Adoption Associate (P/T)

About the position

The Adoption Associate at Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) plays a crucial role in supporting the organization's mission to save lives and facilitate pet adoptions. This part-time position involves working directly with potential adopters to match them with suitable pets, providing education on animal care, and ensuring the humane treatment of shelter animals. The ideal candidate will be community-oriented, detail-focused, and passionate about animal welfare, thriving in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide exceptional service to visitors to determine animals that meet their interests and needs.
• Educate potential adopters on companion animal care and behavior solutions, providing follow-up guidance.
• Mentor and train volunteers to ensure adherence to HSSV policies and procedures.
• Monitor and assist the public and volunteers in safe animal handling to ensure humane treatment of shelter animals.
• Promptly answer phone calls and emails, providing accurate information to inquiries.
• Coordinate and prepare for special adoption events.
• Assess the behavior of shelter animals and communicate changes to the HSSV team.
• Perform daily animal care tasks at offsite adoption locations, including feeding, cleaning, and administering medication.
• Identify animals in distress and assist with support from supervisors and managers.
• Solicit donations from visitors to meet fundraising goals.
• Accurately record adoption records and fees in the shelter system and process payments.
• Promote a positive public image and maintain cleanliness and safety in all areas.

Requirements

• Experience in a customer service environment is required; animal-related experience is a plus.
• Comfortable interacting with and safely handling dogs and cats.
• Detail-oriented, reliable, punctual, and able to work well in a team environment.
• Flexible and understanding of the unique nature of each situation, customer, and animal.
• Positive, empathetic attitude with a passion for working with animals and people, along with good judgment skills.
• Ability to follow directions and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Effective communication skills (both written and oral) with a courteous attitude towards the public, volunteers, and employees.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel; database experience is a plus.
• Ability to safely handle animals and frequently lift and carry animals weighing up to 40 lbs.
• Ability to walk on various surfaces and stand or sit for extended periods.