Animal Adoptions Associate - FULL TIME

Care Associate Adoptions

Pasadena Humane is a non-profit animal welfare organization looking for passionate professionals to join our team.

The Care Associate plays a key role in connecting adoptable animals with loving homes by engaging with prospective adopters, facilitating meet-and-greets, and providing thorough education on responsible pet ownership. This role offers exceptional customer service, answers inquiries across multiple communication channels, and guides clients through Pasadena Humane programs and services.

The Placement Associate collaborates closely with behavior and health teams to identify and communicate animal care needs, ensuring the highest standards of welfare. They also support volunteers, assist in placement-related programs, and maintain accurate documentation to help keep animals successfully in homes.

Upholding Pasadena Humane's mission, this position fosters positive relationships with the community while promoting a safe and compassionate environment for people and animals alike.

Job duties and responsibilities may include:

• Conduct conversations with members of the public who have an interest in adopting a pet. Help adopters find a good match for their families.
• Provide education and information about animals available for adoption to encourage responsible pet ownership and share information about Pasadena Humane programs.
• Provide clients with information, as appropriate and known, about animals in our population, including behavior, age, breed, sex, and medical history.
• Discuss animal behavior and training with adopters.
• Answer questions and provide educational information using a high level of customer service techniques to assist customers with pet ownership needs and to guide them to Pasadena Humane programs and services.
• Facilitate meet and greets with animals with potential adopters
• Respond to email, phone, web, or in-person inquiries regarding placement programs.
• Assist with the transfer, foster, off-site and mobile programs as needed and assigned.
• Identify animal care, behavior, and health needs. Document and report to the appropriate department. Work with the health department to ensure the highest standards of day-to-day care.
• Assist volunteers in the placement program.
• Educate the public on animal welfare and animal care best practices.
• Follow up with clients regarding adoption requests.
• Ensure a positive, educational approach to customer service with a goal of educating the public and keeping animals in homes as appropriate. Promote positive relations with the general public, volunteers and staff while promoting Pasadena Humane's programs, policies and philosophies.
• Address customer complaints.
• Uphold Pasadena Humane's mission and contribute to building a culture of philanthropy.
• Ensure a safe working environment and actively participate in Pasadena Humane's safety programs.
• Participate as needed in special department projects.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements and qualifications:

• High school diploma (or GED/proficiency certificate).
• Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of appointment.
• 1 year experience working in any of the following strongly preferred: animal shelter, animal rescue, veterinary medicine, animal grooming, pet stores.
• Experience working with the public and individual diverse in age, culture, and in varied settings.
• Excellent interpersonal communication (both written and verbal) skills.
• Must have a strong knowledge of animal health and behavior including knowledge of dog, cat, rabbit, and other pet breed characteristics, temperament, training, and handling.
• Strong customer service and skills. Ability to provide excellent service in a fast-paced environment serving clients with differing needs and emotional states.
• Bilingual a plus (Armenian, Spanish, Mandarin, and/or Cantonese).
• Creative problem solver.
• Proficient in computer applications including Microsoft 365 and email. Experience with Chameleon, Kustomer, and/or VolunteerMatters a plus.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• Must model Pasadena Humane's Core Values of Learning, Integrity Collaboration and Kindness.
• Must interact positively with supervisor, management, coworkers, volunteers, and the public to promote a team effort and maintain a positive and professional approach.
• Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Must provide positive, proactive customer service
• Must have a positive attitude and a sense of humor

Work schedule:

Must come to work regularly and on time. Must be available able to work early hours according to the needs of the department schedule. Must be available to work weekends and holidays.

Working conditions:

Fast-paced environment. Employees are exposed to numerous animals (living and deceased), including those with uncertain dispositions. They are required to act in a safe and responsible manner.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear and/or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Pasadena Humane is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy not to engage in discrimination against any individual, or harassment of any person seeking employment with our organization on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, genetic information or status as a covered veteran including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices, including recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, merit increase, salary, training and development, demotion, and separation. This policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Federal law requires proof of citizenship or "alien right-to-work" status. Pasadena Humane maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing.