Job Title: Pets for Life Specialist

Department: Intake/Community Support

Reports to: Community Support Coordinator

Job Type: Part Time or Full Time

Starting Salary: $15.00/HR

Classification: Hourly Non-exempt

Supervises: None

Organizational Summary

It’s an exciting time to join the Cincinnati Animal CARE team! Cincinnati Animal CARE is the new county Humane Society in Hamilton County and with this change in operational leadership comes the opportunity to be part of a new beginning in Greater Cincinnati animal services.

We are a progressive, lifesaving community resource. We believe that every animal deserves a holistic approach and individualized care and consideration. We trust the people in our community and value collaboration. Lifesaving is a community ethic.

Job Description

Pets for Life is a national program through the Humane Society of the United States that reaches out to people in underserved communities to offer free or low-cost pet care resources. The Pets for Life Specialist will work primarily off-site with the goal of keeping pets with their families through proactive support intervention and community-based programming. Through door-to-door outreach in designated Cincinnati zip codes (primarily Price Hill), Pets for Life builds relationships and extends free pet care resources, services and information to an underserved area with limited access to pet care services. The PFL Specialist will be responsible for working under the direction of the Community Support Coordinator to become embedded into the community, become a household name, and building a bridge to and from the Hamilton County Animal Shelter. The ideal candidate will have significant understanding of systemic issues that affect underserved populations and commitment to serve the community. This position is highly collaborative with other departments in our organization so a commitment to teamwork and cooperation are a must.

We believe people are the answer, not the problem so we are looking for candidates with a passion for people in our community. This is a fast-paced position that requires a high degree of organization, attention to detail, relationship building skills, and a sense of urgency.

Expectations of Employee

Believes in the mission of Cincinnati Animal CARE and understands the lifesaving relationship between our organization and the community we serve.
Must approach each client judgement free and with an open mind, utilizing education as a primary tool to encourage change and set aside bias, conscious or unconscious.
Treats animals humanely, with love and concern both on and off the job and transmit these values to others.
Adheres to all Cincinnati Animal CARE organizational policies and procedures.
Adheres to all Cincinnati Animal CARE safety policies and reports injuries within 24 hours of injury.
Makes a good appearance, positive attitude, and can deal tactfully and effectively with the public.
Demonstrates flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
Can lift up to 50 lbs. long periods of standing, bending, and intermittent exposure to high noise levels.
Recognizes the value volunteers bring to the organization. Encourages and works with volunteers to support the program’s objectives.
A willingness and enthusiasm for a continued state of learning regarding Animal Welfare.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Contribute to all aspects of the Pets for Life program, including relationship building, door-to-door outreach, data collection, participate in outreach events, and transport to ensure meaningful, long-term sustainable impact.
Commitment to operating within the program according to the Humane Society of the United States Pets for Life model, approach and philosophy.
Conduct ongoing community outreach to pet owners in our community of focus on the issues of spay/neuter and general pet wellness. Help to coordinate medical appointments through the Community Support Coordinator and follow up.
Aid in cultivating strong relationships with local community groups in the focus community to further the Pets for Life program.
Under the direction of the Community Support Coordinator, work closely with the Volunteer Engagement department to train and work alongside volunteers for the PFL program
Maintains program recordkeeping and data entry; help to monitor progress toward program goals.
Other duties as assigned.

Major Essential Duties

Follow and promote stringent safety protocols and guidelines.
Think outside the box and utilize the ideas of other shelter behavior professionals when faced with a difficult animals.
Stay current on shelter behavior and training best practice.
Must be able and willing to work with unpredictable, difficult, and sometimes dangerous animals.
Must take a collaborative approach and know when to ask for help. Including bringing up ideas or ways to improve the PFL program.
Must approach each animal as an individual and set aside bias, conscious or unconscious.
Be present and timely for the duration of each work day.
Be empathetic and compassionate when interacting with the animals, staff and members of the public.
Make a commitment to working cooperatively with volunteers and develop positive relationships throughout the organization.
Work collaboratively with shelter staff, including Intake staff, Behavior and Training, the Medical Team, and Foster and Volunteer Coordinators.
Make a commitment to
Adhere to the Cincinnati Animal CARE Culture Agreement which includes behaving in a manner that promotes a fun, positive work environment.
Demonstrate a commitment to transparency.

Working Conditions: Potential exposure to zoonotic diseases, high noise levels, extreme temperatures, hazardous chemicals, and sharp objects. Able to lift up to 50 lb., long periods of standing, bending, stooping, reaching, animal handling, and restraint in an animal shelter-type setting. Exposure to animals of all sizes and temperament. Majority of time will be spent off-site.

Performance Factors and Necessary Skills:

Must be able to work in a high volume, fast paced, high stress environment.
Must be able to work independently.
Self-motivated, great attitude, team-oriented a must.
Demonstrated experience in customer service and/or case management.
Working knowledge of dog and cat handling and behavior, including pets with challenging temperaments and with severe health conditions.
Ability to handle pets safely and with kindness always, without exception.
Weekend and evening shift availability required.
Must understand the basic concept behind “rescue” and support the overall mission of Cincinnati Animal CARE to save lives.
Able to self-manage and operate with integrity and efficiency while in the field.
Basic Computer Literacy (Microsoft Office, ability to learn PetPoint Database system, etc.).
Excellent time management ability; able to juggle multiple deadlines and contradictory projects.
Will be required to drive the organization’s vehicles to transport pets to and from client’s homes during business hours.
Work outside of normal business hours will be required. May be required to drive the organization’s vehicle nights or weekends to deliver animals to other agencies.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Educational Background

High School or equivalent. College Degree preferred.
Experience in Social Work or related field preferred.
Experience working in an animal shelter or rescue organization for at least one year.
Any combination of training and experience which demonstrates successful animal handling, sanitation or expertise and the knowledge and skills necessary for this position.
Exceptional Customer Service ability
Possession of a valid driver’s license and safe driving record acceptable to the Cincinnati Animal CARE insurance carrier.

Special note about the state of our organization

Cincinnati Animal CARE is newly formed and by all accounts, a start-up company. Our entire organization started from scratch in August 2020 so our managers and coordinators are expected to be comfortable in an ever-changing environment where departmental structure needs to be built. Our most successful staff are flexible, demonstrate a willingness and excitement around building from the ground up and enjoy autonomy to create our programming. Very little is set in stone at Cincinnati Animal CARE and it is the vision and creativity of our team that will lay the groundwork for years to come.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions or qualifications associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change, for example, emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, or technological breakdowns in departments.

Pets for Life Specialist