Specialist, Foster Programs

Best Friends Animal Society; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 26,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Great benefits

Job summary

Best Friends Animal Society in Bentonville, AR is seeking a Foster Program Specialist to oversee daily foster operations, recruit and retain volunteers, and coordinate animal placements to support our no-kill mission.

The role emphasizes customer service, teamwork, and coordination across departments. You will work with animals, handle safety protocols, and contribute to community outreach and lifesaving efforts, including weekends and holidays.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required, 1–2 years in customer service, volunteer coordination, or animal-related programs preferred.
• Strong communications skills are essential for engagement with adopters, volunteers, and partners.
• Bilingual or multi-lingual abilities are preferred but not required.
• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues.
• Ability to work with, leash, kennel, walk, and handle cats and dogs, including those with health/behavior concerns.
• Strong interpersonal skills and teamwork; able to handle sensitive situations with discretion.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate kindness and inclusion; model authenticity, kindness, and positive influence with people and animals.
• Promote and facilitate foster program animal placements by matching volunteers with animals and providing support.
• Gather and relay medical records, health certificates when needed, and follow-ups for foster animals.
• Support foster volunteer recruitment, engagement and retention; build relationships with local organizations and stakeholders.
• Facilitate animal outcomes for foster animals, including adoptions, events, and transport; coordinate logistics.
• Assist in creating engaging content for social media and collaborate with marketing to support lifesaving outcomes.
• Assist teams with daily care tasks for animals and ensure health and safety standards.
• Collaborate across departments to improve processes and ensure clear communication and data handling.
• Maintain a safe workplace and follow safety practices; address unsafe conditions.

Skills

Customer service

Volunteer coordination

Animal-related programs

Strong communications

Bilingual (preferred)

Customer-centric approach

Animal handling (dogs/cats)

Team player

Microsoft Office familiarity

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Location:

1312 Melissa Drive Bentonville, AR 72712

Hiring Range:

This position's hiring range is anticipated to be $19.50--$20.25 per hour depending on experience, plus great benefits!

Position Summary:

Foster ProgramSpecialistsare responsible for the daily functions and growth ofthefoster programincluding recruitment and retention of foster volunteers and animal placement andpopulationmanagementfor animals in the program.Specialistsact with urgency to accomplish important tasks and play a direct role in achieving Best Friends Animal Society's no-kill mission and organizational success.While this role includes responsibilitiesprimarilyinfoster program duties, coordinators may receive assignmentsin anyoutcome-focused programs, based on organizational needs.

Culture Statement and Responsibility:

We believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, building trust through authenticity and following through on commitments. We prioritize well-being alongside our mission, fostering strong relationships through open communication and transparent feedback. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, enriching team dynamics by valuing diverse perspectives. Each team member is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where all voices are respected and contributing to a workplace that embodies our shared values and commitment to progress. By consistently aligning our actions with our Guiding Principles, we strengthen our culture and ensure that our values are lived every day.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate kindness and the Golden Rule in our everyday actions by practicing inclusion and respect for every person for the value they bring to the table. Be a role model for the spirit of authenticity, kindness and positive influence with each other, our visitors, and volunteers as well as to the animals every day. This includes listening, being present, being supportive of others and demonstrating compassion and curiosity in conflict.
• Promote, coordinate, and facilitatefoster programanimal placementsbymatchingfoster parent volunteers withanimals in needby providing superior customer service, foster pet counseling and ongoing medical and behavior support throughout.
• Develop a general knowledge of the animals in the Best Friends' care; deliver superior customer service, assist adopters, fosters and transfer partners by gathering information to match them with appropriate animals, arranging introductions, pet to pet meets; acquiring/providing medical records, health certificates (when necessary), follow-ups as needed or required.
• Supportfostervolunteerrecruitment,engagementand retentionopportunitiesto help expand Best Friends lifesaving capacity;introduce, recruit, and engage withlocalorganizations, individuals, and stakeholders to develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships
• Facilitateanimal outcome opportunitiesfor animals infoster,this includesadoptions, eventsandtransport.Coordinatelogisticsrelated to outcome opportunities, including but not limited to, animal selection, animal consultations, transportdetails and timelines, records management and scheduling.
• Assistor oversee the creation of engaging content for social media platforms, to include creation and/or editing of written, video, and photo content. Work collaboratively with other departments and marketing teams toidentifyengagement opportunities with social media and PR to support lifesaving outcomes and programmatic needs at the center. Represent Best Friends in media relations when requested and ensure tomaintainBest Friends' voice across all communications.
• Assistother teams in providing basic care such as feeding, cleaning, walking, and medicating animals housed or transported within Best Friends' vehicles, buildings, or facilities; follow all policies and local standard operating procedures when completing daily functions to ensure health and safety standards are upheld.
• Work collaboratively with and assist Best Friends' team members in all areas of operations to develop, evolve, and implement efficient processes to achieve lifesaving goals; follow policies, procedures, and task lists,including accurate and timely communications, work completion, data entry, and recordkeeping.
• Responsible for maintaining a safe workplace, valuing, and modeling safe work practices, adhering to organizational safety practices and rules, and communicating about unsafe practices and conditions.

Skills and Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED or 1-2 years' experience in customer service, volunteer coordination,animal related programsor similar.
• Experience leading teams and implementing programs preferred but not required.
• Strong communications skills.
• Bilingual or multi-lingual skills preferred but not required.
• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.
• Ability to work with, leash, kennel, walk, and handle cats and dogs, including those with health and/or behavior conditions/concerns; basic ability to identify and speak to medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats.
• Strong interpersonal skills, a team player, personable, professional, and able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
• Abilityto work in a fast-paced environment withwell-developedorganization skillsto juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Resourceful, get-it-done attitude; initiative to assist in any area or process; problem solving, seeking answers independently and enthusiastically; flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software,or desire to learn.

Physical & Other Requirements:

• Must be able to:
• Routinely lift 40 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity including, but not limited to lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.
• Perform repetitive tasks for extended periods of time including typing, sitting, walking, arm, and hand motion.
• Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.
• Exposure to dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status.
• Valid driver's license, meeting Best Friends Animal Society's driver qualification standards; ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed.
• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.

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

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.