Cat Placement Specialist

APA! BACKGROUND:

Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and beloved nonprofits. The organization leads the No Kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at‑risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a No Kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals.

The organization is distinguished by its large volunteer workforce and the scrappiness of its grassroots and its non‑traditional, community‑based animal rescue work.

The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and spreads its impact by offering resources and mentorship related to its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, American Pets Alive! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) – an innovative initiative aimed at rethinking the traditional model of animal sheltering. It focuses on supporting both people and pets in the community to reduce the number of animals entering shelters and improve outcomes for both.

The project encourages collaboration between animal welfare organizations and community‑based services, with a goal of providing personalized, proactive support that positions animal welfare as a social service.

As a Cat Placement Specialist, you play a pivotal role in matching clients with the perfect feline companion for their home. Beyond mere matchmaking, you serve as a dedicated advocate for shelter cats, particularly those often overlooked in the shelter environment. Leveraging your expertise in cat behavior, medical care, and rescue practices, you spearhead innovative initiatives to streamline the foster and adoption process and connect cats with the right people.

Your primary objective is to reduce the length of stay for all cats, with a special focus on our lifesaving programs. In this dynamic role, you will continuously refine and develop methods and practices to achieve this goal.

This full‑time, non‑exempt position reports directly to the Cat Placement Manager, offering an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of shelter cats and their future fosters and adopters. The Cat Placement Specialist plays a key role in advancing the goals of APA!’s placement team and contributes directly to APA!’s mission to increase the live release rate across Texas by supporting a sustainable, inclusive, and high‑impact model for placement coordination.

The Cat Placement Specialist is responsible for managing their daily responsibilities, maintaining clear priorities, and delivering consistent, high‑quality work that aligns with APA!’s values and goals. This includes staying organized, using data or feedback to inform decisions, and following through on key tasks and responsibilities with minimal oversight. This is a hands‑on, mission‑driven role focused on results, reliability, and teamwork.

APA! is a volunteer‑powered organization, so every staff member is expected to work alongside and support volunteers. The Cat Placement Specialist collaborates closely with volunteers to complete day‑to‑day tasks, helps create a positive and inclusive environment, and actively contributes to a culture of shared effort and mutual respect. This position may involve shift flexibility, weekend hours, and responsiveness during times of high need.

• Actively contribute to a volunteer‑powered culture by partnering with volunteers during every shift and helping create an inclusive, welcoming environment
• Work alongside volunteers to complete daily tasks, ensuring the work is shared and collaborative—not siloed
• Support the recruitment and onboarding process by welcoming new volunteers and helping them get oriented to the program
• Help retain volunteers by offering encouragement, guidance, and feedback during shared work
• Contribute to a positive culture by recognizing volunteer contributions through appreciation, gratitude, and shoutouts
• Help set volunteers up for success by clearly explaining tasks,…