PALS Program Coordinator

Urinyc; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Urban Resource Institute (URI) seeks a Pet Welfare Coordinator to support families in the PALS program by addressing animal welfare needs during their shelter stay. You will coordinate veterinary and behavioral services, provide pet welfare education, and help clients access pet-friendly housing options and resources.

The role requires collaboration with shelter staff and community partners, strong organizational skills, and a commitment to trauma-informed care.

Qualifications

• Must have a commitment to URI's mission.
• Experience with domestic violence context is preferred.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Assess families for shelter participation and address animal welfare needs.
• Coordinate veterinary and behavioral services for pets.
• Provide pet welfare education and access to pet-friendly resources and housing.
• Collaborate with shelter staff and community partners to ensure timely access to veterinary care.
• Assist clients with pet ownership issues, including orders of protections for pets where applicable.
• Coordinate inventory and sourcing of pet supplies and oversee related processes.

Skills

Animal welfare

Behavior assessment

Bilingual English/Spanish

Organization

Microsoft Office

Education

High School Diploma or GED

College Degree a plus

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Founded in 1980, Urban Resource Institute (URI) is the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence shelter services and a leader in supporting homeless families. Operating 24 shelters across New York City, URI provides 3,700 beds nightly in purpose-built shelters that offer trauma-informed services including counseling, childcare, case management, and more. URI’s Justice Initiatives extend support beyond shelter, offering programs in economic empowerment, legal advocacy, youth prevention, and abusive partner intervention. URI also develops permanent affordable housing as part of its long-term commitment to safety, stability, and healing.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The position supports families participating in the PALS program by assessing and addressing animal welfare needs throughout their shelter stay. Responsibilities include coordinating veterinary and behavioral services, providing pet welfare education, assisting clients with pet-friendly resources and housing options, and collaborating with shelter staff and community partners.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct comprehensive assessments for families seeking shelter and participation in PALS and offer ongoing support to ensure animal welfare issues are addressed, including assisting with safety planning, ensuring access to appropriate pet supplies, addressing medical needs, and overseeing the discharge planning process.
• Work closely with shelter staff and community partners to coordinatetimelyaccess to veterinary care for pets, including a vet exam, spay/neuter, vaccinations, micro-chipping, basic care, and treatment related to animal abuse.
• Conduct preliminary pet assessments for animal behavior concerns and coordinate access to behavior therapy, whereappropriate. Provide ongoing pet welfare education to clients, includingan initialPALS orientation, caseconferencesand individual and groupcounseling, to support the continuum of care for adults, children and petsresidingin shelter.
• Assistclients toidentifyand access “pet friendly” practices, including obtaining orders of protections for pets, exploring suitable temporary or permanent housing options, and addressing pet ownership issues.
• Identify,secureandmonitorall necessary pet supplies and products related to PALS and oversee the inventory management process.
• In partnership with other PALS team members, coordinate and/orfacilitate staff training related to animal welfare safety, including identifying signs of animal abuse, proper pet care and handling, and accessingappropriate communityresources.
• Work closely with animal welfare partners to coordinate fostering,boardingand animal surrender, whereappropriate.
• Represent URIatcoalitions,taskforcesand committees to ensure the continuation of solid collaborative approaches.
• Other duties as requestedbasedon department,programand/or organizational needs.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSES

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent
• College Degree a plus

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Commitment to the vision and mission of Urban Resource Institute.
• Demonstrated sensitivity and experience with and/or knowledge of domestic violence within and against disenfranchised communities, including individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or HIV-affected, the elderly, and individuals with mental health issues.
• Experience workingwiththe Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is a plus.
• Strong commitment to equity and social justice, including a focus on self-awareness and engagement of continuous learning around issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Mustpossessa demonstrated ability in delivering client services, including communication, and listening skills, understanding of human interaction and personality development, writing, and recording case documentation.
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Strong organizational skills that reflect an ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlesslyandadaptableto various competing demands.
• Experience with animal sheltering and/or knowledge of companion animal welfarerequired.
• Knowledge of basic handling of animals, signs of animal abuse/crueltyand common animal illnesses.
• Knowledgeof andinterest in the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, andstrong desireto be a bridge betweenthe humanwelfare and animal welfare communities.
• Strong organization, engagement and inter/intra agency collaborative skills.
• Strong clinical skills, including assessment, intervention,referraland advocacy.
• Must be self-directed and able to work independently and meet deadlines.
• Must be extremely comfortable working with Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience in program development and implementation, a plus.
• Bilingual English/Spanish, a plus.
• Occasional lifting (up to35 pounds) and travelrequired.
• Acknowledge and application of self-care and work-life balance for self and others.
• Must have the ability to be flexible with work schedule due to program needs.

At URI we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment. We actively seek a diverse candidate pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. At URI we offer equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.