New Hope Coordinator

Schedule

Tuesday‑Saturday: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and 9:30 am – 6:00 pm. Off on Sunday and Monday.

Overtime: This is a non‑union position and is eligible for overtime.

About the Role

ACC is one of the nation’s largest open‑admission animal shelters, dedicated to ending animal homelessness in NYC. Each year we touch the lives of nearly 20,000 animals, providing a resource to the community and maintaining the human‑animal bond. With a 90 % placement rate, we place cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, local wildlife, exotic illegal pets, and farm animals through direct adoptions and partnerships with over 200 placement organizations.

The New Hope Placement Program proactively finds homes for our most vulnerable animals—those with challenging temperaments, severe medical conditions, or that are unavailable for direct adoption. Coordinators manage emergency placements, cultivate partner relationships, and handle a wide variety of species.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with New Hope partners, fosters, and volunteers via email, phone, and in‑person communication.
• Manage a multi‑line phone system and high‑volume email account; oversee placement documents, health certificates, and contracts.
• Walk, socialize, and interact with animals of varying species and temperaments to market them for placement and handle them prior to transport.
• Provide rounds coverage as needed and represent the placement department.
• Prioritize animals for placement, conduct and respond to rounds of the care centers.
• Follow up on placement inquiries promptly and document them accurately.
• Collaborate with other ACC departments to plan pathways, minimize length of stay, and make sound placement decisions.
• Maintain and monitor follow‑up documents, spreadsheets, and other data for the New Hope department.
• Review, understand, and document pertinent information in the shelter’s database.
• Coordinate kitten placement activities, including communication with partner nursery programs, scheduling transport, and updating records.
• Expand relationships with rescues outside of nursery partners to increase placement radius.
• Record and track all under‑age kitten data.
• Assist supervisors with processing new partner applications and regular audits of placed animals.
• Collect and organize follow‑up information on animals placed with New Hope partners.
• Ensure accuracy and timely updates of New Hope records.
• Communicate with Best Friend’s, Animal Rescue Team, and Placement Transport Team to arrange transport.
• Document, review, and relay information to New Hope partners as needed.
• Work seamlessly with ACC’s other departments to prepare animals for transport.
• Manage expectations and relationships with a variety of personalities.
• Obtain Fear Free certification within 30 days of hire.
• Complete other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Strong computer literacy.
• High attention to detail and strong work ethic.
• Respectful, humane handling of animals and people.
• At least one year of experience working or volunteering with an animal rescue group or shelter, including handling animals of varying temperaments and species.
• Ability to lift a minimum of 50 lb.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Minimum two years’ experience in a client‑facing position.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Paid or volunteer experience with cats, dogs, or rabbits strongly preferred.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, high‑stress, ever‑changing environment.
• Resilience under pressure and a growth‑mindset.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Benefits

• Generous paid‑time‑off package (vacation, birthdays off, personal days, sick pay).
• Open‑access Cigna medical, dental, and vision insurance at a low premium.
• 401(k) and pension plans.
• Life insurance.
• On‑the‑job training (2‑4 weeks) and periodic all‑staff training (safety, DEI, cross‑training, etc.).
• Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

Work Environment

ACC operates as an all‑hands‑on‑deck team, often requiring work outdoors in various weather conditions. The shelter can be noisy, with fur, odors, and airborne particles present. Employees must remain calm and professional in stressful situations involving animals or the public. The facility houses hundreds of animals, and staff may assist with low‑cost services such as compassionate end‑of‑life care.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: New Hope Manager.