Animal Care and Events Coordinator

Location: 307 W Broadway, New York, NY 11206 

Hiring Range: This position’s hiring range is anticipated to be $23 per hour to $25 per hour, depending on experience, plus great benefits! 
  

Position Summary: Animal Care & Events Coordinators are responsible for creating and organizing events that engage and connect the local community to our lifesaving and advocacy programs. This position will work closely with multiple departments at Best Friends and in coordination with marketing, volunteers and PR to ensure events are designed to increase brand awareness and engagement that helps drive Best Friends closer towards our goal to make the country no-kill by 2025. They support the daily functions, and growth of the lifesaving programs such as adoptions, as well as providing basic animals care at the New York Lifesaving center and adoption events. Coordinators act with urgency to accomplish important objectives and play a direct role in achieving Best Friends Animal Society’s no-kill mission and organizational success. Coordinators may receive intensive assignments in a particular program, based on organizational needs.   

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Demonstrate kindness and the Golden Rule in our everyday actions by practicing inclusion and respect for every person for the value they bring to the table. Be a role model for the spirit of authenticity, kindness and positive influence with each other, our visitors, and volunteers as well as to the animals every day. This includes listening, being present, being supportive of others and demonstrating compassion and curiosity in conflict.  

• Work with Lifesaving Center leadership and a variety of cross-departmental stakeholders to understand program goals and priorities; create content calendar for events that ensures. delivery of priority messaging and themes and tailors programming to specific local audiences.  

• Create, host, coordinate and execute logistics for all events, including managing relationships with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure consistency in brand and visitor experience; evaluate event success by gathering feedback from attendees, volunteers and staff.   

• Collaborate with internal teams and marketing to identify local opportunities to expand brand awareness and maximize lifesaving impact; recruit, and engage with organizations, individuals, and stakeholders to develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships; implement Best Friends engagement and advocacy strategies to create new opportunities to advance mission awareness and lifesaving impact.  

• Lead and empower volunteers and volunteer teams in support of local events with the goal of utilizing volunteers to the greatest extent possible to expand Best Friends lifesaving capacity; deliver and lead superior customer service.  

• Work collaboratively with and assist Best Friends’ team members in all areas of community engagement and day to day operations to develop, evolve, and implement efficient processes to achieve lifesaving goals; follow policies, procedures, and task lists, including accurate and timely communications, work completion, data entry, merch inventory, daily bank deposits, tracking and recordkeeping. Additional tasks as assigned. 

• Supports the daily functions, and growth of the lifesaving programs such as adoptions, as well as providing basic animals care at the New York Lifesaving center and adoption events.  

• Maintain a safe workplace, value, and model safe work practices, adhering to organizational safety practices and rules, and addressing or communicating to leadership about unsafe practices and conditions.   

• Assist with public relations events and represent Best Friends as needed in the media.  

• Assist with center marketing through content gathering for social media platforms and supporting street teams and assist with our constituent journey through external communications and name gathering.  

Skills and Experience:  

• Previous experience coordinating, hosting, and managing events is required, including assisting with public relations type events. 

• Experience leading teams and implementing programs preferred but not required.    

• Experience working with or leading volunteers is preferred but not required. 

• Strong communication skills, including verbal and written. 

• Bilingual or multi-lingual skills preferred but not required.   

• Relationship management experience is a plus.  

• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.   

• Previous experience and the comfortability to work with, leash, kennel, walk, and handle cats and dogs, including those with health and/or behavior conditions/concerns; basic ability to identify and speak to medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats is strongly preferred.   

• Strong interpersonal skills, a team player, personable, professional, and able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.     

• The ability to represent and professionally advocate on Best Friends behalf in the public eye, including with the media. Prior experience communicating with the media is preferred, but not required. 

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with well-developed organization skills to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.    

• Resourceful, get-it-done attitude; initiative to assist in any area or process; problem solving, seeking answers independently and enthusiastically; flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.   

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software, or desire to learn.   

Physical Requirements:  

• Routinely lift 40 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity including, but not limited to lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.    

• Perform repetitive tasks for extended periods of time including typing, sitting, walking, arm, and hand motion.     

• Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.    

• Exposure to dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status.     

• Valid driver’s license, meeting Best Friends Animal Society’s driver qualification standards. 

• Ability to pass DOT physical exam and operate our Mobile Adoption Vehicle. 

• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.   

• Ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed. This role could include travel up to 50%, locally and out of state.  
  

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.