Community Outreach Associate

Community Outreach Associate

Join our Animal Services team and help improve the lives of pets and the people who care for them. As a Community Outreach Associate, you will engage directly with residents, provide public education, and help expand access to services throughout Santa Barbara County. This position coordinates programs related to owner surrender prevention and diversion, pet food assistance, licensing, community canvassing, humane trapping, and pet-owner support. The Community Outreach Associate also leads volunteer teams, builds relationships with community partners, and helps identify practical solutions that keep pets safe, healthy, and with the people who love them. We are looking for an enthusiastic, community-minded problem solver who can build trust, work collaboratively, and adapt to a dynamic, fast-paced environment. This is an opportunity to join a mission-driven team and make a meaningful difference for animals and families every day.

We are accepting applications to fill one (1) full-time, 1414* Community Outreach Associate position in the Animal Services division at County of Santa Barbara Health. The incumbent will homebase at the Santa Maria Animal Shelter but will be expected to travel throughout the county. The County classification for this role is Health Education Associate. Visa Sponsorship: Please note this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

The Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS) Division operates three open admission animal shelters serving nearly 6,000 pets annually across all of Santa Barbara County with the exception of the City of Carpinteria. We provide field and shelter services, adoption and lost and found programs, and have a very robust volunteer program. We also lead Project Pet Safe in coordination with partners, which promotes responsible pet ownership through vaccination, licensing, spay and neuter, and microchipping of pets.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• An understanding of the human-animal bond and the barriers that may affect a family's ability to care for a pet.
• Two or more years of experience in customer service or community-facing experience.
• Two or more years of experience working or volunteering with an animal welfare organization, animal shelter, veterinary clinic, public health agency, social-service organization, or related program.
• Two or more years of experience leading volunteers, coaching teams, coordinating community groups, or supervising staff.
• Demonstrated experience planning, implementing, and evaluating programs or projects.
• Experience using Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, databases, or similar software systems.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and adapt to a dynamic environment.
• Fluency in Spanish, including speaking, reading, and writing, which is highly desirable.

Examples of duties include:

• Planning, coordinating, and conducting community education, outreach events, orientations, workshops, clinics, and demonstrations related to animal health, responsible pet care, licensing, disaster preparedness, and available community resources.
• Coordinating programs that support pet owners and help animals remain safely with their families, including owner-surrender prevention and diversion, pet food assistance, vaccination and microchip clinics, spay and neuter services, humane trapping, and referrals to community resources.
• Conducting community canvassing and other outreach activities to increase pet licensing, microchip placement and registration, vaccination access, and awareness of Animal Services programs.
• Providing individualized support and case management to pet owners by assessing needs, identifying available resources, developing practical service plans, documenting contacts, and following up as appropriate.
• Recruiting, training, scheduling, leading, and supporting volunteers assisting with outreach, events, clinics, pet resource programs, canvassing, and other assigned activities.
• Establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with community organizations, public agencies, veterinary providers, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and professional groups to support the development and delivery of animal health and community-assistance programs.
• Assisting with planning and operating vaccine clinics, spay and neuter clinics, pet resource centers, licensing events, and other public-facing services.
• Collecting, entering, analyzing, and reporting program data to evaluate participation, outcomes, community needs, and the effectiveness of outreach strategies and educational materials.
• Conducting surveys, reviewing community data, and gathering feedback from residents, staff, volunteers, and partner organizations to identify service gaps and inform program development.
• Maintaining accurate written and electronic records, including participant information, referrals, case notes, licensing activity, inventory, volunteer participation, program outcomes, and service statistics.
• Assisting with media outreach and communication strategies that promote public health, responsible pet ownership, available services, and Animal Services programs.
• Working closely with Animal Control Officers, animal care staff, veterinary staff, volunteers, shelter leadership, and partner agencies on complex cases, community concerns, and coordinated service delivery.
• Supporting animal-related disaster preparedness and response activities, including public education, volunteer coordination, resource distribution, community outreach, and emergency sheltering operations.
• Performing other related duties as assigned.

Employment standards include:

Equivalent to two (2) years of college including coursework in health education, sociology, home economics, biology, psychology, or education AND one year of experience in community health or a related service OR a combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to the employment standard listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities.

Additional qualifications: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License may be requested as travel throughout the County is a requirement for this role. Knowledge of community organizations and resources; group dynamics and human behavior; community outreach techniques; community health needs; the control of diseases; the methods of presenting educational materials; proper English usage and grammar. Ability to effectively communicate program information to a wide range of people; gain support and cooperation from other agencies and the community; identify health education needs and projects; conduct and facilitate group presentations; establish and maintain working relationships with individuals from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. Bilingual – Speaking Preferred: The ability to converse fluently in English and Spanish is preferred. Note: You must self-certify on your application that you are fluent in English and Spanish. Hiring departments may test you on your fluency. If you do not demonstrate sufficient fluency, your name may be withheld from future certifications that require bilingual skills, in accordance to Civil Service Rules.