Operations Coordinator/Animal Services

Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County•Athens, GA

About The Position

The Operations Coordinator/Animal Services plans, organizes, and supervises the daily operations of the Animal Services shelter. The role supervises Animal Caretakers and assigned workers; ensures animals receive appropriate daily care, sanitation, enrichment, and health monitoring; manages shelter population and length of stay; oversees intake, stray holds, owner reclaim, and kennel procedures; and maintains the shelter facility, supplies, and records. The coordinator ensures compliance with the Georgia Animal Protection Act, Georgia Department of Agriculture rules, and ACC Code Chapter 4, and performs other duties as assigned. The position reports to the Director of Animal Services. The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with some Saturdays or Sundays as needed. Weekends, holidays, evenings, and flexible or extended hours may be required based on shelter needs. The coordinator may also respond after hours to shelter emergencies and assist during declared emergencies or disasters. Regular and predictable attendance is required. The position is exempt, safety-sensitive, subject to random drug testing, and requires satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period. The role requires an associate’s degree in animal science, veterinary technology, or a related field and three years of animal-care and handling experience in an animal shelter, humane society, veterinary clinic, or animal control agency, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Two years of supervisory experience and a valid driver’s license are required. The successful candidate must be eligible to supervise inmates, complete required inmate-supervision security training within six months of hire or the first available opportunity, and complete humane euthanasia training within six months of hire. A bachelor’s degree, veterinary technician certification or registration, and formal shelter animal-care or behavior training are preferred. The work involves substantial physical activity, including restraining animals of all sizes and temperaments, and working in noisy, wet, and variable-temperature conditions with exposure to animal waste, cleaning chemicals, and zoonotic disease. The position requires the use of vehicles, animal-control and restraint equipment, computers, and cleaning equipment.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in animal science, veterinary technology, or a related field, plus three years of animal-care and handling experience in an animal shelter, humane society, veterinary clinic, or animal control agency, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Two years of supervisory experience.
Valid driver’s license.
Criminal background must indicate eligibility to supervise inmates.
Must obtain security training for supervision of inmate workers, as set forth by Georgia Department of Corrections Standard Operating Procedures, within six months of hire or the first available opportunity.
Must complete humane euthanasia training required by O.C.G.A. § 4-11-5.1 within six months of hire.
Knowledge of animal care, custody, humane handling, canine and feline behavior, common domestic-animal health characteristics, and shelter infection control and disease prevention.
Knowledge of euthanasia practices and the safe handling of sodium pentobarbital, needles, and syringes.
Knowledge of the Georgia Animal Protection Act, Georgia Department of Agriculture rules, and ACC Code Chapter 4 relating to impoundment, quarantine, holding periods, and animal disposition.
Knowledge of staff supervision, scheduling, training, performance evaluation, discipline, and the ACC Personnel System.
Ability to use computers, shelter databases, and standard office software; knowledge of basic budgeting and inventory procedures.
Ability to plan, assign, direct, review, and evaluate staff work; analyze shelter data; and take effective operational action.
Ability to interpret and explain laws, ordinances, and department policies to staff and the public.
Clear oral and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare reports, schedules, performance evaluations, and procedures.
Ability to exercise sound judgment with hostile individuals, animals, and emergencies; manage the emotional aspects of euthanasia; and support staff in difficult circumstances.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, volunteers, partner organizations, and the public.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle and use animal-control, restraint, transport, computer, and cleaning equipment.
Ability to perform physical tasks including climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motion; exert up to 50 pounds occasionally and/or 20 pounds frequently; and restrain animals of all sizes and temperaments.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in animal science, veterinary technology, or a related field.
Certified or Registered Veterinary Technician.
Fear Free Shelters certification, Dogs Playing for Life training, or similar formal training in shelter animal care and behavior.

Responsibilities

Supervise, train, evaluate, schedule, coach, and mentor Animal Caretakers and inmate workers; address employee concerns and recommend or carry out discipline as appropriate.
Participate in staff selection and onboarding, provide and document training, review work, and give timely feedback.
Develop, update, and implement shelter standard operating procedures and training materials for animal care, handling, sanitation, and equipment use.
Ensure animals receive appropriate daily care, feeding, handling, sanitation, and enrichment in accordance with department procedures and state standards.
Conduct daily walkthroughs to identify illness, injury, or stress, and coordinate vaccinations, treatment, and care with the Animal Health Technician and veterinarian.
Ensure sanitation, disease-control, isolation, quarantine, rabies-observation, and bite-quarantine procedures are followed.
Perform and oversee humane euthanasia; ensure controlled substances are secured, handled, and documented as required, and remains are properly handled and disposed of.
Monitor shelter census, kennel capacity, and length of stay, and coordinate with outcome and foster staff to support adoption, return to owner, rescue, transfer, and foster pathways.
Oversee intake, stray-hold, owner-reclaim, and kennel procedures in accordance with applicable ACC Code provisions.
Participate in evaluating animals for placement based on health, behavior, and temperament.
Ensure staff use available methods to identify and reunite lost animals with owners, including microchip scanning and lost-and-found reports, and document tracing efforts.
Oversee shelter facility and grounds maintenance, cleaning, and upkeep, and report repair needs to appropriate departments.
Manage food, sanitation, and kennel-supply inventory; research cost-effective alternatives; and assist with the shelter operating budget.
Promote and enforce safety procedures; investigate staff injuries, animal bites, and accidents; identify training or procedure gaps; and correct unsafe conditions.
Coordinate shelter activities during emergencies and disasters with the Director and partner agencies.
Ensure shelter database records are accurate and complete, and compile operational and statistical reports, including required animal intake and outcome data.
Respond to complex customer complaints and inquiries concerning sheltered animals, ordinances, and department policies.
Coordinate with the Field Supervisor, Outcome Coordinator, volunteers, animal welfare partners, and other ACC departments to support shelter operations.
Perform Animal Caretaker duties as needed and other duties as assigned.