Pet Center Specialist - Part Time

Overview

Position: Pet Support Center Specialist - Part-Time

Department: Pet Support Center

Reports to: Pet Support Center Supervisor

Category: Part-time; non-exempt

Compensation: $17-18/hour (extra compensation for Bilingual: English/Spanish)

Schedule: 3 days/week, including a weekend day, 9:30am-6:30pm

Pet Support Specialists are on the front lines providing excellent customer service and pet support services to Kansas City, Missouri, residents through our Pet Support Center which includes a Pet Helpline (200+ calls daily) and Pet Support Desk (shelter admissions). The Pet Support Center team partners with our community to achieve the best outcome for the pets and people we serve.

Pet Support Specialists provide an empathetic and compassionate approach while assisting community members with a surrendered animal, admitting a found animal, helping an animal return home to an owner, or problem-solving ways to keep a pet in their home. Pet Support Specialists must be organized, appreciate attention to detail and data gathering, be a good listener, be open to challenging implicit bias, converse with people to understand their needs and/or concerns, and display problem-solving skills.

Must be able to think on your feet, stay calm under pressure, and have a background in customer services or social services.

The Pet Support Center is an integral component of KC Pet Project’s lifesaving mission to create a compassionate, safe community for pets and people. The Pet Support Center team works extensively with the public to provide services and help to keep pets in their homes by identifying barriers, assessing needs, providing consultation, support, and follow through. The Pet Support Center is a community-centered resource for pet owners, providing both support and services through our Pet Helpline (200+ calls daily) and Pet Support Desk (shelter admissions).

Our Pet Support Center team members are passionate about helping people find or obtain the resources they need with kindness, without judgment, and with a true desire to help people first.

• Responsible for being an exemplary role model in customer experience excellence. Make a good appearance, maintain a positive attitude, and deal tactfully and effectively with the public. Represent KC Pet Project in a professional, caring, and solution-oriented manner while embracing our “Solutions, Not Excuses” motto.
• Provide equitable and fair support to community members, actively remove barriers to pet ownership, and act as a good steward of limited resources.
• Gain support for KC Pet Project’s lifesaving mission through soliciting donations, negotiating financial assistance, and assisting with client storytelling.
• Maintain an extensive knowledge of community resources, animal control ordinances, and appropriate standards of care to effectively help pet owners make informed decisions regarding their pet’s identified needs with compassion, empathy, and a desire to help. Identify barriers and provide consultation, support, direct assistance, information, and follow through.
• Serve as an information and pet support service resource for pet owners and pet families, answer questions, requests, and inquiries thoroughly and promptly. Communicate clearly and effectively through varying channels of communication, including but not limited to, email, postal mail, phone conversations and face-to-face dialogue respectfully and compassionately. Act as a liaison to refer pet families to outside resources as needed.
• Process all daily paperwork, deposits, and other essential processes with accuracy and attention to detail. Maintain detailed and accurate records regarding animal history at KC Pet Project as well as pertinent owner information and communication records, state and city forms, kennel cards, and documents related to Animal Services Division operations and/or case management.
• Ensure appropriate standards of care are executed regarding scheduling animals for intake, vaccines, and pertinent medical tests, relaying medical or behavioral concerns to clinic staff, scheduling owner relinquishment appointments, helping a pet…