Animal Center Operations Coordinator

The Position

Bargaining Unit: Local 21 - Non-Supervisory Management

Why join the Contra Costa County Animal Services Department? Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of animals and people? The Animal Services Department is committed to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all people and animals in our community. We prioritize lifesaving as our guiding principle. We shelter homeless, abandoned, and lost animals and work to keep and place animals in safe, caring homes. We also provide education and services to enhance the human-animal bond, creating a stronger, more compassionate community.

We’re currently looking to add two (2) Animal Center Operations Coordinators to our dedicated team! These positions will play a key role in one of our impactful programs (Adoptions & Shelter Intervention). If you’re ready for a challenging, fast-paced, and rewarding career where no two days are the same, we’d love to hear from you!

Future Salary Increases:
July 1, 2025: 5%
*Plus any potential merit increases

Join us and be part of a team that’s making a difference every day!

To see what it is like to work for us, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qPCtCped9Q&list=PLe0z9IiTF1GUGjO5993c68v6SQCxt7lti&index=3

We are looking for someone who is:

• Self-Motivated: Much of the role requires taking initiative and working independently. This individual should seek ways to enhance the program and its impact on the shelter. The candidate shall take ownership of the program and drive it forward without the need for constant oversight. Remain focused, driven, and resilient even when faced with difficulties, such as a lack of foster volunteers and/or families or complex dog behavior issues.
• Strong Communication Skills: This role involves constant interaction with foster families, shelter staff, and volunteers. Clear and empathetic communication, both verbal and written, is necessary to ensure smooth coordination and foster recruitment.
• Collaborative. To accomplish tasks, you will work with a variety of individuals, including employees, volunteers, representatives of other departments and agencies, vendors, and members of the general public.
• Detail Oriented: You will be tasked with accurate record keeping, matching dogs with the right foster home, monitoring the foster home for compliance, managing appointments and schedules, noting behavioral cues or issues, and bringing them to the attention of the Center Operations Management team, tracking supplies and resources.
• Passionate and Knowledgeable of Animal Welfare & Industry Best Practices: A deep commitment to animal welfare is essential. Knowledgeable about dogs’ needs, behaviors, and well-being in a shelter environment. Knowledgeable in animal handling best practices, and an understanding of typical breed characteristics and requirements.
• Organized: Managing multiple foster homes, tracking foster dogs, and coordinating schedules requires exceptional organization and the ability to multitask.
• Flexible: Someone willing to learn about the key functions of the other shelter operations coordinator roles and assist these shelter operations coordinators, providing support as needed/when requested by shelter operations management.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Reviewing and assessing animals at intake, documenting their arrival, assessing their behavioral and medical needs and submitting reports and recommendations to the Pathway Planning Group to help determine individualized animal pathways.
• Interfacing with stakeholders, including Department staff, Animal Services Officers, Clerical, Medical, and Animal Center Operations personnel, as well as partner agencies and other organizations, to facilitate and tailor individual animal outcomes.
• Facilitating adoptions by conducting individualized adoption counseling to ensure a smooth adoption process, managing specialized animal cases from intake to placement based on their specific care requirements, processing paperwork, and documenting required case management.
• Assisting in recruiting and managing foster homes for animals with specific medical and/or behavioral needs, ensuring their well-being, and providing support to foster families.
• Tracking the progress of adopted animals and providing ongoing support to adopters.
• Keeping accurate records of animal intakes, meet-and-greets, adoptions, and other placements for case management; maintaining individualized progress reports for each animal; creating tailored communication materials for specific animal pathways.
• Responding to inquiries from the public and other organizations.
• Promoting adoptable animals and raising awareness about animal welfare issues.
• Assisting in recruiting, training, and assigning volunteers to support specialized and individual animal care outcomes, adoption strategies, and overall pathway best practices.
• Providing supportive services to pet owners at risk of surrendering their animals, including counseling, problem-solving, and connecting them with community resources.
• Coordinating intake diversion efforts through direct client interaction, case management, and collaboration with shelter staff and community partners, maintaining accurate records, and following up to ensure positive outcomes and reduced shelter intake.
• Engaging in community outreach and education to raise awareness of pet retention resources, promote responsible pet ownership, and build partnerships that expand access to services in underserved areas.

