Coordinator, Intake Diversion Program

Harris County; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris County Public Health is seeking an Intake Program Coordinator for the County Pets division. You will oversee intake diversion, educate staff, and provide counseling to pet owners seeking surrender alternatives.

The role connects owners with low-cost veterinary care, behavioral support, and foster options, while managing animal intake, lost pet services, and adoptions. Qualifying candidates bring two years in customer service or community relations, plus knowledge of animal welfare and

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or related field preferred.
• Two years in customer service or community relations preferred.
• Six months in animal welfare or related field recommended.
• Valid Texas Driver’s License upon hire.
• Bilingual English/Spanish required.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely, professional information and resources via in-person, phone, and email.
• Schedule and manage intake appointments and animal evaluations.
• Assist with animal redemption, lost/found services, and referrals.
• Coordinate with partners to maintain professional relationships and support.
• Design and deliver educational programs for staff and volunteers.
• Develop strategies to connect owners with resources to prevent surrender.
• Maintain educational materials and program supplies.
• Document client and animal information in HCP database and generate reports.

Skills

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Customer service

Communication

Chameleon Shelter Software

Animal handling

Bilingual English/Spanish

Vaccination knowledge

Animal welfare knowledge

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or Related Field

Tools

HLP Chameleon Shelter Software

Job description

If you’re looking to be a part of a collaborative environment where your skills can make an impact, explore our current opportunities in creating a better future for public health.

About Harris County Public Health:

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) includes a network of more than 1,100 public health professionals working together to improve health outcomes for the third most populous county in the United States. HCPH provides a multitude of services such as medical and dental services, community programming, and health education for the approximately 2.3 million people in unincorporated Harris County. Through its core values of innovation, engagement, and health equity, HCPH strives to bring meaningful solutions to public health issues while keeping Harris County healthy and vibrant.

Our Values:

• Transparency - We share information openly and honestly so that staff, partners, and the community understand our actions and the reasons behind them.
• Integrity - Our actions reflect strong ethical principles, ensuring we remain trustworthy, accountable, and consistent with our mission.
• Respect - We foster a supportive environment by valuing diverse perspectives, listening intentionally, and treating people with dignity in every interaction.
• Impact - We focus our efforts on activities that improve health, reduce disparities, and create meaningful, measurable outcomes for the communities we serve.
• Collaboration - We actively partner across teams, disciplines, organizations, and communities to align our efforts toward common goals

Position Overview:

Under the supervision of the Kennel Manager, the Intake Program Coordinator will oversee the County Pets’ Intake Diversion program. This role is responsible for developing resources, prioritizing community needs, educating staff, and providing personalized counseling to individuals seeking options for pet surrender. The Intake Program Coordinator plays a vital role in surrender prevention by offering alternative solutions that enable pet owners to retain their pets, such as connecting them with resources for low-cost veterinary care, behavioral support, temporary foster care, and pet supplies. Additionally, the Coordinator will provide information on shelter surrender policies, pet care, and available community resources, while also managing animal intake, lost pet services, and pet adoptions.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provides timely and professional communication in-person, via phone, and email, offering relevant information and resources tailored to each client's specific needs
• Schedules and manages intake appointments, oversees animal evaluations and triage, and ensures compliance with HCP admission guidelines
• Supports positive client-pet relationships by assisting with animal redemption, lost/found services, and facilitates referrals to appropriate external organizations
• Collaborates with the management team and internal/external partners to establish and maintain professional relationships, ensuring effective coordination and support
• Designs and delivers educational programs for staff, volunteers, and external partners on the intake diversion program, and provides oversight and coordination of volunteers supporting this initiative
• Develops and maintains strategies to connect pet owners and finders with resources that prevent animal surrender to the shelter
• Manages the creation and updating of educational materials, ensuring the availability of necessary supplies and equipment for the intake diversion program
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date program data, ensuring proper documentation of person and animal information in the HCP database (Chameleon), and reviews all forms for completeness and accuracy, while generating program statistics and monthly reports

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalent

Experience:

• At least two (2) years of experience in a position involving customer service, community relations, relationship building or personnel training.

Certifications/Licenses:

• Valid Texas Driver's License (upon hire)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Ability to handle difficult people and situations in a professional manner is necessary
• Must be comfortable working with animals
• Speaks in a clear and credible manner, selecting the right tone for the situation and audience
• Experience with HLP's Chameleon software
• Basic knowledge of pet vaccination schedules, animal husbandry, and basic animal health care
• Knowledge in basic animal identifying domestic animal breeds, high level of animal behavior, proper housing, common health problems and high level of safe animal handling.

Core Competencies:

• Data Analytics and Assessment Skills: Ability to use data to analyze community health needs and support decisions that improve community health outcomes.
• Communication Skills: This competency focuses on using clear and effective communication to engage audiences, address misinformation, and build trust, supporting informed decisions and stronger public health outcomes.
• Health Advancement Skills: This competency focuses on applying principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion to public health, addressing systemic barriers, and promoting fair access to resources for healthier communities.
• Community Partnership Skills: This competency focuses on collaborating with communities to address the systems and policies affecting health, fostering engagement, shared ownership, and sustainable improvements in well‑being.
• Public Health Science Skills: This competency focuses on using public health science and evidence‑based approaches to develop and improve policies and programs, ensuring effective delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services.

NOTE:

Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or Related Field

Experience:

• At least six (6) months experience in animal welfare
• Experience using HLP Chameleon Shelter Software
• Experience using Business Objects Crystal Reports
• Experience in project management, time management and problem‑solving skills

Language:

• Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• This is a full‑time position. 40 hours per week.
• Tuesday through Saturday, from 8AM to 5PM.
• Other days and hours as needed based on operational needs.
• Must be willing to flex work hours when required, including weekends.

Work Environment:

• This job operates in an animal shelter, professional office environment, with some field work.
• Consistently exposed to animals and animal allergens under conditions with limited alternative available.
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

• Some sedentary duties and some duties would require lifting of heavy animals, bending stooping and long periods of standing/walking.

Work Location:

• Harris County Public Health: Harris County Pets – 612 Canino Rd, Houston, TX 77076.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

Special Services:

If you need special services or accommodations, please call [phone] or email [e-mail]

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.