Description

Position Summary:

How would you like to help keep people and pets together? If you want to help a leader in the animal welfare community preserve the human-animal bond within the community, Joybound has the perfect job for you. Joybound believes in keeping pets with their guardians, in familiar surroundings and with a family who loves them. We offer several programs to aid community members individually and through outreach events. You will be responsible for facets of our Community Solutions, public-facing outreach, and work with pet guardians in a case management approach. The Community Solutions Specialist will work with the Community Solutions Manager to respond to pet guardians and identify critical resources, thereby increasing the number of pets and people we can help.

You need to be compassionate, self-motivated, organized, creative, passionate about the human-animal bond, and community-driven to take on this critical role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Interact and communicate with colleagues, volunteers, and the public in a manner that advances a culture of positivity, professionalism, trust, transparency, empathy, and excellence at Joybound.
• Respectfully and compassionately counsel community members seeking assistance, advice, and referrals for pet-related matters.
• Assess client needs and develop the care plan, including required funding. Partner with clients to obtain necessary services.
• Coordinate appointments and payments between pet guardians and veterinary clinics and other external providers.
• Write and maintain accurate case notes for clients.
• Contribute to routine reports for the Community Solutions Department.
• Manage inventory of and distribute pet supplies to pet guardians.
• Provide Resource Center support through providing up to date material, training volunteers, and creating a collaborative and supportive community.
• Interact and communicate with colleagues, volunteers, and the public in a manner that advances a culture of positivity, professionalism, trust, transparency, empathy, and excellence at Joybound.
• Attend and participate in outreach events in the community.
• Maintain confidentiality of all information.
• Promote a humane and caring attitude toward all animals and people.
• Maintain effective communication and cooperation with Joybound staff and volunteers.
• Perform duties in a manner that encourages attainment of goals, contributions, and business for Joybound and its programs.
• Drive Joybound vehicles as assigned by supervisor and follow safe driving practices, obeying all traffic laws at all times.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bilingual in English and Spanish required.
• Experience with the human-animal bond, conflict resolution, and/or de-escalation techniques.
• Experience with and enthusiasm for working with clients and team members to find humane outcomes keeping pets and people together.
• Comfortable with flexibility and adaptability, being able to shift styles to fit the needs of a wide range of cultures, people, and organizations.
• Demonstrated flexibility and proactive problem-solving skills and initiative to work with minimal supervision.
• Proficient in computer skills including MS Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, Power Point, Access). Ability to learn new database systems and develop consistent procedures for these systems. Experience with ShelterBuddy preferred.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate with the public, volunteers, and co-workers in a pleasant, courteous, and tactful manner.
• Detail-orientated with the ability to manage multiple projects at a time.
• Affection for animals, concern for their welfare, and a willingness to accommodate animals in the workplace.
• Must be able to pass a background check.
• Must have a valid California Driver’s License and must not have more than two at-fault incidents in a three-year period and no major at-fault violations in the last ten years and must be insured.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred. High school diploma or GED required.
• Experience of 2-3 years working with animal related organizations preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Specific physical abilities required by this job include:

• Frequent exposure to members of the public experiencing personal crisis.
• Work environment includes constant exposure to animals and animal allergens.
• Push/pull moderately heavy objects up to 50 pounds with reasonable accommodation.
• Lift and move objects up to 50 pounds for short distances with reasonable accommodation.
• Kneel, bend, stoop, squat, reach above and below shoulder level, grasp and turn objects, stand, and/or walk frequently and repetitively throughout each shift.
• Flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist.
• Sit for long and short periods of time while using a computer.
• Work environment includes constant exposure to animals and animal allergens.
• Tetanus and rabies inoculations are required or must be waived.
• Drive an automobile.

Hours:

Full-time, non-exempt position requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week (Sunday - Thursday). Hours and workdays may vary according to the needs of the department.

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES

At Joybound, we value diversity and always treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of or traits historically associated with race; color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.