Specialist, Direct Care and Enrichment - Los Angeles, CA

Location: 1845 Pontius Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Hiring range: $21.00 to $23.00 per hour, depending on experience, plus benefits.

About the role

Direct Care & Enrichment Specialists are responsible for the daily animal care and enrichment needs for animals in our program locations. Specialists act with urgency to accomplish important tasks and play a direct role in achieving Best Friends Animal Society’s no-kill mission and organizational success. Specialists are responsible for the daily functions and growth of lifesaving programs including adoption, foster care, transfer/transport, as well as providing basic animal care for animals in our program locations.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate kindness and the Golden Rule in everyday actions by practicing inclusion and respect for every person and animal.
• Be a role model for authenticity, kindness, and positive influence with visitors, volunteers, and animals.
• Promote, coordinate, and facilitate animal placements, including animals in foster, by matching potential adopters with animals, providing superior customer service, counseling on pet history and needs, and offering medical and behavior support.
• Support pet adoption opportunities through events, offsite adoption meets, and pet retention initiatives to expand lifesaving capacity.
• Develop a general knowledge of animals in Best Friends’ care; assist adopters, fosters, and transfer partners by gathering information, arranging introductions, and providing medical records and follow-ups.
• Create a welcoming and engaging environment to enhance visitor satisfaction and support the organization’s mission.
• Provide basic care such as feeding, cleaning, walking, and medicating animals housed or transported within Best Friends’ facilities.
• Provide daily enrichment for animals to improve emotional wellbeing, ensuring low-stress housing, cleaning, and handling.
• Oversee and execute dog playgroups, maintaining safe handling practices and a comprehensive understanding of dog behavior.
• Maintain clean workspaces and animal housing areas for optimum safety, stocking supplies as required.
• Support volunteers on all aspects of lifesaving care and outcome programs, including protocols, animal handling, and data entry.
• Develop detailed knowledge of Best Friends’ programs to best match animals and clients’ needs.
• Assist or oversee the creation of engaging content for social media platforms, including written, video, and photo content.
• Collaborate with other departments and marketing teams to support lifesaving outcomes and programmatic needs.
• Represent Best Friends in media relations while maintaining the organization’s voice across all communications.
• Work collaboratively with team members to achieve lifesaving goals, following policies, procedures, and task lists.
• Maintain a safe workplace, model safe work practices, and communicate unsafe conditions to leadership.

Requirements

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with strong organizational skills to juggle multiple competing tasks.
• Strong interpersonal skills, team-oriented, personable, professional, and able to handle sensitive situations.
• Experience working in customer service and public-facing roles.
• Prior experience handling and working with cats and dogs in a personal, volunteer, or professional capacity; shelter experience preferred but not required.
• Ability to comfortably handle, leash, kennel, walk, and care for cats and dogs, including those with health or behavior concerns.
• Bilingual or multi-lingual skills preferred but not required.
• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues.
• Resourceful, proactive attitude with problem-solving skills and flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software or willingness to learn.

Physical Requirements

• Routinely lift 50 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity including lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.
• Perform repetitive tasks for extended periods, including typing, sitting, walking, standing, and going up and down stairs.
• Work indoors and outdoors in various weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold.
• Exposure to dogs and cats of all sizes, temperaments, and medical statuses, including allergens.
• Travel up to 10%, including overnight stays and in/out-of-state travel as needed.
• Daily hours and days of the week may vary; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.

Pay

$21.00 to $23.00 per hour, depending on experience, plus benefits.