ANIMAL SERVICES TECHNICIAN (REHOMING PROGRAM COORDINATOR)

About the role

This position performs and provides leadership in and participates in the activities and operations of the Animal Services Department, including maintaining daily shelter operations, caring for impounded animals and providing assistance to field officers; and performs related technical and clerical work as required.

Responsibilities

• Greets and assists customers and other department visitors;
• Answers the telephone; provides accurate information and/or forwards calls to appropriate staff person; takes messages as necessary;
• Performs other routine clerical duties as required, including but not limited to preparing forms, reports and correspondence, entering and retrieving computer data, copying and filing documents, etc.;
• Receives complaints of dogs, cats or other animals creating nuisances and notifies appropriate City personnel for investigation and response;
• Receives and responds to public inquiries and complaints in areas of responsibility;
• Communicates with animal control officers via two-way radio, providing information and assistance as requested;
• Receives and processes animals brought to the shelter for impoundment; conducts daily inventory of animals;
• Provides basic animal care, including bathing, feeding, and observing animal behavior;
• Provides public education regarding animal control; explains ordinances related to the care and keeping of animals;
• Redeems animals to proper owners;
• Processes animals for adoption;
• Collections, receipts and records various fees and fines; prepares daily deposits;
• Affords coordination of department activities with the Department of Health and Environmental Control and other agencies as appropriate;
• Maintains assigned equipment; participates in the daily maintenance of facility;
• Maintains records of daily work activities;
• Affords assistance in euthanasia of animals as necessary; prepares related paperwork;
• Attends training, meetings, workshops, etc., as necessary to maintain job knowledge, skills and required certifications;
• Affords assistance in daily cleaning operations of all work areas as assigned;
• Affords assistance in the provision of medical care for animals, including but not limited to performing various diagnostic tests on animals, preparing animals for surgery, caring for animals after surgery, removing staples / stitches from surgery sites, preparing and administering medications, administering vaccinations and other shots, deworming animals, etc.;
• Maintains accurate records of medical care provided for each animal;
• Maintains assigned equipment; participates in the daily maintenance of facility;
• Conducts inventory and restocks supplies as needed;
• Prepares examination and procedure rooms for use;
• Maintains accurate records of medical care provided for each animal;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED;
• One (1) year of relevant prior experience;
• Valid South Carolina Class “D” Driver’s License;
• S.C. Humane Euthanasia certification.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;
• Ability to compute or perform arithmetic operations using data or information;
• Ability to speak or signal to people to convey or exchange information of a general nature;
• Ability to handle or use machines, tools or equipment requiring brief instruction or experience, such as computers for data entry, fax machines, copiers, telephones or similar equipment; may service office machines, including adding paper and changing toner;
• Ability to perform skilled work involving rules/systems with almost constant problem-solving;
• Ability to perform semi-routine work following procedures with occasional problems;
• Ability to read routine sentences, instructions, regulations, procedures or work orders; writing routine sentences and completing routine job forms and incident reports; speaking routine sentences using proper grammar;
• Ability to perform clerical, manual or technical tasks prescribed by standard practices but which may require computation, the use of several procedures, and the use of independent judgments with obvious choices; requires normal attention for accurate results;
• Ability to guide others, requiring a few decisions affecting a few co-workers; works in a stable environment with clear and uncomplicated written/oral instructions but with some variations from the routine.

Benefits

The City of Columbia is proud to offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees. This package includes health care, dental, vision, retirement, deferred compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

To learn more details, visit our benefits page at: https://hr.columbiasc.gov/benefits/