Are you ready to make a pawsitive impact? As a Foster Care Coordinator, you will assist in coordinating and evaluating Hawaiian Humane Society’s foster care program, facilitate engagement and support for foster care providers and ensure animals in care have a variety of options for positive outcomes.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/FUNCTIONS:
People Care. Ensuring internal and external patrons (employees, volunteers, Hawaiian Humane partners and community members) and their needs are a primary focus. Communication and contact must be clear, understandable, cooperative, professional, and respectful in all circumstances and will occur through face to face, telephone, and electronic mail. Employees are expected to actively support a positive team environment, directly address conflict with the goal of problem solving and appropriately express concerns. This position interacts with and collaborates with employees and volunteers at all levels of the organization.
Customer Care. Deliver high-level customer service to Hawaiian Humane community members via Foster Care Programs including recruitment, training, follow up support, and needs related to department assigned volunteers. Communicate with a diverse group of people in a consistently compassionate, informative, respectful, and professional manner. Manage emotionally difficult situations with strong communication skills and empathy.
Foster Care Program Development & Growth. Support the expansion and integration of the Foster Care program across the organization, finding strategies to work collaboratively and proactively, creating new opportunities for increased lifesaving through foster care. Support the development and fulfillment of departmental objectives and plans to expand programming to support sick, injured, and young animals prior to adoption placement and expand other foster programs to assist the community in emergency situations. Support the development and execution of strategies to grow the foster volunteer team by identifying, recruiting, training and retaining foster caregivers through speaking engagements or community events. Support the design, development and implementation of program standards, SOPs, systems and procedures for accomplishing work, ensuring these are updated, followed, and communicated with team members and volunteers.
Training & Education. Work with the foster care manager to assess and monitor programmatic efficacy and impact by benchmarking and examining retention, engagement, and foster volunteer contributions. Maintain educational and support collateral online and hard copy foster care materials for internal and external use. Support the creation of the monthly volunteer newsletter with foster care stories or needs. Create and maintain digital orientation and digital training classes, while also working with team members and partners on in-person training class opportunities.
Volunteer Management & Retention. Work with the foster care manager to build and nurture a team of dedicated foster caregivers and program volunteers. Maintain day-to-day relations and communication with fosters. Provide top-notch customer service to foster caregivers, including helping them address concerns or responding to their questions. Organize engagement opportunities with foster caregivers throughout the year, while supporting other community events as needed for recruitment. Train, supervise and engage on-site program volunteers.
Daily Foster Program Activities. Coordinate temporary in-home care for sick, injured, or young animals that need more attention or socialization before placement in adoptions. Work proactively with veterinary services, transfer, adoptions and behavior to meet the organization’s foster placement needs, ensuring best outcomes for animals. Assist in the gathering of supplies and resources when fosters are scheduled to pick up. Conduct all pre-pickup interviews for foster parents to ensure they are a good fit for the animal in need and are aware of the time commitments, details, etc. Coordinates placement and related resources for Emergency foster program.
Operational Communications. Participate in meetings with other members within the department and share ideas and suggestions designed to improve the foster care programs and the organization as a whole. Assist with operational tasks including population rounds. Participate in meetings between operational and veterinary departments to identify gaps in programs and areas for continued improvement.
OTHER DUTIES/FUNCTIONS:
Operations Support. Works with other departments within the organization to resolve issues of mutual concern and improve operations.
Other Duties as Assigned. May include organization-wide support as needed, including but not limited to participation in events, serving as spokesperson, fundraising, covering other operational departments, and Hawaiian Humane’s role as a first responder to disasters.
JOB CONDITIONS:
Work Environment: Indoors and outdoors as needed.
Equipment Use: Computer, database, and telephone systems. Use of all sheltering related animal equipment including tools for containing animals humanely, safely, and securely. Shelter related medical equipment and tools for administering vaccines humanely and safely. Use of Hawaiian Humane Vehicles.
Hours: Based on operational requirements. Shift times are scheduled to support organizational needs and may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
MENTAL, PHYSICAL AND COMMUNICATION DEMANDS:
Must be able to handle and restrain animals of various sizes, weights, and temperaments in a caring, safe, and respectful manner. Subject to animal bites or scratches.
Work performed in high noise level areas. Exposure to cleaning solutions, fumes, dust, animal dander and bodily fluids.
Physical efforts require bending, stooping, standing, climbing stairs, and walking. Frequent lifting of animals and objects with or without reasonable accommodation.
Must be able to maintain professionalism, composure, and compassion in emotionally charged situations and able to resolve conflicts effectively.
Must be detail-oriented with excellent organizational and analytical skills.
Must be able to work independently and in a team setting.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Skills/Knowledge: Computer expertise and knowledge of programs such as Microsoft Office. Ability to use data base style computer programs, understand data reporting and analyzing data.
Education/Training: High school diploma or equivalent required.
Experience: Minimum two years of customer service experience in a professional setting required. Experience working with animals in a veterinary or shelter setting preferred. Supervisory experience with employees or volunteers preferred.
