Clinic Services Coordinator (Receptionist)

Clinic Services Coordinator Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and beloved nonprofits. The organization leads the No Kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at‑risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a No Kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals. The organization is distinguished by its large volunteer workforce and the scrappiness of its grassroots and its non‑traditional, community‑based animal rescue work. APA! continues to innovate best practices to save lives and spreads its impact by offering resources and mentorship related to its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, American Pets Alive! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) – an innovative initiative aimed at rethinking the traditional model of animal sheltering. It focuses on supporting both people and pets in the community to reduce the number of animals entering shelters and improve outcomes for both. The project encourages collaboration between animal welfare organizations and community‑based services, with a goal of providing personalized, proactive support that positions animal welfare as a social service. BRIEF POSITION SUMMARY/OVERVIEW: The Clinic Services Coordinator plays a key role in advancing the goals of APA!’s Medical Clinic, with a focus on front‑of‑the‑house customer service and communications. This position contributes directly to APA!’s mission to increase the live release rate across Texas by supporting a sustainable, inclusive, and high‑impact model for the Medical Clinic. The role is hands‑on, mission‑driven, and requires organization, data‑informed decision making, and minimal oversight. It involves shift flexibility, weekend hours, and responsiveness during peak demand. The Coordinator works alongside volunteers to create a welcoming environment, recruits, trains, and engages volunteers, and collaborates with staff to deliver high‑quality customer service. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Actively contribute to a volunteer‑powered culture by partnering with volunteers during every shift and helping create an inclusive, welcoming environment. Work alongside volunteers to complete daily tasks, ensuring the work is shared and collaborative—not siloed. Support recruitment and onboarding by welcoming new volunteers and helping them orient to the program. Help retain volunteers by providing encouragement, guidance, and feedback during shared work. Recommend strong volunteers for deeper involvement or specialized roles to your supervisor or volunteer manager. Recognize volunteer contributions through appreciation, gratitude, and shoutouts. Help set volunteers up for success by clearly explaining tasks, providing hands‑on guidance, and offering in‑the‑moment support. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Level 1 Provides excellent customer service to all fosters, adopters, volunteers, and staff. Answers phone calls and emails in a courteous and professional manner. Answers questions and provides information to the public on APA! Medical clinic policies and procedures. Ensures the accuracy and completeness of documentation concerning AAC med urgent intakes, parvo intakes, and owner surrenders. Creates new profiles with all documentation attached and recorded in the animal’s profile. Coordinates daily appointments and surgeries for all shelter, foster, and adopted animals, including scheduling, checking in and out, and any follow‑up communication with caregivers. Triage incoming phone, email, and form requests for appointments, treatments, and medications, according to protocol. Responsible for parvo testing of owned animals and ensuring all paperwork is completed. Escalates complicated medical or customer service issues to Case Management Coordinator, Foster Case Manager, or Medical Clinic Manager, as needed. Creates and maintains animal and people records through immediate data entry as needed. Ensures all APA! medical forms and handouts are up‑to‑date and available as needed. Maintains up‑to‑date knowledge of all relevant APA! medical protocols and procedures. Maintains a safe, clean, and sanitary work environment. Records thorough client communications. Accurately directs clients to the appropriate resources. Tests publicly owned dogs for parvo. Identifies conditions on intake for parvo animals brought in from the public for testing and relays condition to Veterinarians. Understands vaccination protocols and can accurately relay vaccine and prevention statuses to clients. Reschedules missed clinic appointments and spay/neuter appointments. Accurately doses out and prepares Strongid, Flea, and Heartworm medications and records treatments. Assists the public with checking in for appointments and scheduling. Collects and accurately records payments. Performs parvo testing on public animals, collects payment, and ensures paperwork is completed. Knowledge of how to utilize different software programs. Ensures medications are signed out and brought to clients in a timely manner. Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager. Level 2 All duties and responsibilities identified in Level 1. Performs animal triage for all public animals. Confidently discusses owner surrender agreements and relays any concerns to clinic management. Knowledgeable of all APA! Teams and functions. Ensures documents are sorted through monthly and moved to appropriate locations for accurate record management. Knowledge of common medications, including behavior medications, and where medications are located. Knowledge and understanding of common medical terminology. Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager. Level 3 All duties and responsibilities identified in Level I and II. Trains Level I and II employees on Level I and II tasks. Identifies areas of improvement and presents solutions. Knowledgeable on all APA! Policies and procedures, including foster and adoption resources. Responsible for ensuring reception materials are stocked and relays low stock to clinic management. Confidently handles client complaints and identifies when to alert clinic management. Creates reception schedule. Understanding of appointment scheduling and time management to best fit appointment needs. Basic knowledge of clinic/medication protocols. Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager. OTHER FUNCTIONS Must demonstrate dependability, accountability, time management, use of reasoning, and good judgment skills. Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings. Maintain open and consistent communication with Program Manager or designee, supervisor, and other colleagues. Partner with Volunteer Managers to learn about the volunteer programs and support volunteers interested in your department on an ongoing basis. Be able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned. Be able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed. Be able to work in a high‑volume, fast‑paced, high‑stress environment. Comfortable working autonomously when given goals and deadlines. QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, & EXPECTATIONS One year experience in the veterinary field and/or one year receptionist experience preferred. Must demonstrate client/customer focus, excellent people skills, a can‑do enthusiastic attitude, and the ability to handle difficult situations well. Must be able to handle upsetting situations such as open wounds or dead animals without losing professional demeanor. Must multitask well and work quickly and independently when needed. Proficiency with Microsoft and Google Suite and type at least 65 WPM. Excellent phone etiquette, comfortable speaking with diverse clients in stressful situations. Ability to speak conversational Spanish preferred. Committed to embodying APA!’s Core Values: Innovation, Respect, Drive, Resourcefulness, and Inclusion and cultural values: Humble, Hungry, Smart. Commitment to APA!'s customer experience expectations. Passion for working well with staff, volunteers, and customers—helping all individuals feel successful, appreciated, and connected to APA!’s mission. Strong commitment to volunteer engagement and support; dedicated to working well with volunteers across all roles. Comfortable working cross‑functionally and serving as a liaison between volunteers, customers, and team members. Effective written and verbal communication skills; able to interpret rules, procedures, and instructional materials. Self‑starter with strong time management; able to work independently and collaboratively. Excellent interpersonal skills; maintains a calm and professional presence in all situations. Strong attention to detail and high standards for quality. Adaptable to change and able to perform related duties as needed. Dedicated to delivering an exceptional and inclusive customer experience. PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS Must be able to routinely lift 40‑50 pounds. Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, chlorine or other chemicals, and inclement weather. Must be able to comfortably interact with cats/dogs of various health levels, including cats who may carry zoonotic diseases such as ringworm, scabies, intestinal parasites, etc. Must be able to walk big dogs that pull and jump. Able to be on your feet for multiple hours of the day. Must be able to visually observe people and animals from up to 150 feet away. Ability to hear normal speech at close contact and shouting up to 150 feet away with the ability to hear and discern dog vocalizations both soft and loud. Requires sitting at a desk for long periods of time, working on a computer with repetitive movements, general clerical duties. Must be able to focus in a loud and busy environment despite distractions. Will sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, stoop, bend, stretch, squat, kneel, grasp, grip, put fingers together firmly and reach above and below shoulder level, lift and/or carry up to 30 pounds and push and pull up to 50 pounds for situations of moving supplies and setting up for events; repetitively use hands to operate computers; flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist. If reasonable accommodations are requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job, absent undue hardship to the organization. WORK ENVIRONMENT Work is normally performed inside the APA! Clinic, some outside work may be required, with exposure to environmental conditions that include working with and near animals. Rapid pace with exposure to potential hazards including animal waste, disinfectants, high levels of noise, animal bites and scratches and diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people. Must be comfortable witnessing veterinary surgical procedures. Uses own transportation to travel and transport. Exposure to unpleasant odors and noises. Exposure to bites, scratches and animal waste. Possible exposure to contagious diseases. Potential for animal bites and scratches and diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people. Occasional after‑hours or weekend work may be required to support program needs. TIME COMMITMENT This is a full‑time, nonexempt position with an average of 40 hours per week. Shift and schedule flexibility is required, as weekly schedule is subject to change. Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed. PAY This position starts at $17.00 per hour. Eligible employees will be able to receive up to $2 per hour stipend within approximately 6 months through successful completion of internal APATec certifications (applicable to shelter operations, customer service, and medical roles). Certifications and stipends are discretionary and subject to change based on business need. WORKING RELATIONSHIPS This position reports to the Medical Clinic Manager. It works closely with fosters, adopters, volunteers, and the APA! vet tech and veterinary staff. The position also requires communication with all other teams in the organization to provide quality patient care. LOCATION(S) Hwy 290 Medical Clinic – 4942 W Hwy 290, Austin, TX 78735. May travel to offsite locations as needed. BENEFITS Austin Pets Alive! is proud to offer a competitive benefits package for full‑time employees, including subsidized employer‑sponsored medical coverage, subsidized and voluntary life insurance, voluntary dental, vision and short‑term disability options, all effective the first day of employment. We also offer voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans, up to 2% match on 401(k) retirement plan, supplemental benefits, flexible spending accounts and additional life coverage. Full‑time employees receive 10 paid holidays and accrue 10 days paid time off during the first year of employment, with an additional 5 days of PTO accrual upon completion of 12 months of employment. Employees will also receive professional development opportunities through APA!’s ongoing mission to advance our animal welfare professionals in our life‑saving work. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT Austin Pets Alive! is an equal employment opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we engage on. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ people, women, transgender and gender non‑conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply. Austin Pets Alive! does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Austin Pets Alive! is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, community focus, and innovation. APA! is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the employment application process. To request an accommodation, please contact Talent Acquisition at View email address on click.appcast.io at least one week in advance of your interview. #J-18808-Ljbffr