Cat Foster & Adoption Support Coordinator
APA! BACKGROUND: Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and beloved nonprofits. The organization leads the No Kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at-risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a No Kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals. The organization is distinguished by its large volunteer workforce and the scrappiness of its grassroots and its non-traditional, community-based animal rescue work.
The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and spreads its impact by offering resources and mentorship related to its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, American Pets Alive! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) - an innovative initiative aimed at rethinking the traditional model of animal sheltering. It focuses on supporting both people and pets in the community to reduce the number of animals entering shelters and improve outcomes for both. The project encourages collaboration between animal welfare organizations and community-based services, with a goal of providing personalized, proactive support that positions animal welfare as a social service.
Position Summary & Overview
The Cat Foster and Adoption Support Coordinator plays a key role in advancing the goals of APA!’s Foster and Adoption Support Program, with a focus on foster placement and support. This position contributes directly to APA!’s mission to increase the live release rate across Texas by supporting a sustainable, inclusive, and high-impact model for foster coordination.
The Cat Foster and Adoption Support Coordinator is responsible for managing their daily responsibilities, maintaining clear priorities, and delivering consistent, high-quality work that aligns with APA!’s values and goals. This includes staying organized, using data or feedback to inform decisions, and following through on key tasks and responsibilities with minimal oversight. This is a hands-on, mission-driven role focused on results, reliability, and teamwork.
APA! is a volunteer-powered organization, so every staff member is expected to work alongside and support volunteers. The Cat Foster and Adoption Support Coordinator collaborates closely with volunteers to complete day-to-day tasks, helps create a positive and inclusive environment, and actively contributes to a culture of shared effort and mutual respect.
This position may involve shift flexibility, weekend hours, and responsiveness during times of high need.
Every individual at APA! is responsible for working in collaboration with volunteers; making sure volunteers are recruited, trained and feel impactful through their efforts at APA!. A core part of this role is creating a welcoming and empowering experience for volunteers, including assisting with onboarding, training, and volunteer engagement as part of the day-to-day workflow.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The Cat Foster and Adoption Support Coordinator collaborates closely with the Foster & Community Placement Program Manager to deliver exceptional customer service and support to fosters responsible for APA! animals. Additionally, this role involves close coordination with Cat Foster & Adoption placement specialists, clinic staff, and case managers.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinate and train cat foster caregivers, staff, and volunteers to ensure that they follow all APA! policies, procedures, and protocols and execute all responsibilities
- Provide concierge-level service to fosters and adopters of APA! cats seeking pre or post-adoption medical coverage or other support– including responding to medical inquiries, requesting medication for fostered and pre-adopted cats in accordance with medical protocols, scheduling medical services, assisting in finding a new foster placement or with behavioral concerns, and assisting fosters and adopters through any additional needs.
- Oversee a caseload of cats through timely and scheduled follow-ups, actively engaging in outreach to foster parents.
- Collaborate with onsite cat teams (care, adoptions, placement, intake) to ensure accurate information and medical requirements are provided for all cats and foster parents.
- Offer continuous support and exceptional customer service to foster parents throughout their fostering journey. Regularly communicate with current fosters about the medical, behavioral, and other needs of their foster cats.
- Ensure the fulfillment of medical and marketing needs for cats in foster care.
- Help establish and manage a systematic approach using Airtable for tracking and notifying fosters about essential milestones, such as vaccine schedules, preventatives, and spay/neuter surgeries for their foster cats, as well as timed follow-ups.
- Work closely with the Specialty Cat Coordinators (FelV, Ringworm, Major Medical and FIP) and help cover as needed
- Help train the Cat Foster + Adoption Support Volunteers and delegate tasks accordingly
- Develop and maintain foster caregiver training and resources, as well as post adoption support resources
- Work with Foster + Adoption Support Program team members to create toolkits for fosters and adopters.
- Work with the education team and APAtec to support the creation of toolkits and resources for other shelters to access to learn programming.
- Create and update protocols, spreadsheets and any documentation related to the program
- Help support the Events Team, coordinating with fosters to bring cats to events, and working with them to help place cats.
