Supervising Animal Services Counselor - Adoptions

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services has an opportunity for a Supervising Animal Services Counselor on the Adoptions team located in San Jacinto, CA. This recruitment may be used to fill vacancies throughout Riverside County.

This role involves handling animals and assisting with one-on-one matching of families with suitable pets, while working closely with veterinary staff to support animal care and medical needs. The position requires a strong understanding of the foster program, as many adoptions occur through foster placements, and the ability to identify collaborative strategies to ensure successful adoptions. Responsibilities include communicating with adopters and fosters to ensure positive experiences, providing excellent customer service to the public, and carefully matching families and homes with pets based on personalities, household dynamics, and children.

The role also involves traveling throughout the county, supervising staff, utilizing volunteers effectively, and solving problems as they arise. Additional duties include coordinating offsite adoption events, outreach and media efforts, and developing training materials to train staff.

Highly desired experience includes assisting the public with pet adoptions (adoption matchmaking), animal intake assessments, coordinating pre- and post-adoption medical requirements, tracking foster-to-adoption conversions and reduced length of stay, experience working in a high-volume, fast-paced shelter, planning and executing adoption events, supervisory experience such as scheduling, coaching, performance feedback, and volunteer coordination: training, role assignment (transport, events, kennel support). Experience with shelter management systems such as Chameleon, Shelterluv, PetPoint is desired.

The Supervising Animal Services Counselor is the full supervisory level classification in the Animal Services Counselor series and reports to an appropriate supervisory or manager level position. Incumbents in this classification are responsible for directing the day-to-day operations and training of Animal Services Counselor staff throughout the County of Riverside.

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services has a vision for promoting an environment of responsible pet ownership through progressive animal welfare initiatives, community outreach, and humane education in a culture of compassion, creativity, and integrity. The Department of Animal Services believes the character of their organization is best reflected in the strong dedication of each one of their employees who strive to meet the highest standards of performance and compassion on behalf of the animals and people that they serve.

The Department of Animal Services operates four shelters located in Blythe, Jurupa Valley, San Jacinto and Thousand Palms.

• Plan, schedule, assign, train, and supervise the activities of the Animal Services staff including assisting customers seeking to adopt animals from the Department of Animal Services; oversee animal intakes and outcomes; coordinate the spay/neutering of animals for outreach adoptions; transport animals to outreach events; evaluate animals for adoptability and perform adoption follow-up.
• Plan, organize, schedule, and operate community outreach and adoption events.
• Direct the operations of animal intakes and outcomes, pet support for clients, general handling of animals, marketing efforts to encourage redemptions and adoptions of animals, computer update, and accounting activities for monies received.
• Interview and select new employees; prepare and review employee performance evaluations; counsel employees, attempt to resolve grievances and when necessary, recommend disciplinary action.
• Plan and participate in departmental training programs for assigned staff; conduct courses and evaluate employee achievements and course effectiveness.
• Assist the Animal Services Manager with the planning and development of the Animal Services Programs, identifying objectives of animal regulations, preparing policies and standard procedures, and developing overall goals.
• Suggest changes and improvements in existing programs and procedures; assist with the preparation of the annual budget, recommending and justifying additional personnel and equipment.
• Serve as Animal Services Manager in the temporary absence of the latter.
• Interpret ordinances, statutes, regulations, and policies to the staff, and the general public providing technical assistance in the resolution of problems related to adoptions.
• Work cooperatively with other animal services personnel when joint action is required.
• Promote animal services through community relations with civic, governmental and private groups; coordinate educational programs with the community, schools, law enforcement agencies, the media, and other groups.
• Maintain program statistics; prepare reports and correspondence concerning the Animal Services Program.
• Review reports and other written materials composed by the…