Foster Specialist
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $15/ hour
Work Location: On site
Reports to Foster Manager
Company Overview
Cincinnati Animal CARE (CAC) is a dynamic and progressive humane society in contract with Hamilton County to deliver exceptional animal services to our community. We enforce animal laws and prioritize public safety while striving to be a community resource providing education and support to the people and animals of Hamilton County. We value our team of compassionate, open-minded and resilient staff and volunteers who make it possible to care for 8,000 animals each year. We believe that lifesaving is a community ethic and implement a collaborative, holistic approach to animal sheltering and Dog Warden services.
Position Summary
The Foster Specialist will work on a team responsible for the support and coordination of the animals in our foster program and the people who care for them. This person has excellent customer service skills, can multi-task effectively, and is driven by urgency. The Foster Specialist will assist with the recruitment of new foster families, engage and support current foster families, and assist with the placement of animals into the foster program. Ours is a fast-paced, stressful, high-stakes industry – the successful candidate is one who can manage the day-to-day demands of the job to help their team deliver results. This person has the internal discipline to work effectively within the freedom and autonomy of a start-up entity. We are looking for a reliable, responsible, and organized individual. The ideal candidate is unsatisfied with the status quo and actively seeks and accepts feedback and opportunities for improvement.
Duties and responsibilities:
- Recruit foster families to meet the needs of our animal population
- Receive and approve foster family applications
- Assist with the matching of foster families with appropriate foster animals based on their skills and living situation
- Assist with urgent foster planning for animals needing placement for behavior and medical reasons
- Respond to emails and phone calls from foster families within a timely manner on assigned workdays and schedule
- Report foster family concerns to the foster department supervisor
- Work with the medical team to manage emergencies, schedule vaccines and medication pickup as needed with foster families
- Assist with the tracking of supplies and inventory for foster program
- Assist with the scheduling of the pick up and return of foster animals
- Work with Outcomes to facilitate the adoption of animals from their foster homes
- Assist with the management of our Foster Facebook Page
- Provide excellent customer service to foster families and potential fosters
- Greet and speak personally with foster families on-site whenever possible
- Take turns with other members of the Foster team to monitor and respond to the Foster Emergency phone after-hours
- Work alongside of and collaborate with our dedicated volunteer staff to ensure daily responsibilities and ongoing projects are optimal and high functioning.
Requirements:
- A high school diploma or equivalent
- Customer service experience preferred
- Must be able to adjust schedule to meet the needs of the department, including participation in events in the community or at the shelter
- Must have availability to monitor and respond to the Foster Emergency phone on assigned days including after-hours and overnight (regularly hourly compensation will be provided)
Working Conditions:
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools listed above; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
- The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts; in high, precarious places; and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.
- Exposure and handling unvetted animals and their waste is frequent.
