Foster Coordinator

Foster Coordinator

Join the team at Columbus Humane as our Foster Coordinator and help grow one of the most impactful lifesaving programs in our organization. This position plays a critical role in developing, managing, and expanding foster opportunities for animals in need, including medical foster, behavioral foster, crisis boarding, sleepovers, field trips, and emergency placement initiatives. The Foster Coordinator serves as the primary support for foster volunteers while working collaboratively with veterinary, behavior, and operations teams to ensure positive outcomes for animals both in and out of the shelter.

We are looking for a compassionate, organized, and innovative individual who is passionate about animal welfare, volunteer engagement, and community support. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys building relationships, and is excited to help expand creative foster programming that increases lifesaving capacity and enhances animal welfare outcomes.

Hours will be daytime hours (typically 9am-5pm or 10am-6pm) Tuesday Saturday, with some flexibility.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

General:

• Thinks, communicates and acts in the best interest of Columbus Humane and our human and animal clients at all times; models our mission and values in all job-related functions.

Foster Coordination (90%):

• Identify animals eligible for foster and post all animals in "seek foster" stage to the foster base in a timely manner. Report to Animal Behavior Manager and Director of Animal Behavior and Welfare on any animals that are in need of foster placement.
• Monitor health of all animals in foster care and report any pertinent findings/issues to the veterinary staff. Ensure all animals in foster care are given appropriate vaccines, dewormer, preventatives and other medications in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with the veterinary team on the scheduling of routine follow-up/booster, medical, and drop off appointments with fosters and schedule on the processing calendar.
• Coordinate with the Animal Behavior Manager the scheduling of follow-up behavioral appointments with fosters and schedule on the processing calendar.
• Coordinate with the veterinary staff on the scheduling of advanced medical checks, surgeries, and treatments.
• Consult with Animal Behavior Manager, Director of Animal Behavior and Welfare, and/or other veterinary staff to determine appropriate placement for animals with behavioral and/or medical concerns.
• Accurately update and maintain all required records in PetPoint in a timely manner.
• Develop, update, and maintain all foster materials including but not limited to foster manual, orientation materials, and educational handouts.
• Ensure fosters have appropriate supplies, resources, education, and training throughout foster experience.
• Communicate and inform foster base with relevant updates, events, and other pertinent information regarding the shelter.
• Responsible for checking processing phone, foster e-mail, Teams, and other modes of communication frequently throughout the day to address foster related concerns. Ensure timely response to foster needs and concerns.
• Ensure animal foster readiness prior to foster pick up. Maintain inventory of foster supplies and materials.
• Coordinate foster animal representation in adoption events.
• Coordinate with the Adoption Manager the adoption of animals in foster care.
• Coordinate with the Director of Marketing to highlight animals in foster care and develop marketing strategies for their adoption through social media, website, events, and other channels of communication
• Develop and support the foster program's recruitment initiatives to continue expansion of the foster base and animals eligible to be placed in foster care.
• Work with leadership to track and report meaningful data related to the operation of the foster program.
• Responsible for carrying the foster cellular phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week while on call to ensure the rapid response to foster emergencies. Must be able to quickly and efficiently develop a plan to respond to various foster emergencies. Report emergency and plan to Director of Veterinary Services. May alternate responsibility of the foster cellular phone with other approved staff.
• Provide ongoing support, training, mentorship to the foster base and serve as their primary contact
• Develop, implement, and oversee specialized foster programs designed to increase lifesaving capacity and support positive outcomes for animals, including crisis boarding, short-term sleepover programs, field trips, medical foster, behavioral foster, and emergency placement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to expand and enhance foster programming to better meet the needs of shelter animals, community members, and organizational goals.
• Other duties as assigned

Behavior Department Support (10%):

• Assist with the daily operations of the behavior department, including evaluations, playgroups, training/enrichment, behavior modification, and other duties, as assigned.
• These activities allow the foster coordinator to better know the animals in the building to help with foster planning. For example, regular participation in dog playgroups allows the foster coordinator to understand the nuances in the dog-to-dog behavior of our population to drive foster placement decisions.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Supervises volunteers and fosters as needed.

Requirements

Physical Demands:

At times required to lift up to 50 pounds with reasonable accommodation. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Work Environment:

Work is performed in a normal shelter setting including exposure to hazardous chemicals and potential of exposure to parasites and infectious diseases that can be carried and transmitted by animals. Subject to animal bites and scratches while handling animals of questionable temperament.

The Perks:

* Generous PTO policy (vacation, sick and personal) and 7 holidays (can be floating holidays).

* Medical, dental and vision insurance.

* Flexible Spending Account (medical/dependent care).

* Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability fully paid by Columbus Humane.

* Simple IRA with 3% company match.

* Employee Assistance Program.

* Employee Wellness Program (through BWC) with incentives.

* Adoption discounts & access to staff clinics for vaccinations.

* Employee referral bonus.

* A shelter experience like no other, working with over 30 species in our sparkling clean facility.

Requirements:

* High school diploma or equivalent required, BS/BA in animal-related field, behavior/cognition preferred.

* 1+ years working with animals in a professional capacity, 3+ years working in an animal shelter environment preferred.

* Fluent and supportive of Columbus Humane decision-making philosophies.

* Passionate belief in Columbus Humane's vision, mission and values.

* Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.

* Ability to foster a collaborative team approach to solving challenging situations.

Certifications/Licenses:

Valid Ohio Driver's License

Euthanasia By Injection (EBI) certification required within 1 year.

Fear-Free Shelter Certified, or within 30 days of hire.

Columbus Humane is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.