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will make an impact on animal populations.
• You will build relationships with fosters and volunteers.
• You will witness transformations in dogs: See the firsthand positive changes in dogs who come from stressful shelter environments.
• You will get an opportunity to problem-solve and come up with creative solutions that can be both intellectually stimulating and satisfying.
• You will be creating a positive change in the community.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You may need to manage your work with limited resources.
• You will be working on multiple projects and have multiple responsibilities.
• You will be working with vulnerable animal populations that may cause emotional stress.
• You may face difficulties in your efforts to retain foster families.

Competencies Required:

• Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
• Delivering Results: Meeting organizational goals and customer expectations and making decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks
• Environmental Exposure Tolerance: Performing under physically demanding conditions
• General Physical Ability: Using strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination
• Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
• Using Technology: Working with electronic hardware and software applications
• Action and Results-Focused: Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishments
• Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
• Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results
• Handling Stress: Maintaining emotional stability and self-control under pressure, challenge, or adversity
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Self-Management: Showing personal Organization, self-discipline, and dependability
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing
• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve shared goals

To read the complete job description, please click here .

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill future openings for up to six (6) months.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Possession of an Associate of Arts Degree or the successful completion of at least 60 semester or 90 quarter units from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Two (2) years full-time or its equivalent experience in animal sheltering, one (1) year of which must have included training, teaching or providing animal services education in a public animal control and services setting.

Substitution for Education: Additional qualifying experience or experience of any of the types listed below may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis up to maximum of two (2) years. Experience working in a public animal control and services setting

• Experience working with animals in a humane, zoological, shelter, conservancy, veterinary or other non-laboratory setting
• Experience training animals in a non-laboratory setting
• Training or teaching experience in a public or private organization
• Experience as a volunteer in a City or County Animal Services agency

Selection Process

Application Filing and Evaluation: Applications will be evaluated to determine which candidates will move forward in the next phase of the recruitment process.

Online Oral Interview: The oral interview will measure candidates' competencies as they relate to the job. In the oral interview, candidates must achieve an average passing score of 70% or higher on each of the oral interview competencies, as well as an overall passing score of 70% or higher. These may include, but are not limited to: Decision Making, Delivering Results, Handling Stress, Action and Results-Focused, and Oral Communication. Tentative dates: July 1st - July 7th, 2025

Departmental Hiring Interview: To be scheduled once the eligible list is established

The Human Resources Department may change the examination steps noted above in accordance with the Personnel Management Regulations and accepted selection practices.

For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Lauren Ludwig at Lauren.Ludwig@hrd.cccounty.us. For any technical issues, please contact the GovernmentJobs’ applicant support team for assistance at +1 855-524-5627.

CONVICTION HISTORY

After you receive a conditional job offer, you will be fingerprinted, and your fingerprints will be sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history (if any) will be used to determine whether the nature of your conviction conflicts with the specific duties and responsibilities of the job for which you have received a conditional job offer. If a conflict exists, you will be asked to present any evidence of rehabilitation that may mitigate the conflict, except when federal or state regulations bar employment in specific circumstances. Having a conviction history does not automatically preclude you from a job with Contra Costa County. If you accept a conditional job offer, the Human Resources department will contact you to schedule a fingerprinting appointment.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Contra Costa County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

It is the policy of Contra Costa County to consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

To find more information on Benefits offered by Contra Costa County, please go to https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/1343/Employee-Benefits

Closing Date/Time: 6/20/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• Contra Costa County Human Resources Department

• 925-655-2100

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