- Actively contribute to a volunteer-powered culture by partnering with volunteers during every shift and helping create an inclusive, welcoming environment
- Work alongside volunteers to complete daily tasks, ensuring the work is shared and collaborative—not siloed
- Support the recruitment and onboarding process by welcoming new volunteers and helping them get oriented to the program
- Help retain volunteers by offering encouragement, guidance, and feedback during shared work
- Recommend strong volunteers for deeper involvement or specialized roles to your supervisor or volunteer manager
- Contribute to a positive culture by recognizing volunteer contributions through appreciation, gratitude, and shoutouts
- Help set volunteers up for success by clearly explaining tasks, providing hands-on guidance, and offering in-the-moment support
- Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager
OTHER FUNCTIONS:
- Must demonstrate dependability, accountability, time management, use of reasoning, and good judgment skills
- Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings
- Maintain open and consistent communication with Program Manager or designee, supervisor, and other colleagues
- Partner with Volunteer Admins to learn about the volunteer programs and support volunteers interested in your department on an ongoing basis
- Able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned
- Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
- Able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment
- Comfortable working autonomously when given goals and deadlines
QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPECTATIONS
- Committed to embodying APA!’s Core Values: Innovation, Respect, Drive, Resourcefulness, and Inclusion and cultural values: Humble, Hungry, Smart
- Commitment to APA!'s customer experience expectations
- Passion for working well with staff, volunteers, and customers—helping all individuals feel successful, appreciated, and connected to APA!’s mission
- Strong commitment to volunteer engagement and support; dedicated to working well with volunteers across all roles
- Comfortable working cross-functionally and serving as a liaison between volunteers, customers, and team members
- Effective written and verbal communication skills; able to interpret rules, procedures, and instructional materials
- Self-starter with strong time management; able to work independently and collaboratively
- Excellent interpersonal skills; maintains a calm and professional presence in all situations
- Strong attention to detail and high standards for quality
- Adaptable to change and able to perform related duties as needed
- Dedicated to delivering an exceptional and inclusive customer experience
- Safely handle cats of varying temperaments, prioritizing their well-being.
- Maintain punctuality and regular attendance.
- Utilize multiple communication channels including email, text messaging, and phone calls for effective correspondence.
- Possess basic experience in cat handling and care.
- Possess fundamental knowledge of cat behavior.
- Show competency in computer skills, with a preference for familiarity with Google Apps.
- Fluency in English and Spanish desired
PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, chlorine or other chemicals, and inclement weather
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Must be able to focus in a loud and busy environment despite distractions
Must be able to comfortably interact with cats of various health levels, including cats who may carry zoonotic diseases such as ringworm, scabies, intestinal parasites, etc.- Able to be on your feet for multiple hours of the day
- Must be able to visually observe people and animals from up to 150 feet away
- Ability to hear normal speech at close contact and shouting up to 150 feet away
- Must be able to walk around shelter as needed - uneven ground, keeping a safe distance from dogs and handlers
- Will sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, stoop, bend, stretch, squat, kneel, grasp, grip, put fingers together firmly and reach above and below shoulder level, lift and/or carry up to 30 pounds and push and pull up to 50 pounds for situations of moving supplies and setting up for events; repetitively use hands to operate computers; flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist.
- If reasonable accommodations are requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job absent undue hardship to the organization.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Standard office environment, with exposure to environmental conditions that include working with and near animals
- Uses own transportation to travel and transport
- Work is normally performed inside; some outside work is required
- Exposure to unpleasant odors and noises.
- Exposure to bites, scratches and animal waste
- Possible exposure to contagious diseases
- Rapid pace with exposure to potential hazards including animal waste, disinfectants, and high levels of noise
- Potential for animal bites and scratches and diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people
- Occasional after-hours or weekend work may be required to support program needs
LOCATIONS:
- APA! Main - Town Lake Animal Center 1156 West Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78703
- APA! Cat Adoption Center and Gift Shop 3108 Windsor Road Austin, TX 78703
- Hwy 290 Medical Clinic - 4942 W Hwy 290 Austin, TX 78735
- May travel to offsite locations as needed
TIME COMMITMENT
- This is a full-time, exempt position with an average of 40 hours per week.
- Shift and schedule flexibility is required, as weekly schedule is subject to change
- Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
PAY:
This position starts at $40,000 / Year. Eligible employees will be able to receive up to $2/hr stipend ($4,160 annually) within approximately 6 months through successful completion of internal APATec certifications (applicable to shelter operations, customer service, and medical roles). *Certifications and stipends are discretionary and subject to change based on business need.
BENEFITS
Austin Pets Alive! is proud to offer a competitive benefits package for full-time employees, including subsidized employer-sponsored medical coverage, subsidized and voluntary life insurance, voluntary dental, vision and short-term disability options, all effective the first day of employment. We also offer voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans, up to 2%
match on 401(K) retirement plan, supplemental benefits, flexible spending accounts and additional life coverage. Full-time employees receive 10 paid holidays and accrue 10 days paid time off during the first year of employment, with an additional 5 days of PTO accrual upon completion of 12 months of employment. Employees will also receive professional development opportunities through APA!’s ongoing mission to advance our animal welfare professionals in our life-saving work.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT
Austin Pets Alive! is an equal employment opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we engage on. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ people, women, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.
Austin Pets Alive! does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Austin Pets Alive! is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, community focus, and innovation.
APA! is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the employment application process. To request an accommodation, please contact Talent Acquisition at
[email protected] at least one week in advance of your interview.
