Adoptions Counselor

Humane Rescue Alliance

Job Description

Salary Range:
$18.45 Hourly Onwards
Job Summary:

Provide excellent customer service for visitors of HRA by creating a welcoming environment in our adoption centers, participating proactively in adoption matchmaking, and working as part of a team to complete administrative tasks related to adoptions quickly and with attention to detail.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide excellent customer service for patrons of HRA by greeting visitors in friendly manner, providing prompt responses via phone and email support, ensuring cleanliness, and pleasant appearance of public spaces.
Advise potential adopters through match-making and skilled counseling sessions for potential adopters including guidance about responsible pet ownership, animal care, and behavior.
Participate in offsite adoption events including animal selection, driving the mobile adoption vehicle, and providing on-site management of animals and volunteers.
Work as part of a team to complete administrative duties.
Collaborate with members of the public or other departments to ensure that customer needs are met in a timely manner.
As necessary, resolve difficult adoptions situations involving injured or sick animals, denials of applicants, and adoptions that become untenable.
Demonstrate sound judgment in response to adopter concerns, including coordination with other departments and/or escalation to your supervisor as necessary.
Always represent HRA in a professional and courteous manner. Provide quality service to the public, volunteers, and employees recognizing their individual contributions to the success of the organization.
Other duties as assigned, including regular participation in shelter operations duties such as intake, reclaim, lost/found, and animal care duties as needed.
Qualifications and Requirements:

Passion for the Humane Rescue Alliance mission, for caring for all animals regardless of age, breed, temperament or species, and supporting and educating members of the public, free of judgment or bias.
Must work collaboratively and with confidence in a high-stress, fast-paced work environment.
Ability to work effectively, both independently and in a team environment, in an atmosphere of multiple projects, and with deadline pressures. Ability to be flexible, detail-oriented, and prioritize.
Excellent interpersonal skills with a customer service orientation. Ability to communicate in a friendly and professional manner with a variety of individuals representing the public, board members, volunteers, donors, and employees. Ability to conduct and handle difficult conversations.
Computer literacy with proficient use of programs including Microsoft Office programs, email, database management software, and multiple payment processing systems.
Ability to work weeknights, weekends, and holidays.
Ability to manage emotional aspect of work in an animal shelter environment in a positive professional manner.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Regularly sits at a computer station and operates electronic equipment.
Ability to work weekend and evenings.
Ability to lift 50 pounds unassisted regularly, 50+ pounds assisted.
Ability to be comfortable working with cats, dogs, small animals, reptiles, fish, and wildlife.
Ability to perform strenuous physical activity daily, including but not limited to lifting and carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, and bending. Regularly moves about the facilities to coordinate work. Typically stands, bends, stoops, and crouches while working special events.
Due to the nature of shelter work, may be exposed to deceased, fractious, or aggressive animals; common allergens; hostile or irate persons; zoonotic or other diseases; unpleasant noises, odors, or sights; and extreme temperatures.
Education and Experience:

Minimum one year of experience working in a fast-paced customer service role.
Experience working or volunteering in an animal shelter or related field preferred but not required.
Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. A salary premium may be offered for multilingual candidates who demonstrate proficiency in written and oral testing.

HRA is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate because of race, color, creed, gender, religion, national origin, disability, age, pregnancy, genetic predisposition or carrier status, marital status, citizenship status, or sexual orientation. Accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals requiring them.

This is a full time job