Animal Care Specialist I - Intake Coordinator

Manatee County Government; Bradenton (FL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

The Manatee County Government is seeking an Intake Coordinator at Bishop Animal Shelter in Bradenton, FL. You will manage animal intake, administer vaccines, and coordinate preventive care, health assessments, and medical follow-ups to ensure lifesaving outcomes.

You will also assist with adoptions, greet and help visitors, maintain records, and support foster and field operations in a busy shelter environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Six months' veterinary experience with an animal shelter or similar organization.

Responsibilities

• Manage the safe and efficient intake of animals and coordinate medical appointments.
• Administer intake vaccines and preventative treatments and perform health assessments.
• Support adoption processes and provide excellent customer service to visitors and volunteers.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure proper animal identification and tracking.
• Uphold safety procedures in a fast-paced shelter and field environment, including handling animals.
• Assist Foster Coordinator with foster appointments and related administrative tasks.
• Keep work areas clean and maintain medical areas in accordance with protocols.

Skills

Desire to work with animals

Strong communication skills

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

Work Location:

Bishop Animal Shelter, 5718 21st Avenue West, Bradenton, Florida 34209

Work Hours:

Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 6:00pm. Some weekends and holidays may be required

Expected Starting Hourly Range:

$18.40 - $23.00

Working Conditions

Primarily animal shelter or outdoor field environment. Regularly performs moderately strenuous work in varying and adverse weather conditions, including rain, extreme heat and humidity, and long exposure to sunlight. Daily exposure to dogs, cats, and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status. High noise environment while performing certain responsibilities. Lifting and carrying equipment up to 50 pounds alone and up to 100 pounds with assistance. Periodically required to drive county vehicles as part of the duties of the job. Able to climb and descend equipment and ladders. Able to bend, stoop, crawl, and reach. Position requires visual acuity and depth perception, as well as ability to hear and identify sounds. Periodic high stress situations that may involve angry or frustrated citizens. Regularly required to work other than normal business hours including nights, holidays, and weekends.

Essential Functions

These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position.

Area of Assignment:

Intake Coordinator

The Intake Coordinator supports Manatee County Animal Welfare by managing the safe and efficient intake of animals while providing essential veterinary and foster care support. This role involves receiving and processing animals, administering intake vaccines and preventative treatments, conducting preliminary health assessments, and identifying medical or behavioral concerns for follow up by veterinary staff. The position also coordinates medical appointments and communication for foster animals, assists veterinarians and technicians with routine procedures, maintains accurate records, and ensures proper animal identification and tracking. Working in a fast-paced shelter and field environment, the Intake Coordinator safely handles animals of all sizes and conditions, maintains clean and well-stocked medical areas, delivers professional and compassionate customer service, adheres to safety and operational protocols, and supports emergency response operations as needed.

Assists with all aspects of the adoption process. Provide excellent customer service to visitors, volunteers, and adopters.

Positively interacts with volunteers and promotes a team environment.

Greets visitors to the shelter, answers questions, and assists visitors with their needs.

Delivers excellent, non-judgmental customer service to all visitors, adopters, fosters, and transfer partners in a friendly, informative and professional manner.

Provides basic and routine care for animals per department guidelines, including feeding, watering, and light grooming.

Supports animals with medical issues, which may include zoonotic disease, by medicating, treating, preparing special diets, observing and reporting, and assisting in the maintenance of required records.

Provides socialization, enrichment, and exercise for animals as directed. These activities include but is not limited to dog walking, training and playgroup.

Identifies behavioral issues and shares observations with team members and leaders. Follows behavior or training plans developed for specific animals.

Assist Foster Coordinator with foster appointments, supplies, return surveys and inputting information to the database.

Cleans work areas and preserves physical appearance of buildings and grounds, including scooping, raking, sweeping, mopping and trash removal. Notes maintenance or repairs needed and reports per protocol.

Follows policies, procedures, and task lists for daily lifesaving outcome assignments, including accurate and timely communications, work completion, data entry and recordkeeping.

Strictly adheres to established safety procedures to protect self, co-workers and the general public.

Attends job-specific training classes as assigned by supervisor; this includes but is not limited to Defensive Dog Handling and Dogs Playing for Life.

Support Front Desk function processing adoptions, licenses, money handling and provide good customer service.

Respond to customer service in box and provide information about services provided by the facility.

Take lost & found reports and follow-up when a match has been found.

Performs other related duties as assigned, including participation in emergency or disaster response activities, as required and consistent with the employee’s qualifications, essential job functions, and applicable federal and Florida law. Including work in the Emergency Operations Center and pet friendly shelters.

High school diploma or equivalent.

Six (6) months' work of veterinary experience with an animal shelter or similar organization required for Intake Coordinator and Vet Assistant positions.

Previous customer service experience desired.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Strong desire to work with animals.

Able to comprehend and follow oral and written instructions and complete tasks within assigned timeframes. Able to resolve routine situations and problems.

Basic knowledge and understanding of open adoption processes.

Ability to work with, leash, kennel, walk, and handle dogs, including those with health and/or behavior conditions/concerns including shyness, fearfulness, and aggression; basic ability to identify and speak to medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs.

Basic knowledge and understanding of regulatory compliance necessary to successfully perform job duties.

Basic knowledge and understanding of computer applications and software programs required to perform job duties.

Good written and verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills to be able to interact professionally and effectively with co-workers, management, adopters, volunteers, and other stakeholders.

Able to engage professionally during challenging conversations and accurately educate the public.

Capable of working under close supervision.