Community Outreach Specialist

Location: 1312 Melissa Drive; Bentonville, AR 72712

Hiring Range: This position’s hiring range is anticipated to be $19.00 to $22.00 per hour, depending on experience, plus great benefits!

Manager interviews will occur the week of September 22nd (recruiter phone screens will occur prior to this week). 

Position Summary: Community Outreach Specialists play a key role in advancing the mission of Best Friends Animal Society by connecting people and pets to critical services, resources and education. This role focuses on building meaningful relationships in the community and expanding awareness of available programs and support offered by Best Friends and other community resources. The Specialist serves as a direct bridge between the organization and the people and pets it serves. This position is an in-office role with an expectation of travel and offsite support for events or activities.

Culture Statement and Responsibility: We value attitude over aptitude, and we treat Kindness as a discipline because it is paramount in our culture along with our other Guiding Principles. Culture is how we talk to and treat ourselves and one another, it’s how we generate and respond to change, it’s how we plan and make decisions, it’s how we do what we do.

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.
• Collaborate with internal teams to identify outreach opportunities and create tailored engagement plans for each; represent the organization at local events, mobile clinics, resource fairs and neighborhood meetings forming strong relationships with proximate leaders, partner organizations and residents
• Research community needs for people and their pets: develop, and support group and individual partnerships to implement programs to meet those needs; connect community members with the internal services through Best Friends or through external partners for the programs that can provide help; assist clients with applications and processes when appropriate and follow up as needed.
• Coordinate with marketing and creative to create needed printed and digital materials to explain services and resources in all relevant languages; ensure Best Friends’ voice and judgement free content; conduct door-to-door outreach and community canvassing to distribute materials and messaging.
• Lead and empower volunteers and volunteer teams in support of community outreach programs with the goal of utilizing volunteers to the greatest extent possible to expand Best Friends lifesaving capacity; deliver and lead superior customer service.
• Assist or oversee the creation of engaging content for social media platforms, to include creation and/or editing of written, video, and photo content. Work collaboratively with other departments and marketing teams to identify engagement opportunities with social media and PR to support lifesaving outcomes and programmatic needs at the center. Represent Best Friends in media relations when requested and ensure to maintain Best Friends’ voice across all communications.
• Assist other teams in providing basic care such as feeding, cleaning, walking, and medicating animals housed or transported within Best Friends’ vehicles, buildings, or facilities; follow all policies and local standard operating procedures when completing daily functions to ensure health and safety standards are upheld.
• Work collaboratively with and assist Best Friends’ team members in all areas of community engagement and 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, and recordkeeping.
• 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.

Skills and Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED or 1-2 years’ experience working in animal welfare, animal care or veterinary practice.
• 1-2 years’ experience implementing community-based programs and initiatives preferred but not required.
• Bilingual or multi-lingual skills preferred but not required.
• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.
• Ability 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.
• 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.
• 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 & Other 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.
• Ability to travel via various forms of transportation including transport vehicles of varying sizes.
• Valid driver's license, ability to qualify to be added to Best Friends insurance, ability to travel and/or drive on behalf of Best Friends, including overnight stays, when needed.
• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; the position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.

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.