Adoption Coordinator

Sacbar; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Oakland Animal Services seeks an Adoption Coordinator to oversee day-to-day operations of the adoption program, focusing on dogs and cats, while promoting fair, low-barrier adoptions. You will train volunteers, coordinate events, and ensure smooth matchmaking for adopters.

The role emphasizes improving processes, accessibility for non-English speakers, and providing ongoing support to adopters after the adoption is complete.

Qualifications

• Associates degree or equivalent from an accredited college or technical school.
• One year of experience with animal care, rescue, or shelter; two years preferred.
• Experience implementing and maintaining processes and systems.
• Experience coordinating teams of volunteers and/or staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relations with the public, staff and volunteers.
• Strong interpersonal skills and composure in urgent or complex situations.
• Ability to safely handle animals using humane handling techniques.
• Ability to work in an animal shelter and at offsite events; includes physical tasks.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Preferred: Bilingual English/Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day operations of the adoption program for dogs and cats.
• Develop and maintain the adoption program’s processes and systems.
• Provide matchmaking and adoption counseling to potential adopters.
• Promote fair, low-barrier adoption practices.
• Support challenging adoptions by addressing concerns with adopters and escalation when needed.
• Develop and provide training and support to volunteers.
• Ensure adequate volunteer support and engagement.
• Communicate with volunteers about adoption program updates.
• Provide post-adoption advice and support.
• Assist with marketing and promotion of adoptable animals and foster programs.
• Coordinate off-site adoption events and logistics.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Team coordination

Customer service

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Associates degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Database systems

Job description

The Adoption Coordinator coordinates the day-to-day operations of the adoption program, helping ensure animals are matched with loving homes through a welcoming, efficient, and positive adoption experience. Bilingual in English/Spanish strongly preferred.

Job Classification

Full-time, Non-exempt, 40 hours per week

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Adoptions operations

• Coordinate day-to-day operations of the adoption program for all species, with primary focus on dogs and cats.
• Develop and maintain the adoption program’s processes and systems.
• Provide matchmaking and adoption counseling services to potential adopters, directly or by connecting them with volunteers.
• Promote thoughtful, fair, and low-barrier adoption practices that balance the needs of animals and adopters while supporting successful placements and reducing barriers to adoption.
• Provide support in more challenging adoption situations by interacting directly with the potential adopter to resolve any concerns, and escalating to the appropriate manager (e.g. adoption manager) when appropriate.
• Develop and provide training and support to all volunteers (e.g. shelter volunteers, event volunteers, fosters, etc.) who are involved in the adoption process.
• Ensure adequate volunteer support for the adoption program and support strategies to increase adoption volunteer engagement and capacity, working collaboratively with the volunteer coordinator or other relevant team members as needed.
• Regularly communicate and engage with volunteers about adoption program updates (e.g. on the volunteer community board).
• Ensure adopters are provided post-adoption advice and support as appropriate.
• Assist with marketing and promotion of adoptable animals, especially harder-to-place animals and foster animals.
• Identify, evaluate, and coordinate off-site adoption events, determining which events best support adoption goals and ensuring event planning, logistics, communications, and other coordination needs are completed either directly or through volunteers.

Systems and processes

• Assist with assessment of the overall adoption program to identify pain points and bottlenecks, and develop systems to overcome these.
• Assist with identifying opportunities for improving access for people most likely to experience barriers to adoption (e.g. non-English speakers), and develop systems to improve adoption program accessibility.
• Improve systems to collect and consolidate information about each adoptable animal from various sources (e.g. previous owner, staff, volunteers, medical and behavior notes, etc.) and ensure that information is available to staff and volunteers involved in the adoption process
• Ensure adopters receive accurate and known information about each animal, including known history, behavior, medical needs, etc.
• Create and/or maintain a tracking system of potential adopters so that information learned about them (e.g at a matchmaking conversation) is retained for future follow-up even if an adoption does not occur during that visit.
• Assist the adoption manager in providing regular reports to shelter management and the FOAS board regarding program status, successes, and challenges.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• Associates degree or equivalent from an accredited college or technical school.
• One year of experience working or volunteering with an animal care, rescue, or shelter organization required; at least two years preferred.
• Experience with implementing and maintaining processes and systems.
• Experience with coordinating teams of volunteers and/or staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relations with the public, other employees, and volunteers.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to remain calm and objective in urgent or complex situations.
• Demonstrated ability to safely handle animals using appropriate and humane handling techniques, including facilitating safe animal interactions with people, transporting animals, putting on collars/harnesses, etc.
• Ability to navigate and operate safely in an animal shelter and at offsite events, which include physical tasks such as opening/closing cages, carrying and organizing supplies, lifting and handling animals, etc.
• Ability to recognize symptoms of common animal diseases.
• Flexibility, adaptability, aptitude for effectively prioritizing multiple tasks in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Strong team-orientated work ethic.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and database systems
• Commitment to the mission, goals and success of Oakland Animal Services and Friends of Oakland Animal Services.
• Valid Driver’s License.

Preferred Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• Bilingual in English and Spanish strongly preferred.
• Familiarity by training or experience with basic animal care such as vaccinating, deworming, weighing, and giving medications.
• Experience working with large dogs (handling, basic training, understanding/identifying behavior issues).
• Experience working with animals who may require additional adoption support, including dogs and cats with behavioral challenges, medical needs, or other barriers to placement.
• Experience as an adoption counselor and with providing post-adoption support.
• Familiarity with animal sheltering and animal welfare challenges, including low-barrier adoption practices.

Working Conditions

• Primary work location is an animal shelter environment.
• Exposure to loud noises, high levels of activity, animals in various health and behavioral conditions.
• Potential for exposure to animal feces, blood, urine, and zoonotic diseases.
• Potential for exposure to animal bites, scratches, physical bodily impact.
• Must be able to work weekends and some evenings as the role requires partial to full coverage of adoption days and adoption events (primarily weekends).
• Adoption events may be held outdoors; must be able to work comfortably outdoors and in varying weather conditions.
• Must be able to tolerate the emotional aspect of work in an animal shelter environment, including the use of euthanasia, and participate in thoughtful, professional communication regarding difficult outcomes with staff, volunteers, and the public.