Dog Foster Care Coordinator

Purpose: The Foster Coordinator plays a vital role in National Mill Dog Rescue’s mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome dogs from commercial breeding facilities. This position is responsible for developing, supporting, and sustaining a compassionate and reliable network of foster homes that provide safe, temporary care for dogs as they transition from rescue to adoption.

The Foster Coordinator ensures each dog entering the foster program receives appropriate placement, care, and resources while fostering positive, collaborative relationships with volunteers, foster families, veterinary teams, and internal staff. By overseeing daily operations of the foster program—including recruitment, training, placement coordination, communication, and follow-up—the Foster Coordinator helps create an environment in which dogs can heal, learn, and thrive in preparation for their forever homes.

Key Responsibilities and Duties – Other duties may be assigned.

Foster Care Program Coordination

• Manage the full lifecycle of the foster program, from intake through adoption readiness.
• Match dogs with appropriate foster homes based on behavioral, medical, and environmental needs.
• Maintain accurate, timely records of foster placements, dog status updates, medical/grooming needs, and program data.
• Coordinate dog movement between the kennel, foster homes, veterinary partners, and adopters.
• Recruitment, Training & Support of Foster Homes. Recruit new foster volunteers through outreach, events, and community engagement.
• Conduct foster orientation, training, and follow-up sessions to ensure foster families understand program expectations and care standards.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for foster homes, providing ongoing support, coaching, and guidance.
• Develop and distribute educational materials, manuals, and resources to foster volunteers.

Dog Care & Case Management

• Monitor each foster dog’s progress, behavior, and overall well-being through regular communication with foster homes.
• Coordinate veterinary appointments, medical treatments, grooming appointments, behavioral assessments, and follow-up care as needed.
• Assess dogs for readiness for adoption, ensuring all medical and behavioral requirements are met.
• Communicate concerns or changes in dog status to internal teams, including medical and adoption staff.
• Facilitate adoptions for dogs in foster care. This includes setting appointments and facilitation meet and greets as well as completion of paperwork.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with kennel staff, veterinary staff, and the adoption team to ensure smooth transitions and consistent care.
• Facilitate the exchange of dog information, photos, and behavioral notes needed for adoption promotion.
• Support foster families during meet-and-greets, adoption events, or transitions to adoptive homes.

Volunteer & Program Administration

• Maintain foster program documentation, agreements, and up-to-date contact lists.
• Track program metrics, including number of active foster homes, dog placement durations, and outcomes.
• Contribute to ongoing development of foster policies, protocols, and best practices.
• Assist with problem-solving and conflict resolution related to foster placements or volunteer issues.

Emergency Response & After-Hours Support

• Provide guidance for urgent foster situations, including medical or behavioral emergencies.
• Coordinate emergency or last-minute foster placements as needed.

Lost Dog Program

• Assist with coordination of NMDR’s response when an NMDR dog is reported missing.
• Establish, implement and maintain standard operating procedures for search efforts.
• Collaborate with adopters, staff, volunteers and local authorities to organize coordinated search strategies.
• Oversee timely and effective communication efforts, including social media alerts, posters and community outreach.
• Track lost dog cases and perform after-action evaluations to improve future response plans.

Skills and Experience

• Strong commitment to NMDR’s mission and ability to represent the organization in a positive manner at all times.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.
• Minimum one year of experience supervising staff or volunteers, preferably in an animal welfare setting.
• Familiarity with volunteer management platforms and basic office software (Google Workspace, etc.)
• Flexibility, ability to manage multiple tasks and shift gears in a fluid environment.
• Ability to work independently as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced ever-changing environment with a diverse group of workers.

Physical Requirements / Work Conditions

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. It is NMDR’s business philosophy and practice to provide reasonable accommodations, according to applicable state and federal laws, to all qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities.

• Local travel is required to visit foster homes or participate in community outreach.
• Must be available for weekend and evening work.
• Must be able to work hands on with dogs.
• Must be able to lift and move objects weighing up to 35 pounds for short distances; 50 pounds on occasion.
• Must be able to walk, restrain and handle (utilizing leash or manual) dogs of all sizes.
• Must be able to occasionally climb, balance, crouch or crawl.
• While performing essential duties of this job, employees are regularly exposed to loud noise as well as noxious odors, fumes or airborne particles, allergens, toxic or caustic chemicals; and potentially volatile situations which can present risk of violence or injury.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $19.00 - $21.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person

Salary : $19 - $21