Community Cat Coordinator

Community Cat Coordinator

LifeLine Animal Project is committed to the care and welfare of pets and the people who love them. The values we exhibit as an organization show the strength of our staff, our leadership and our community. We expect all employees to exhibit LifeLine's core values as we complete daily tasks, provide services to clients and care for our animals.

The Community Cat Coordinator position involves coordinating cat intake processes and population management across departments, ensuring the well-being of cats and kittens through behavior assessments, enrichment programs, and appropriate placement. It requires strong communication with the public and internal teams, hands-on care for cats (including feral handling), support for diversion efforts, and administrative responsibilities such as reporting, training, and inventory management.

Essential Job Functions:

This represents a list of essential job duties. Other duties or special projects may be assigned as needed.

Uphold the standards and values of LifeLine Animal Project:

Save Lives -- Build Community -- Be Exceptional Stewards -- Be Courageous -- Be Compassionate -- Take Responsibility -- Respect, Embrace and Celebrate Diversity

Animal Care and Handling:

• Support and assist with cat intakes and diversion, including stray intakes, friendly finders, and owner surrender conversations.
• Assess behavior and level new cat intakes. Monitor and document behavior changes.
• Skillfully and safely handle fractious and/or feral cats with compassion.
• Coordinate with Animal Care Attendants in the movement of animals when needed under guidelines set by management.
• Take responsibility to make sure all kennel cards and locations are accurate. Ensure that pictures are clear and kitten photos are updated when appropriate.
• Assess eligibility and facilitate SNR surgeries and release of the cats.
• Courageously trap and release cats and kittens as needed.
• Care for office pets and keep the office clean.

Collaboration and Administration:

• Coordinate with other departments and facilities as it pertains to new cat intakes and shelter population.
• Coordinate with Lifeline transport coordinator on the quick movement and return of SNR cats to their home environment.
• Work alongside the Animal Care team to develop, manage, and document cat enrichment programs.
• Speak with finders, trappers, owners about the best route for cats and kittens based on their unique situation.
• Aid in the development of programs to receive grant funding.
• Coordinate with rescue coordinator on rescue placement of cats and kittens.
• Coordinate the placement of cats and kittens in the shelter environment to enhance their health and well being and save lives.
• Maintain current files in orderly fashion.
• Sort and distribute donations.
• Exhibit exceptional stewardship when maintaining the cat care and enrichment Inventory.
• Work with management and veterinary staff to produce education pamphlets/flyers as needed.
• Prepare reports as needed.

General Responsibilities:

• Support and assist other roles within the shelter when needed.
• Respect, embrace, and celebrate diversity by always operating with a judgement-free mindset and welcome visitors with a friendly and professional demeanor.
• Help build a community of animal welfare advocates by supporting and engaging the volunteers who aid LifeLine.
• Continue education by participating in LifeLine's 40-hour annual training requirement.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Compassion for animals and the people who love and care for them.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of general animal care principles and practices.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong work ethic with the ability to work independently.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate with various departments, personnel, vendors, volunteers and outside agencies.
• Demonstrated understanding of Shelter-Neuter-Return (SNR) and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, including their implementation and community impact.
• Proven experience in safe and humane handling of feral and domestic cats in a shelter or field environment.
• Ability to serve the public and fellow employees with honesty and integrity.
• Must be able to work weekends, holidays, and varying shifts based on shelter needs and emergencies.
• Must be flexible and prepared to work beyond scheduled time in the event a placement takes longer than normal.
• Must have a means of travel that ensures prompt arrival for work shifts.
• Must pass a background check.

Education and/or Experience:

Minimum of high school diploma or equivalent. One or more years' experience in animal related field preferred. One or more years' experience of direct experience working with cats in a shelter, rescue, veterinary, or field setting is preferred.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of this job, employee may be exposed to unpleasant kennel smells. May have to handle dogs and cats that are stray, injured, diseased or vicious.