Supervising Animal Services Counselor - Adoptions

Full Job Description

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services has an opportunity for a Supervising Animal Services Counselor on the Adoptions team located in San Jacinto, CA. This recruitment may be used to fill vacancies throughout Riverside County.

This role involves handling animals and assisting with one-on-one matching of families with suitable pets, while working closely with veterinary staff to support animal care and medical needs.

The position requires a strong understanding of the foster program, as many adoptions occur through foster placements, and the ability to identify collaborative strategies to ensure successful adoptions.

Responsibilities include communicating with adopters and fosters to ensure positive experiences, providing excellent customer service to the public, and carefully matching families and homes with pets based on personalities, household dynamics, and children.

The role also involves traveling throughout the county, supervising staff, utilizing volunteers effectively, and solving problems as they arise.

Additional duties include coordinating offsite adoption events, outreach and media efforts, and developing training materials to train staff.

The Supervising Animal Services Counselor is the full supervisory level classification in the Animal Services Counselor series and reports to an appropriate supervisory or manager level position.

Incumbents in this classification are responsible for directing the day-to-day operations and training of Animal Services Counselor staff throughout the County of Riverside.

Requirements

• Plan, schedule, assign, train, and supervise the activities of the Animal Services staff including assisting customers seeking to adopt animals from the Department of Animal Services; oversee animal intakes and outcomes; coordinate the spay/neutering of animals for outreach adoptions; transport animals to outreach events; evaluate animals for adoptability and perform adoption follow-up.

• Plan, organize, schedule, and operate community outreach and adoption events.

• Direct the operations of animal intakes and outcomes, pet support for clients, general handling of animals, marketing efforts to encourage redemptions and adoptions of animals, computer update, and accounting activities for monies received.

• Interview and select new employees; prepare and review employee performance evaluations; counsel employees, attempt to resolve grievances and when necessary, recommend disciplinary action.

• Plan and participate in departmental training programs for assigned staff; conduct courses and evaluate employee achievements and course effectiveness.

• Assist the Animal Services Manager with the planning and development of the Animal Services Programs, identifying objectives of animal regulations, preparing policies and standard procedures, and developing overall goals.

• Suggest changes and improvements in existing programs and procedures; assist with the preparation of the annual budget, recommending and justifying additional personnel and equipment.

• Serve as Animal Services Manager in the temporary absence of the latter.

• Interpret ordinances, statutes, regulations, and policies to the staff, and the general public providing technical assistance in the resolution of problems related to adoptions.

• Promote animal services through community relations with civic, governmental and private groups; coordinate educational programs with the community, schools, law enforcement agencies, the media, and other groups.

• Maintain program statistics; prepare reports and correspondence concerning the Animal Services Program.

• Review reports and other written materials composed by the staff; conduct and attend various supervisory meetings and conferences with management; inspect and supervise maintenance of equipment and vehicles.

Qualifications

Education: Graduation from high school or attainment of a satisfactory score on a G.E.D. test.

Experience: Two years in a public or non-profit animal services program, which included responsibility of serving in a customer service capacity, for caring for, licensing and pet support for clients, intake and outcome programs in a public animal services program.

One year of the required experience must be in an Animal Services Counselor position or equivalent.

Knowledge of: Principles and techniques of supervision related to the selection, training, direction, motivation, and evaluation of subordinates; state and county laws, codes and regulations governing animal control; legal liabilities and responsibilities of those concerned with the intake and outcome processes of shelter animals, causes, symptoms, and safe handling of rabid animals; animal handling safety rules, procedures and proper handling techniques; specific knowledge of various breeds of animals and their care and feeding.

Ability to: Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relations with the public, adoption partners and other employees; plan, schedule and direct the work of others engaged in intake and outcome processes; counsel employee's regarding denial of adoptions; write comprehensive and detailed reports; exercise tact and good judgment; develop and maintain working relationships with the public, adoption partners and other governmental agencies; work effectively under stressful situations; organize and meet deadlines; read, comprehend and interpret laws and regulations pertaining to animal intake, outcome processes, adoptions, and safety; care for and safely handle animals so as to avoid injury to persons and animals; operate a variety of basic Information Technology office desktop appliances, programs, systems, and applications (e.g., PCs, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, etc.).

License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Must be able to work irregular work schedules such as weekends, evenings and holidays, as required.

Additional Information