Foster and Event Coordinator

Job Title: Foster and Event Coordinator

Reports to: Community Engagement Manager

Full time, hourly position. Responsible for an on-call phone on a rotating schedule.

Summary: The Foster and Event Coordinator is responsible for the general wellness, organization, and flow of all animals in the various foster programs; recruiting and providing training, mentorship, and support for all foster and event volunteers; and oversight and implementation of all foster programs and materials. Additional responsibilities include planning and executing PetSmart adoption events as well as other events.

The Foster and Event Coordinator will work closely with the Community Engagement Manager to ensure all programs and volunteers are managed effectively and cohesively. The schedule for this role will fluctuate week to week depending on events, and this role will require work on weekends, some holidays, and after 5pm.

Event and Community Partnership Management

• Foster and strengthen relationships with PetSmart and other valued community partners
• Engage with PetSmart management and other community partners through clear and effective communication to build strong, collaborative relationships
• Actively recruit, train, and support volunteers for events
• Coordinate and ensure sufficient volunteer coverage at PetSmart every Saturday, with enhanced support strategically planned for National Adoption Weeks (NAW) to maximize impact and success
• Collaborate with PetSmart store leadership to plan and decorate for National Adoption Week, ensuring a vibrant and engaging environment that attracts potential adopters
• Bring NAW to life, creating vibrant, high-impact events that lead to a high volume of adoption success stories
• Collaborate with the social media team to plan and promote adoption and community events, driving adoptions, donations, volunteer participation, and meaningful community engagement
• Develop and manage a comprehensive schedule of all adoption events, ensuring timely communication and seamless coordination with partners, coordinators, and management
• Collaborate with management to establish donation goals for weekly and one-time events, develop innovative strategies to achieve them, and implement plans to meet or surpass these goals.
• Demonstrate initiative by proactively exploring and proposing new, creative ideas to enhance events and engagement, while considering the shelter’s limited resources and working within those constraints
• Complete 600 total adoptions (450 cats and 150 dogs) at PetSmart from February 1, 2025 - January 31, 2026

Foster Program Management

Oversee and coordinate the seamless movement of animals into and out of foster care, ensuring a smooth transition and ongoing support for both animals and foster families

• Post all urgent animals for foster within 1 hour of identification and all other fosterable animals within 3 hours of identification
• Ensure all animals have clear, attractive photos before entering any foster program
• Coordinate pick up, recheck, and drop off times with foster volunteers, and schedule them on foster calendar
• Monitor the health and well-being of animals in foster care, promptly reporting any significant findings or concerns to the Veterinary Technician, Medical Manager, or Medical Director as needed to ensure timely care.
• Ensure foster animals receive timely and appropriate routine care, including vaccines, preventatives, medical checks, and treatments for basic issues, coordinating with the Veterinary Technician as needed to provide comprehensive care.
• Select and prepare candidates for Dog’s Day Out Program based on feedback and recommendations of other staff, coordinators, and management
• Collaborate with the Behavior Team to provide guidance and demonstrations on managing or resolving basic behavioral issues, emphasizing positive reinforcement techniques to support well-being and success for foster pets
• Work closely with the Transport Coordinator to facilitate the movement of foster animals through our transport and rescue programs, ensuring each animal receives the necessary care and preparation and is present for health checks
• Collaborate with the Cattery Manager and staff to identify kittens in need of foster care, spay/neuter, and returning fosters– ensuring ample time to plan for offsite space and adoption events.
• Work closely with the Kennel Manager and staff to identify dogs and puppies in need of foster care, and returning fosters– ensuring sufficient time to plan for onsite space, adoption events, and transports.
• Ensure that foster animal locations, foster volunteer details, and animal records are consistently up-to-date and accurate in Shelterluv for seamless tracking and management.
• Prioritize support and placement for animals with the greatest need—neonates, long-term residents, high-resource pets, and those with medical or behavioral challenges—ensuring that foster care has the most meaningful and positive impact on the well-being of our entire population.
• Leverage foster care as an opportunity to learn more about adoptable pets, gaining valuable insights that can be used to effectively market them to potential adopters.

