Position Summary
The Adoptions & Client Services Coordinator oversees daily adoption and client‑service functions within Rescue Village’s Shelter Services Department, including the welcome desk, adoption workflow, animal introductions, client communication, dog licensing, records, service recovery, and front‑of‑house volunteers.
Rescue Village follows a barrier‑free, counseling‑based adoption model. Adopters are treated as individuals and receive complete known medical, behavioral, and care information to make informed decisions. The Coordinator ensures this model is applied consistently and without unauthorized screening practices or unnecessary barriers.
The Coordinator provides functional direction to employees assigned to public‑facing duties and daily direction to front‑of‑house volunteers. The Shelter Care Supervisor retains direct supervision of Shelter Specialists.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Adoption and Client Service
- Coordinate welcome‑desk operations, client flow, appointments, staff coverage, and unresolved needs.
- Manage adoptions from initial contact through counseling, introductions, disclosure, documentation, payment, licensing, and completion.
- Reinforce individualized counseling focused on the adopter’s household, expectations, resources, and the animal’s needs.
- Ensure adopters receive complete and understandable medical, behavioral, and care information, including known risks, restrictions, medications, and follow‑up needs.
- Prevent personal standards, stereotypes, or unauthorized screening practices from becoming adoption barriers.
- Require staff to pause, verify, and escalate incomplete or inconsistent animal information.
- Track incomplete adoptions, holds, pending documents, returns, and follow‑up matters through completion.
- Resolve routine client concerns and support staff during difficult or emotionally charged interactions.
Communication and Referrals
- Ensure Shelter Services phone, voicemail, email, and visitor inquiries receive timely responses or are routed appropriately.
- Train employees and volunteers to provide clear handoffs without interpreting another department’s procedures, predicting decisions, assigning urgency, or making commitments on its behalf.
- Ensure humane‑law and owner‑surrender inquiries are handled seriously and calmly without speculation, unauthorized promises, or premature advocacy.
- Recognize and escalate immediate safety concerns through the proper channel.
- Correct inaccurate information, poor handoffs, repeated transfers, or unrealistic expectations.
Staff and Volunteer Coordination
- Provide functional direction to Shelter Specialists assigned to public‑facing duties and coordinate coverage through the Shelter Care Supervisor.
- Coach employees on adoption counseling, disclosure, documentation, referrals, communication, and service standards.
- Address immediate service deficiencies and report recurring concerns to the Shelter Care Supervisor and Shelter Services Director.
- Serve as the primary day‑to‑day contact for greeters, front‑desk volunteers, and other public‑facing Shelter Services volunteers.
- Keep the welcome desk and greeting functions staff‑led.
- Ensure volunteers perform only approved roles and do not direct employees, control workflow, establish procedures, or drift into other departments.
- Receive volunteer ideas respectfully while remaining aligned with current Shelter Services and Rescue Village direction.
- Work with External Affairs on volunteer recruitment, selection, onboarding, and significant performance or conduct concerns.
Records and Coordination
- Ensure adoption, client, animal‑status, payment, licensing, disclosure, and follow‑up records are complete, accurate, and timely.
- Oversee routine dog‑license and payment transactions; coordinate discrepancies with Finance.
- Maintain approved forms, scripts, handouts, signage, supplies, and client‑service resources.
- Protect confidential information and follow approved payment‑security and data‑handling procedures.
- Coordinate with the Shelter Services Director, Shelter Care Supervisor, Intake Coordinator, Shelter Animal Hospital, External Affairs, and other departments as responsibilities overlap.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Decision‑Making Authority
The Coordinator may direct routine adoption and client‑service workflow, coach assigned employees and volunteers, enforce approved procedures, resolve routine client concerns, and pause an activity when information is incomplete or requires review.
The Coordinator may not independently create adoption eligibility standards, change policies or fees, override medical or behavioral determinations, make intake or humane‑investigation decisions, formally discipline employees, override the Shelter Care Supervisor’s authority, or permanently remove volunteers.
Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent required; additional education in business, communications, nonprofit management, animal welfare, hospitality, social services, or a related field preferred.
- Minimum of three years of relevant public‑facing, adoption, hospitality, animal‑welfare, or client‑service experience.
- At least one year of coordination, lead, training, workflow‑direction, or supervisory experience required.
- Animal shelter, veterinary, rescue, or other animal‑care experience preferred.
- Knowledge of adoption counseling, barrier‑free adoption, informed disclosure, animal behavior, safe handling, and shelter operations preferred.
- Strong communication, organization, judgment, recordkeeping, and problem‑solving skills.
- Ability to manage expectations, de‑escalate difficult situations, and maintain respectful volunteer boundaries.
- Experience with ShelterLuv or another shelter‑management database preferred.
- Valid Ohio Driver’s License, reliable transportation, and an insurable driving record required.
- Ability to pass a background check and drug screening required.
Physical and Work Environment
Work is performed in an active animal shelter operating seven days per week, with frequent public interaction and exposure to animals, noise, odors, cleaning agents, zoonotic disease risk, and emotionally difficult situations.
The position requires frequent standing, walking, sitting, bending, computer use, telephone communication, and movement throughout the shelter. Must be able to safely handle animals and lift or move animals, supplies, or objects weighing up to 40 pounds with assistance.
Schedule and Benefits
This is a full‑time, salaried, exempt position. The schedule includes regular weekend coverage and may include evenings, holidays, emergency coverage, and adjusted hours based on operational needs.
Rescue Village is an equal opportunity employer.
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
