Supervisor, Lifesaving & Care

Best Friends Animal Society•Bentonville, AR

About The Position

Lifesaving & Care Supervisors are responsible for conducting and overseeing the daily functions, and growth of lifesaving programs including adoption as well as providing basic animal care for animals in our program locations at the direction of their managers. Lifesaving & Care Supervisors work with their leadership to oversee strategic expansion and engagement of community to meet all department goals. Supervisors act with urgency to accomplish important tasks and play a direct role in achieving Best Friends Animal Society’s no-kill mission and organizational success. Supervisors may receive intensive assignments in a particular program, based on organizational needs. We believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, building trust through authenticity and following through on commitments. We prioritize well-being alongside our mission, fostering strong relationships through open communication and transparent feedback. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, enriching team dynamics by valuing diverse perspectives. Each team member is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where all voices are respected and contributing to a workplace that embodies our shared values and commitment to progress. By consistently aligning our actions with our Guiding Principles, we strengthen our culture and ensure that our values are lived every day.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED or 1-2 years’ experience in customer service, volunteer coordination, animal related programs or similar.
1-3 years’ experience leading teams, or equivalent work experience leading volunteers and implementing new programs.
Strong communications skills: presentation experience with the ability to speak before a group of audience.
Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.
Ability to work with, leash, kennel, walk, and handle cats and dogs, including those with health and/or behavior conditions/concerns; basic ability to identify and speak to medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats.
Strong interpersonal skills, a team player, personable, professional, and able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with well-developed organization skills to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
Resourceful, get-it-done attitude; initiative to assist in any area or process; problem solving, seeking answers independently and enthusiastically; flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software, or desire to learn.
Routinely lift 40 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity including, but not limited to lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.
Perform repetitive tasks for extended periods of time including typing, sitting, walking, arm, and hand motion.
Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.
Exposure to dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status.
Valid driver’s license, meeting Best Friends Animal Society’s driver qualification standards; ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed.
Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.
After-hours flexibility to monitor a designated phone line for urgent foster care or volunteer-related issues, such as animal emergencies, or scheduling issues. This responsibility may be assigned on a rotating schedule or as needed based on program demands.

Nice To Haves

Experience in leading teams or managing people preferred but not required.
Bilingual or multi-lingual skills preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Treat people around you as our most valuable resource by leading with Kindness and Compassion in all your actions, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, encourage self-care and work-life balance through your own example, and work to build strong relationships with your team by creating communication loops to share and receive honest feedback. You are responsible and accountable for the culture of your team.
Work alongside team members and volunteers to oversee, coordinate and conduct daily lifesaving outcomes & care such as adoptions, feeding, cleaning, walking, and medicating animals housed or transported within Best Friends’ vehicles, buildings, or facilities with the goal of utilizing volunteers to the greatest extent possible to expand Best Friends lifesaving capacity.
Coordinate pet adoption opportunities through events, offsite adoption meets and identify pet retention opportunities to help expand Best Friends lifesaving capacity utilizing volunteers when able; introduce, recruit, and engage with local organizations, individuals, and stakeholders to develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships that expand adoption outlets; implement Best Friends engagement and advocacy strategies; support strategies through communications, events/meetings, social media or other methods.
Work with manager to routinely evaluate onsite animal capacity and determine lifesaving needs for shelter partners identified as a priority: develop and improve program efficiency to increase placement opportunities through increased care standards and enrichment support to increase animal’s emotional wellbeing, routinely audit length of stay trends in onsite animal population and work with foster and adoptions team to expedite placement for long-stay animals.
Work with team to create a welcoming and engaging environment to enhance overall visitor satisfaction and support Best Friends Animal Society’s mission; provide superior customer service to all Lifesaving Center visitors and use each interaction as opportunity to develop and engage individuals to support the organizational goals for constituent journey development.
Develop a detailed knowledge of Best Friends’ programs and animals to speak knowledably about and best match both the animal and client’s (adopters, fosters, transfer partners) needs; lead by example in providing superior customer service.
Work with team to establish volunteer opportunities that augment daily operations and maximize lifesaving capacity, through each opportunity define and track goals for shift attendance and work with volunteer team to develop strategies for recruitment and retention of care and enrichment volunteers, ensure opportunities are aligned with organizational goals for constituent journey development and ongoing engagement with Best Friends’ mission.
Provide support, training, and performance feedback; participate in performance conversations; support hiring and onboarding; ensure teams meet expectations for Best Friends’ program requirements and procedures; support teams so that each person achieves their fullest potential as contributors to Best Friends’ mission and goals.
Oversee, support or assist the creation of engaging content for social media platforms, to include creation and/or editing of written, video, and photo content. Work collaboratively with other departments and marketing teams to identify engagement opportunities with social media and PR to support lifesaving outcomes and programmatic needs at the center. Represent Best Friends in media relations when requested and ensure to maintain Best Friends’ voice across all communications.
Work collaboratively with and assist Best Friends’ team members in all areas of operations to develop, evolve, and implement efficient processes to achieve lifesaving goals; participate in the development of operating procedures; follow policies, procedures, and task lists, including accurate and timely communications, work completion, data entry, and recordkeeping.
Lead the maintenance of a safe workplace, value, and model safe work practices, adhering to organizational safety practices and rules, and addressing or communicating to leadership about unsafe practices and conditions.