Regularly update and maintain foster programs, procedures, and training materials to ensure they are current, effective, and aligned with best practices

• Recruit, train, and mentor foster volunteers while serving as their primary point of contact, providing guidance and support to ensure a successful and fulfilling volunteer experience.
• Manage the Southern Pines Foster Group on Facebook
• Ensure all foster materials, including manuals, handouts, flyers, and programs, are regularly updated to reflect current procedures, guidelines, and best practices
• Conduct regular check-ins with foster volunteers to ensure their satisfaction, address any concerns, and confirm compliance with our foster programs and services
• Develop and maintain advanced or specialized training programs for foster parents, ensuring ongoing growth and development of the foster program while enhancing volunteer skills and knowledge
• Take initiative by actively seeking out and proposing innovative ideas to improve the foster program, always mindful of the shelter’s limited resources and working within those parameters to achieve maximum impact
• Collaborate with the Community Engagement Manager to plan and organize special events focused on fostering, ensuring they are engaging, informative, and support the health and growth of the foster program.

Maintain a clean and organized Foster World office, including:

• Sanitizing cages, surfaces, sink, and supplies between animals, and providing care for animals housed in Foster World
• Restocking foster packs and supplies
• Managing and cleaning Dog’s Day Out gear
• Coordinating with the social media team to request foster supply donations
• Submitting maintenance requests, as needed
• Ensuring all items are prepared for foster appointments
• Maintain Foster World office and foster supplies

Adoption Counseling

• Encourage and empower foster and event volunteers to actively advocate for pets and take the initiative in seeking adoptive homes
• Embody an "open adoptions" approach by counseling with empathy and inclusivity, never judging potential adopters based on race, gender, or perceived social or financial status
• Train staff and volunteers to conduct adoptions using an open adoption approach, fostering a welcoming, transparent, and supportive environment for potential adopters
• Stay well-versed in all adoption policies and procedures to ensure consistent and informed guidance throughout the adoption process
• Collaborate with Medical Staff and the Behavior Coordinator to identify animals needing additional medical or behavioral adoption waivers or disclosures, ensuring transparency and informed decision-making for adopters
• Ensure all adoption waivers, memos, and checks are accurately recorded in Shelterluv and in the animal’s physical file, maintaining thorough and up-to-date documentation
• Process adoptions in Shelterluv in accordance with shelter protocol
• Process adoptions and Slumber Parties occurring at PetSmart into PetSmart’s Adoptions Made Easy (AME) database

Other essential duties:

• Keep staff informed about changes to programs and events, offer staff training as needed, and ensure staff are equipped to provide accurate and up-to-date information to foster and event volunteers.
• Submit monthly program report to Shelter Director
• Submit program updates, upcoming events, and other relevant information to the Community Engagement Manager for inclusion in the monthly newsletter sent to all foster volunteers, keeping them informed and engaged.
• Report any consistent or serious issues with programs, volunteers, or staff to the Community Engagement Manager, and collaborate to develop effective solutions to address these challenges.
• Ensure that your responsibilities are delegated and covered in your absence, maintaining seamless operations and support
• Participate in a rotating on-call schedule with other coordinators and management team members, ensuring consistent coverage and support across all shifts.
• Assist with other duties as needed and support staff with daily tasks whenever possible, ensuring smooth operations across the board

Southern Pines Expectations of Employee:

• Believes in the and understands the lifesaving relationship between all three branches of our organization
• Upholds the Southern Pines Culture Agreement at all times
• Treat animals with compassion, care, and respect—both on and off the job—and transmits these values to others
• Treats clients, volunteers, and fellow staff members with kindness, respect, and compassion
• Must be adaptable, innovative, and open to exploring new methods of communication to enhance effectiveness and engagement.
• Demonstrates flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload
• Willingness to mentor volunteers, to treat them with respect and gratitude as members of our team, and to correct them when necessary
• Must be able to report to work at the scheduled time, can be depended on to complete work in a timely, accurate, and thorough manner
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 45 lbs, stand or sit for extended periods, and load and assemble equipment and supplies for events, including kennels, crates, tables, clothing racks, canopies, etc.
• Must be able to work outdoors in hot, cold, and/or inclement weather conditions
• Participates in meetings with other SPAS personnel and shares ideas to meet our lifesaving objectives
• Demonstrates a willingness and enthusiasm for a continued state of learning regarding Animal Welfare

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions or qualifications associated with the job. While this is intended to be a reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change, for example, emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, or technological breakdowns in departments.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $13.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Evenings as needed
• Holidays
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Ability to Commute:

• Hattiesburg, MS 39401 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Hattiesburg, MS 39401: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $13