Adoption Counselor-Spanish Speaker

ACC is one of the nation’s largest open-admission animal shelters, whose mission is to End Animal Homelessness in NYC. We touch the lives of nearly 20,000 animals each year. ACC is more than an animal shelter; we are a resource to the community, always seeking ways to keep the human-animal bond intact. With a 90% placement rate, our progressive, life-saving initiatives contribute to the successful placement of our animals.

About the role

The Adoption Program at ACC aims to end animal homelessness in New York City by connecting people and pets for adoption. Using an "open adoptions" approach, the adoption process is conversation-based and non-judgmental, focusing on matching pets with people and providing post-adoption resources. Adoption Counselors promote adoptions and provide superior customer service, answering a wide variety of questions regarding animal husbandry.

Schedule

• Sunday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
• Monday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
• Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 7:30 PM
• Friday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
• Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM
• Wednesday and Thursday: OFF

Responsibilities

• Provide exemplary customer service to adopters by guiding them through the adoption process, helping them find a good match, and supplying resources during counseling sessions.
• Socialize and interact with dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs.
• Process adoption paperwork, including closing animal records, entering rabies/dog license information, processing payments, and managing donations in the Shelterbuddy database.
• Escort clients to view available animals, explain kennel cards, and review adoption applications.
• Interview prospective adopters and make decisions on adoption outcomes, including performing reference checks as needed.
• Respond to emails on a shared adoption account and answer phones/voicemails in a timely manner.
• Provide post-adoption follow-up to address questions or challenges.
• Interact with and gather information about available animals to ensure the best matches.
• Handle interactions between animals and potential adopters, including fitting dogs with collars/harnesses and placing small animals into carriers using low-stress techniques.
• Conduct and write rabbit evaluations to promote adoptions.
• Write bios and take photos to increase adoptability, and document "Happy Tails" adoption stories.
• Clean and organize adoption areas.
• Obtain Fear Free Shelter certification within 30 days of hire.
• Occasionally attend offsite adoption events and participate in community outreach.
• Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Bilingual (Spanish).
• At least one year of customer service experience.
• Strong computer literacy.
• Ability to handle different breeds and sizes of dogs.
• Treat animals and people with respect and use humane handling techniques.
• Ability to lift a minimum of 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Prior animal handling experience for dogs, cats, or small animals.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-stress, ever-changing environment.
• Customer-driven with a focus on providing a positive, upbeat experience.
• High attention to detail, strong work ethic, and ability to thrive in a busy environment.
• Ability to work well independently and as part of a team.

Work Environment

ACC operates as a collaborative team, and employees may be asked to assist with tasks involving outdoor work in various weather conditions. The shelter can be noisy and houses hundreds of animals, which may involve exposure to fur, odors, and airborne particles. Employees should remain calm and professional in stressful situations involving animals or the public. ACC also provides low-cost services, including compassionate end-of-life care for pets.

This is a non-union hourly position eligible for overtime.

Benefits

• Generous paid-time-off (PTO) package, including vacation time, birthdays off, personal days, and sick pay.
• Open-access Cigna medical, dental, and vision insurance at a low premium.
• 401K and Pension plans.
• Life Insurance.
• On-the-job training for 2-4 weeks, with periodic staff trainings on safety, DEI, cross-training, and growth opportunities.
• Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 for employees working full-time at a nonprofit.