Intake Supervisor

Position Summary The Intake Supervisor is a working supervisor responsible for overseeing daily intake operations while ensuring exceptional customer service, operational efficiency, and positive outcomes for animals entering the SPCA of Wake County Adoption Program. This role provides direct supervision, coaching, scheduling, training, and development for Intake team members while supporting a collaborative and mission‑driven work environment. This position leads the coordination and assessment of animals entering the organization through owner surrender, transfer partnerships, and other intake channels. The Intake Supervisor works closely with pet owners, rescue partners, volunteers, and internal departments to facilitate safe, humane, and efficient intake processes while supporting pet retention efforts when appropriate. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Oversee and coordinate daily intake operations, ensuring efficient and humane processing of animals entering the SPCA Adoption Program. Lead Intake team members in scheduling and facilitating owner surrenders, shelter partner transfers, and other intake activities. Provide exceptional customer service through phone, email, and in‑person interactions with pet owners, transfer partners, volunteers, and community members. Conduct pet retention counseling and provide resources to support positive outcomes for pets and families. Gather, review, and process intake documentation, medical histories, behavioral information, and related records. Ensure accurate and timely data entry within shelter management, CRM, and related systems. Assist with intake assessments and support decision‑making regarding animal placement and next steps. Address customer concerns, complaints, and complex situations with professionalism, compassion, and sound judgment. Support the safe, humane, and appropriate handling of all animals entering SPCA custody. Maintain accurate paperwork and information for intakes and ensure that all data entry is accurate. Assist with disease control and cleaning of designated areas throughout the day. Report signs of illness, disease, injury, or unusual activity to the medical team. Treat all pets and people humanely and with compassion, promoting a humane and caring attitude. Maintain a friendly demeanor and provide good customer service at all times. Ensure a valid driver’s license (animal transport van driving required). Interact with and get to know the pets in our care to better understand the current animal population at Intake & Adoption Centers. Willingness and ability to learn about cat and dog behavior, common issues, and ways to address them. Leadership & Team Development Directly supervise Intake team members, providing day‑to‑day leadership, coaching, support, and accountability. Train, onboard, mentor, and develop employees to support departmental success and professional growth. Foster a positive, collaborative, and mission‑driven work environment for staff and volunteers. Assist with scheduling, workload distribution, and operational coverage planning. Monitor team performance and provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and corrective action when necessary. Identify workflow challenges and implement solutions that improve department efficiency and effectiveness. Model professional behavior, customer service excellence, and organizational values. Cross‑Functional Collaboration Work closely with the Medical team to support timely examinations, vaccinations, treatments, and medical intake processes. Partner with the Foster Care team to identify and coordinate foster placement opportunities. Collaborate with Animal Care and Adoptions teams to support organizational capacity and positive animal outcomes. Maintain regular communication with the Intake Manager regarding operational concerns, staffing needs, workflow issues, and department performance. Participate in meetings, planning discussions, and organizational initiatives as needed. Safety, Compliance & Operational Excellence Help ensure the safety of employees, volunteers, visitors, and animals within the Intake Department. Support compliance with organizational policies, procedures, animal welfare standards, and safety protocols. Maintain accurate records and documentation as per departmental and organizational requirements. Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, kindness, and continuous improvement. Perform additional operational and administrative duties as assigned to support organizational needs. Required Qualifications Minimum 1‑2 years of experience in animal welfare, animal sheltering, veterinary support, animal care, or a related field. Minimum 1 year of supervisory, leadership, or team‑lead experience. Excellent customer service skills with the ability to communicate compassionately and professionally during emotionally sensitive situations. Working knowledge of companion animal behavior and humane animal handling practices. Working knowledge of common veterinary terminology and basic animal health concepts. Experience performing or supporting basic veterinary procedures such as vaccinations and intake‑related medical processes. Experience utilizing database, CRM, shelter management, or related software systems to maintain records and documentation. Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, and Excel. Strong organizational, time‑management, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills. Ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced, high‑volume environment. Demonstrated commitment to animal welfare and the mission of the SPCA of Wake County. Preferred Qualifications Previous supervisory experience within an animal shelter, animal welfare organization, or veterinary setting. Experience with shelter population management and intake diversion strategies. Experience providing pet retention counseling or community resource support. Familiarity with shelter software systems and Salesforce. Fear Free, low‑stress handling, or similar animal handling training/certifications. Experience working with volunteers and community partners. We encourage bilingual and multilingual candidates to apply. Physical Requirements Stand, walk, bend, reach, crouch, kneel, and remain physically active for extended periods. Lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds. Safely handle animals of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical conditions. Communicate effectively in person, by phone, and electronically. Work in environments with high noise levels, strong odors, and exposure to cleaning chemicals and disinfectants. Work safely around animals that may be fearful, stressed, or fractious. Exposure to zoonotic diseases, parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other animal‑related environmental conditions is possible. Perform onsite supervisory, operational, customer‑service, and animal‑handling responsibilities at the SPCA of Wake County Resource Center. Work Environment Fast‑paced animal welfare environment involving frequent interaction with animals, staff, volunteers, transfer partners, and members of the public. Responsibilities include working in animal housing areas, intake processing spaces, medical environments, and public‑facing service areas. Requires maintaining professionalism and effectiveness while working in an environment that may include high noise levels, strong odors, emotionally sensitive situations, and animals of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical conditions. Regular onsite presence is required to support staff supervision, customer service, operational coordination, animal intake activities, and cross‑functional collaboration. Benefits Medical and Dental: Employer pays 90% of employee coverage (full‑time). Insurance includes wellness, dental, vision, life, mental health care, prescriptions, emergency & urgent care, chiropractic care, and physical therapy. Telemedicine options, 24/7 access to virtual health & wellness care and virtual behavioral health care. Paid Time Off All part‑time and full‑time staff receive paid time off. Paid Holidays – 9 paid holidays per year (full‑time). Vacation Time – 10 paid vacation days per year (full‑time) with scheduled increases at milestone anniversaries. Sick Time – 6.5 paid sick days per year (full‑time). Financial Healthcare: Flexible Spending Account. 401(k) Plan. Coastal Federal Credit Union Membership. 20% discount on pet adoptions and in SPCA Wake retail store. Other Bereavement time off. Federal & state leave of absence options. Disclaimer This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Responsibilities may change based on organizational needs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr