Outreach and Education Specialist

The Education & Outreach Specialist at GCHS is instrumental in fostering community engagement, expanding educational outreach, and supporting various programs designed to promote animal welfare. The Outreach & Education Specialist will be responsible for planning and executing youth camps, delivering in-school education presentations, and managing a variety of educational opportunities both in-shelter and within the community. This individual will collaborate with local organizations, create educational materials, and oversee the pet food pantry program while providing support to pet owners and coordinating shelter interns. Additionally, the role involves contributing to GCHS newsletters, social media content, and maintaining relationships with municipal shelter partners. This position reports to the Director of Marketing and Development.

Candidate is Responsible for:

1. Youth Camps and Educational Programs:

• Plan, coordinate, and execute youth camps throughout the year, including scheduling, curriculum development, and activity planning.
• Deliver engaging in-school education presentations on animal welfare and responsible pet ownership.
• Facilitate in-shelter educational opportunities for groups of various ages.

2. Community Partnerships:

• Partner with local youth and service organizations to promote and support educational programs.
• Utilize existing relationships with schools, nonprofits, and corporate sponsors to further promote GCHS programs.

3. Internship Program:

• Coordinate the hiring of shelter interns across various departments, ensuring a valuable and educational experience for them.
• Manage an Education Intern throughout the year, if applicable.
• Work with college staff to ensure interns are work-study approved and that they will be paid through the college.
• Troubleshoot intern-related issues with department heads.

4. Pet Food Pantry Program:

• Operate and manage the pet food pantry program, ensuring its effective delivery and outreach to those in need.
• Schedule and lead food pantry events at the shelter and at the Coastal Bend Food Bank.
• Work with the Volunteer Coordinator to make sure food is bagged and stored properly.
• Provide tracking and statistics for the amounts of food distributed.

5. Best Friends Shelter Collaborative:

• Lead the day-to-day work of the Shelter Collaborative program by assisting our municipal shelter partners in the creation of new SOPs, new programs, and other activities to achieve a 90% save rate each month.
• Utilize other staff members’ knowledge and experience to provide new opportunities for growth at the municipal shelters.
• Organize and track monthly intake and outcome data, as well as notes and progress reports on each shelter partner.

6. Intake Diversion and Pet Assistance:

• Utilize tools including but not limited to PetCademy, Maddie’s Pet Assistant, GoodPup, Home-to-Home, and Adopt-a-Pet Rehome to assist pet owners that are trying to avoid surrendering their pet.
• Maintain the GCHS Helps email account to assist pet owners in need with non-medical advice, pet deposit assistance, dog trolleys, outdoor pet houses, behavior resources, Lend a Paw vouchers, and more as required.

7. Support for Marketing and Development:

• Provide content for GCHS newsletters and social media platforms on outreach and education related topics.
• Work closely with the Marketing Coordinator to develop and produce educational materials and resources.
• Assist with other projects as assigned by the Marketing and Development team, including support for major annual fundraisers.

8. Knowledge and Best Practices:

• Stay informed about current animal welfare news, best practices, and shelter policies.
• Provide accurate and up-to-date information to staff and the community to promote informed decision-making and responsible pet ownership.
• Engage in continuing education, conferences, and webinars to ensure we are using the best practices for our industry.

The ideal candidate will have the majority of the skills and qualities outlined below:

• Program development knowledge, including curriculum development and research methods
• Skilled in identifying new program ideas and new ways to improve existing programs
• Knowledge of teaching methods to accommodate students’ varied learning processes
• Demonstrated public speaking abilities
• Fluent in Microsoft Office Suite preferred
• Interpersonal relationship skills to include building alliances with schools and community organizations.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Education, Communications, Animal Science, or a related field preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 2 years of experience in educational programming, community outreach, or a similar role. Experience in animal welfare or a related field is highly desirable.
• Skills: Strong organizational and planning skills; excellent communication and presentation abilities; experience with social media and content creation; ability to work effectively with a variety of age groups and community partners.
• Attributes: Passion for animal welfare; proactive and self-motivated; team-oriented with a collaborative approach; empathetic and patient with both people and animals

Pay: Based on experience

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person

Salary : $18 - $22