Foster Coordinator

Summary:

You are a detail-oriented, people-person who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-oriented environment? Are you passionate about animal welfare and the goodness of people and do you possess a strong interest in finding opportunities for people to help cats and kittens in tangible and impactful ways? If so, you should consider the role of Foster Coordinator with the ASPCA Los Angeles Foster Program

You'll be a member of a high-performing staff and volunteer team providing care for /- 1,500 felines per year and will work collaboratively and effectively with internal and external stakeholders to further the ASPCA's ultimate desired outcome that all animals live good lives.

In close partnership with the County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care & Control (DACC), our program currently provides temporary care and adoption opportunities for feline populations at-risk in a shelter environment, including underage, orphaned kittens, mother cats in need of a stress-free environment to raise their young, juvenile and adult cats needing extra support finding adoption opportunities while recovering from illness or after extended stays in a shelter environment.

This position is responsible for fostering deep engagement in the ASPCA's mission by recruiting, training, managing, retaining, and celebrating our dedicated team of foster volunteers. Additionally, this position ensures that each feline in foster care receives timely and essential support, with streamlined processes guiding them efficiently from intake to adoption.

To succeed in this role, the Foster Coordinator will possess excellent organizational and time-management skills, ensuring the ability to balance competing priorities in a dynamic environment. They will also demonstrate strong interpersonal and communication abilities, fostering positive relationships with volunteers, colleagues, and external partners while advancing the program's mission. Strong attention to detail is a must to succeed in this role.

The position's schedule will be Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30am-6:30pm, requiring working on-site at the Burbank Way Station, various Los Angeles County Animal Care Centers including Baldwin Park and Downey locations, South Los Angeles Spay/Neuter Clinic, as well as approximately 20-40% opportunities each week to work remotely. Location and schedule may change with programmatic needs.

Responsibilities

• Create and send calls to action for felines needing foster homes utilizing text, email, phone calls, and the private ASPCA LA Foster Facebook group, in partnership with ASPCA Registered Veterinarian Technicians (RVTs) remotely and onsite at the care centers.
• Maintain a 'foster on deck' process to ensure timely and efficient flow of animals into foster care, in collaboration with the foster team.
• Identify and secure appropriate foster placement for eligible felines by communicating professionally and efficiently with foster caregivers.
• Set clear foster assignment expectations and provide timely and direct information to foster caregivers specific to the felines they are receiving.
• Provide outstanding customer service to the ASPCA's foster caregivers, responding to emails, text messages, Facebook posts, and phone calls in a timely manner, and ensuring deep understanding of and compliance with the ASPCA foster program protocols.
• Provide training, supervision, modeling, coaching, and ongoing guidance to foster caregivers to provide quality care to the felines in their home.
• Communicate difficult decisions about animal care and provide conflict resolution for foster caregivers in a transparent and compassionate manner, in partnership with management.
• Participate in weekly foster and behavior rounds; monitor health and behavior of animals in foster care, track and report any important findings and concerns.
• Input feline medical and behavior, foster volunteer, and interaction information into online tracking systems.
• Implement feline behavior protocols and share resources, including daily treatment plans, to support under-socialized kittens in the foster program, in collaboration with the Senior Manager of Foster Care and Behavior Sciences Team (BST).
• Provide coaching and support to foster caregivers supporting felines with behavioral and medical conditions.
• Ensure appropriate supplies and reorders are distributed to foster volunteers in a timely manner.
• Schedule foster kittens for medical appointments, including routine vaccinations, sick appointments, and spay/neuter surgery, in a timely manner.
• Compile and request medical records from internal and external medical partners and input all relevant information into online tracking systems.
• Provide attentive care for all kittens and cats at program locations, including health and behavior monitoring, cleaning, and restraining animals using low-stress handling techniques for medical examinations.

Foster Volunteer Engagement Coordination

• Design and deliver in-person and virtual training materials and resources for foster caregivers, in collaboration with the foster team and Senior Manager of Foster Care.
• Support virtual and in-person foster recruitment and retention events.
• Assist with the private foster volunteer Facebook group engagement, including postings, auditing, and other moderator duties.
• Seek and facilitate ongoing opportunities to provide formal and informal foster volunteer recognition, acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of foster volunteers.
• Engage foster volunteers in regular communication, prioritizing frequent touchpoints to ensure foster animals receive necessary, appropriate, and humane care and meet articulated medical and behavioral benchmarks while in foster homes.
• Champion new online ASPCA systems for learning and volunteer management.
• Commit to professional growth by actively participating in meetings, training sessions, and learning opportunities.
• Represent all ASPCA programs on DACC property and cultivate positive and productive relationships with care center staff and community members.
• Uphold and implement LA Foster Program philosophies, procedures, and protocols.
• Additional duties as assigned by supervisor and leadership team.

The Foster Coordinator exemplifies the ASPCA's Core Values:

• Has commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals.
• Demonstrates ownership and feels responsible for outcomes.
• Believes in team – that we are stronger together.
• Seeks to elevate others and reimagine what is possible.
• Focuses on impact, specifically making change for animals.

Qualifications

• Experience in the care of felines, especially kittens under the age of 8 weeks.
• Able to learn, retain, demonstrate, and share technical information related to animal welfare, particularly medical and behavioral support of felines.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Able to work efficiently and calmly under challenging conditions, demonstrating flexibility and multi-tasking capability with work assignments.
• Excellent decision-making ability and sound judgement, able to act with urgency as emergent situations arise.
• Self-motivated with strong accountability – can be relied upon to fully complete tasks in a timely manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills, authentic team player willing to give and receive feedback.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including professional and courteous interactions via text, email, phone, and in person.
• Demonstrates care and concern for the safety and well-being of self, animals, and others, especially during stressful situations.
• Must be able to consistently lift up to 30lbs, kneel, bend, and reach overhead to meet the physical demands of this position.

Language

• Speaking an additional language (e.g., Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish) a plus.

Compensation and Benefits

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands, or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future.

For Hourly roles: The target hiring range for this role is $24.11-$25.36 per hour.

For more information on our benefits offerings, click here.

Stay Connected – Join Our Talent Community

If you are interested in joining our team but do not see a position listed that fits your experience or interests, please click this link and join our Talent Community to stay connected to future opportunities with the ASPCA.

Salary : $24 - $25