On-Call team.
• Communicate calmly, clearly, and compassionately with fosters, volunteers, staff, transporters, and rescue partners at all times.
• Check designated foster and placement Facebook groups approximately every two hours during assigned weekend and holiday coverage.
• Document significant concerns, decisions, placement approvals, contacts made, and needed follow-up in the designated spreadsheet.
• Escalate significant human safety or liability concerns, law enforcement matters, public or media concerns, significant expenses, and decisions outside established policy to the Senior Placement Manager or designated leadership contact.

Benefits

• Training
• Written protocols
• Leadership backup
• On-call pay structure: Friday at 6 pm-Monday at 6 am on-call is $150 per weekend shift, and holidays are $75 per shift. + $20 per hour (Total Pay fluctuates due to work volume)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed