Community Support Counselor

Community Support Counselor

Are you good with people AND animals? Can you create a great first impression? Do you like making a difference in your community? We want to speak with you!!

Status:

The Community Support Counselor (CSC) is a pivotal role at ACCT as it bridges the gap between the shelter and the community we serve. Community Support is often the first and last impression each and every visitor to ACCT Philly. As such, they serve as the tone setters for a customer oriented, warm, and welcoming experience.

Serving as reception for many of ACCT’s visitors and as admissions and reunifications point people, the CSCs have an impactful and varied role centered on high quality customer service that focuses on keeping pets and people together.

Core Responsibilities

General Customer Service

• Greet all visitors to ACCT Philly verbally with a warm and welcoming tone, actively engaging in the practice of empathy and non-judgment with all clients!
• Multi-task between in-person customers and phone/email customers, in a professional courteous manner, ensuring communication in a timely manner.
• Provide information about ACCT Philly departments and services, as well as other relevant services across the city, to ACCT Philly clients
• Help triage client’s needs, directing them around the shelter and to the appropriate ACCT Philly point people including partners, volunteers, and staff
• Provide support to clients seeking lost pets by accommodating shelter walkthroughs and providing best practice lost and found tips and advice
• Ensure safe interactions for pets and people by demonstrating exceptional animal handling skills and helping clients get animals into or out of the shelter
• Maintains professional personal appearance and neat work space at all times
• Assists other departments when advised and as needed

Admissions & Pet Retention

• Provide supportive animal admissions services to clients who have appointments as well as walk-ins
• Ensure all clients have been told about pet retention support and options, offering information and resources when Help Desk is unavailable
• Through detailed and insightful conversation, obtain and document thorough intake notes
• Scan and photograph animals at the time of intake, documenting any relevant microchip or other animal identification
• Communicate with other departments where animals may require immediate or emergency attention or may otherwise be of interest

Administrative/Other

• Ensure that all animal and person records are accurately updated and entered in the shelter management system throughout the intake and outcomes processes, and on an as needed basis
• Collect and accurately document relevant fees, issue licenses, and solicit donations and organizational support
• Ensure appropriate cash handling processes and accurate documentation of daily cash
• Advise management when a client may need above and beyond service for a successful outcome Other duties and special projects as assigned by management
• Work as part of a team to maintain welcoming lobbies and public spaces that are neat, tidy, and clean
• Answer phones, check voicemails, and return calls

Qualifications

Possesses exceptional interpersonal skills and genuinely enjoys and interacting with people of all cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, and awareness or exposure to animal best practices; practices non-judgmental communication; is able to remain calm even when faced with individuals who may be emotionally escalated; excellent written and oral communication; has exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, even when switching between tasks and priorities; treats animals and people with respect; is discreet and sensitive regarding clients’ personal information and histories; strong problem solving skills, focusing on finding solutions to problems and challenges; demonstrates maturity and good judgement; is comfortable and able to work with animals of varying species, size, health status, and temperaments; ability to lift and move up to 50lbs.

This is a non-exempt position and requires union participation.

Work Environment

ACCT Philly is open to the public 10am to 6pm daily including on weekends and holidays, and may have as many as 300 interactions with the public in a given day, including with volunteers and rescue partners. The shelter operates at a fast pace and experiences rapid turnover of patients. While performing the duties of the job, employees are frequently exposed to odors and high levels of noise.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $17.50 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Are you over the age of 18? Due to the nature of the work applicants under the age of 18 cannot be considered for employment.

Work Location: In person

Salary : $18