Cat Adoption Specialist (Bakersfield, CA)

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Position Summary: The Cat Adoption Specialist is responsible for client service and the adoption of animals at the PetSmart Adoption Center including but not limited to: adoption placement and facilitation adoptions for felines both at the center and at offsite adoption events, creating a positive experience for prospective adopters, ensuring quality customer service, ensuring accurate record keeping for feline disposition, providing foster parent and adoption support, training of volunteers in all aspects of the adoption department, assisting in various volunteer programs, feline care and promoting catss and the adoption program to the public. *This position will be onsite after orientation and training.

Essential and Primary Duties/Responsibilities include:

• Facilitate the complete adoption process according to SOXrescue standards and philosophy to include: surveys, checklists, agreements, screenings, medical records, written correspondence, email, and phone calls.
• Ensuring all volunteers are trained in all policies and procedures of SOXrescue, and that they deliver quality customer/adoption service, including assisting all prospective adopters with finding appropriate cats by facilitating introductions to appropriate felines and disseminating appropriate information.
• Answering of adopter inquiries through the adoption team primarily including but not limited to: answering the phone and basic questions from the public and appropriately directing calls to other team members when relevant, checking voice mail messages and overseeing call backs and information is delivered to appropriate staff as well as respond to general email inquiries.
• Assisting with in-house adoption promotions and events as needed.
• Providing high quality customer service to people who visit or call SOXrescue as well as resolving problems and addressing any client dissatisfaction
• Adhere to and be acquainted written policies, procedures, protocols, forms and training materials for adoptions, client service and adoption trials (Obtain approvals as needed); in regards client service, adoptions and foster care.
• Keeping feline records current with information which will help place them into suitable homes, foster homes or rescue including entering past and current medical examinations, observations and behavior notes in our central database as needed.
• Utilize shelter management software to effectively and efficiently track animals coming to and going from the shelter and update files as required including tracking adoptions for coalition members and communicating with partners when an feline is adopted.
• Perform inventory of all adoption cat food and adoption supplies including but not limited to: retail items, adoption tags, paper, pens, surveys, checklists, one-sheets and adoption packets, as well as filing and tracking of adoption surveys, checklists and contracts in accordance with CA law and SOXrescue policy.

Skills and Experience:

• 0 months to 1 year previous experience working with cats required. Must be able to work with all cats, including those with health concerns/conditions as well as behavior conditions.
• 6 months -2 years customer service experience prefered.
• Must have the ability to make decisions on behalf of the organization and coalition members as to approval of felines into adopted and trail homes.
• Must have the ability to make decisions on behalf of the organization to maintain intake standards for feline admissions approval into the SOXrescue feline adoption collation centers.
• Strong interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations. The ideal person for this job would be a team player, positive, personable, upbeat, and energetic, takes initiative, and uses tact and diplomacy.
• Resourceful, roll up the sleeves attitude. The successful candidate must have the initiative to resolve problems and seek answers independently and enthusiastically demonstrate flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.
• Knowledgeable of breeds, care giving, and characteristics of cats.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Computer literate: Microsoft Office, Internet, PetPoint shelter software, Google docs and mail.
• Ability to professionally advocate SOXrescue's position on issues.
• 6 months management and/or team leading experience: adoption experience also preferred but not required.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred but not required.

Physical and Job Requirements:

• Must be able to perform full range of movement: stretching, bending, squatting, climbing, lifting, etc...
• Valid driver's license with access to transportation to travel on organization business.
• Ability to effectively interact with and handle all cats.
• Work at a computer for extended periods of time with repetitive typing, arm and hand motion.
• Spend an extended period of time outdoors in all weather, including extreme heat and cold.
• Must able to lift 50 pounds or more.
• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule: includes weekends, night and holiday work.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at SOXrescue. SOXrescue is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, domestic partner status, or medical condition.