Adoption Counselor

Job Summary

This role is responsible for creating positive, meaningful experiences for adopters while ensuring each pet is thoughtfully matched with potential adopters through conversation‑based relationship building. The position upholds and exemplifies the core values of LHS, playing a key role in promoting adoptions, engaging the community, and advancing the organization’s mission.

Working Relationships

Reports to the Adoption Center and Foster Manager, works closely with the Behavior and Training Manager, foster and medical teams.

Responsibilities

• Adoption: Communicates with all staff and volunteers to foster mutual understanding and teamwork; provides positive customer service interactions following the philosophies, core values, adoption guidelines, and protocols of the Lynchburg Humane Society; thoughtfully matches adopters with pets using conversation‑based relationship building; ensures the highest quality of client services for visitors, adopters, donors, and the public in person, on phone, and via email; knowledgeable about front desk/reception duties and provides coverage when needed; efficiently and accurately utilizes shelter software; responsible for collecting payments and reconciliation for adoptions, retail items, donations, and services in a timely, honest, and punctual manner.
• Public Engagement: Creates daily social media posts of adoptable pets, adoption recaps, and other engaging content via Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, using encouraging language to promote adoptions and increase follower interaction; creates engaging text, image, and video content to promote pets; maintains pet profiles by creating bios, uploading quality photos, and recording positive pet notes.
• Communication: Monitors adoption email accounts and responds to inquiries promptly; communicates any issues or potential customer service complaints immediately to management; communicates with the public respectfully and professionally, even under pressure.
• Cleaning: Cleans and maintains all areas of the Adoption Center and front lobby to ensure a safe, clean, organized, and welcoming environment for staff, volunteers, clients, and pets; maintains and organizes adoption center inventory; maintains a regular laundry rotation and an organized, sanitary laundry room.
• Other: Promotes savings, material donations, and monetary donations; properly fundraises in the Adoption Center and off‑site events; ensures compliance with state regulations, LHS policies, procedures, and protocols; walks and handles dogs of various sizes, ages, and behavioral categories; performs other tasks as assigned by management; personifies LHS Core Values.

Requirements

• Emotional/Mental: Ability to work under stressful conditions and remain efficient; rapid and accurate information processing; recognize when assistance is needed and ask for help; work independently and as part of a team; make decisions within LHS philosophies; availability to work weekends and holidays.
• Animal Handling: Ability to learn characteristics of animal behavior and identify aggressive or fearful behavior; use appropriate safety equipment for fractious or feral animals (mandatory); possess excellent reflexes; recognize personal limitations and be willing to ask for help; become “Fear Free Certified.”

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to work efficiently with limited supervision.
• Ability to maintain composure and excel in a fast‑paced environment while remaining organized and accurate.
• Strong problem‑solving abilities.
• Excellent work ethic.
• Competent computer skills and data entry experience; shelter software knowledge is a plus.