Description

The Humane Educator contributes to the mission and vision of Animal Friends by promoting humane interactions between pets and people while instilling the values of kindness, care, and compassion.

The primary duties involve educating the public on the humane treatment of animals with an emphasis on dogs, cats, and rabbits; developing and presenting educational programs; and creating multimedia presentations to promote animal welfare. The Humane Educator is in direct contact with the public, volunteers, and other shelter staff, and thus a positive, friendly attitude and ability to work with others are essential components of this position. They will help guide and champion the work of our dedicated program volunteers.

Essential Functions:

• Develop program curriculum for children pre-K through grade 12 that is age appropriate and, whenever possible, in alignment with state standards. This includes PA Dept. of Education career exploration requirements for grades 3, 5, 8, and 11. Educational content must be developed and adapted to accommodate a variety of age groups ranging from preschool children to adults interested in an animal career.
• Develop and present educational programs to a wide variety of audiences of varying ages and backgrounds.
• Arrange for off-site or on-campus programming with school groups, outside summer camps, scouts, community groups, and others.
• Coordinate all aspects of Humane Education session requests from scheduling to organizing to implementing, with support from program volunteers when applicable.
• With support from supervisor and co-workers, manage Animal Friends’ Summer Camp programming including recruiting instructors, curriculum development, camper safety, and management of supplies needed.
• Train new Humane Education volunteers and maintain Humane Education volunteer lists, also arranging for secure filing of current copies of required volunteer clearances.
• In conjunction with the Communications Department at Animal Friends, create educational materials including brochures, banners, workbooks, other hand-outs, and multi-media presentations used to promote animal welfare both at off-site and on-campus activities.
• Perform general office work, such as filing, processing paperwork, maintaining data, generating weekly and monthly reports, maintaining appropriate program inventory, ordering necessary supplies, and other administrative duties.
• Attend community events as appropriate to spread awareness, recruit volunteers, and educate families.
• Collaborate with other departments as needed, such as Animal Friends for Veterans, Humane Investigations, and Medical, to provide seamless customer service and expanded program offerings
• Leverage volunteer talent by engaging their assistance within the department, thereby helping us to further our mission and vision and to achieve the organization’s expectation of 100% integration of volunteers into our programs
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree and teacher certification strongly preferred
• Certified Humane Education Specialist and/or membership with The Association of Professional Humane Educators preferred
• A minimum of two years community outreach experience including significant interaction with the public is preferred
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule; weekend work is required, with occasional evening hours
• Experience working with volunteers preferred
• Must possess excellent troubleshooting and organizational skills
• Must be comfortable handling and being around dogs, cats and rabbits of varying age, size, breed, behavior, background, and medical status
• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced, high energy environment while being able to prioritize effectively and manage work hours efficiently
• Must possess excellent communication skills, including very strong public speaking, writing, and phone skills
• Must demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and organizational ability
• Must possess strong computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft products
• Must have access to dependable transportation and openness to local travel
• Valid driver’s license preferred
• The physical demands for this job are as follows: Medium Work – Medium work is defined as lifting 50lbs maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 35lbs
• Valid Pennsylvania Child Abuse, State Police, and FBI Fingerprint Clearances
• Must have a sincere interest in the vision, mission, and culture of Animal Friends

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Communication Proficiency – Ability to orally express information and ideas to others when speaking
• Customer / Client Focus- Actively seeks out ways to aide Animal Friends guests and/or volunteers to ensure the best possible customer service is provided
• Diversity and Inclusion – Ability to welcome, support and value individuals with similarities and differences that may vary from your own
• Stress Management - Ability to maintain baseline behavior / composure during stressful situations
• Teamwork Orientation – Ability to work with others to accomplish likeminded goals and tasks for the organization