Under general supervision, perform administrative, office support, and customer service responsibilities at Detroit Animal Care and Control. Incumbents in this position may directly interact with the animals at the shelter.Administrative Duties

Answer telephone inquiries, take messages, and route calls to appropriate staff as necessary.
Assist Animal Control Officers with documentation of dispatched calls for service and provide issue resolution status to the public regarding their complaints as necessary.
Enter data into software system and appropriate forms including adoption and foster, license, spay/neuter, and other information.
Develop and complete required reports and maintain accurate records and files.
Review forms, data, and other information to ensure accuracy and conformance to established procedures and/or policies.

Customer Service

Greet the public and assists with lost and impounded animals, quarantined animals, adoption and fostering applications, and pet licenses.
Provide information to the public regarding licensing, vaccinations, impoundment, euthanasia, rabies control, pet-owner responsibilities, spaying, neutering, and adoptions.
Accept payments and issue receipts for animal quarantine, impound, licensing services, and other services.
Assist with receiving animals brought to the shelter by the public and releasing impounded animals.

Facility Care

Assist in ensuring that the administrative office, workstations, and equipment are kept clean, organized, and in working order.
Work with supervisors to ensure operation of equipment and technology including calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
Restock supplies as needed and notify managers when purchase of additional supplies is needed.
Adhere to organizational guidelines and policies for cleaning, disinfection, and disease control.

Other

Perform other duties assigned by supervisor.

High school diploma or G.E.D. (General Education Development)
One (1) year previous experience as an administrative assistant or office support position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of office systems, practices, procedures, and administration.
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing high quality customer service.
Knowledge of applicable laws and ordinances related to animal care and control.
Knowledge of animal type, color, characteristics, temperament, and breed type.
Skill in listening to directions and understanding information and ideas presented verbally or in writing.
Skill in utilizing a personal computer with word processing, spreadsheet, and related software to effectively complete a variety of administrative tasks with reasonable speed and accuracy.
Skill in developing and maintaining cooperative and professional relationships with employees, all levels of management, the public, and representatives from other organizations.
Skill in communicating orally to others to convey information effectively.
Ability to interact effectively with stray and injured animals, the public, veterinarians, and Public Safety personnel.
Ability to use a handheld, desktop, or laptop computer and learn specialized workplace software.
Ability to prepare written and oral reports of a technical nature.
Ability to handle a variety of customer service issues with tact and diplomacy in a confidential manner.
Ability to react quickly and maintain emotional stability and mental awareness under stressful conditions.
Ability to perform multiple tasks and prioritize competing priorities.
Ability to recognize behavioral signals of animals that indicate fear or aggressiveness.

POSITION COMPETENCIES:
Analytical/Assessment Skills

Describes factors affecting the health of a community (e.g., equity, income, education, and environment).
Uses quantitative and qualitative data.
Describes assets and resources that can be used for improving the health of a community (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs, public libraries, hospitals, faith-based organizations, academic institutions, federal grants, fellowship programs).

Policy Development/Program Planning

Contributes to implementation of organizational strategic plan.

Communication Skills

Identifies the literacy of populations served (e.g., ability to obtain, interpret, and use health and other information; social media literacy).
Communicates in writing and orally with linguistic and cultural proficiency (e.g., using age-appropriate materials, incorporating images).
Suggests approaches for disseminating public health data and information (e.g., social media, newspapers, newsletters, journals, town hall meetings, libraries, neighborhood gatherings).
Conveys data and information to professionals and the public using a variety of approaches (e.g., reports, presentations, email, and letters).
Describes the roles of governmental public health, health care, and other partners in improving the health of a community.

Cultural Competency Skills

Describes the concept of diversity as it applies to individuals and populations (e.g., language, culture, values, socioeconomic status, geography, education, race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, profession, religious affiliation, mental and physical abilities, and historical experiences).
Describes the diversity of individuals and populations in a community.
Describes the ways diversity influences policies, programs, services, and the health of a community.
Addresses the diversity of individuals and populations when implementing policies, programs, and services that affect the health of a community.

Community Dimensions of Practice Skills

Engages community members (e.g., focus groups, talking circles, formal meetings, key informant interviews) to improve health in a community.
Provides input for developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services.

Financial Planning and Management Skills

Operates programs within budget.
Describes how teams help achieve program and organizational goals (e.g., the value of different disciplines, sectors, skills, experiences, and perspectives; scope of work and timeline).
Motivates colleagues for the purpose of achieving program and organizational goals (e.g., participating in teams, encouraging sharing of ideas, respecting different points of view).
Uses evaluation results to improve program and organizational performance.

Leadership and Systems Thinking

Describes ways to improve individual and program performance.

Licenses, Certifications, and Other Special Requirements:

Valid State of Michigan Driver License.
Candidates considered for placement in this classification may be subject to a Criminal Background Investigation based on the requirements of the position.

Physical Demands
Tasks may involve extended periods of time at keyboard or work station. While performing office-related duties, the employee is occasionally required to lift up to 40 lbs. independently, restrain or control aggressive animals, sit, stand, walk, and move freely.

Work Environment
Work is performed in an animal shelter with exposure to domesticated animals with questionable health, temperament concerns, susceptible to biting and scratching, high noise levels, zoonotic diseases, and cleaning agents. All Detroit Health Department employees are required to be on call during any designated local, state or national emergency, whereby, the Detroit Health Department is required to provide services for the citizens of Detroit, the State of Michigan or the United States of America.
Evaluation Plan

Computerized Assessment: 35%
Interview: 35%
Evaluation of Training, Experience & Personal Qualifications: 30%
Total of Interview and Evaluation T.E.P: 100%

Additional points may be awarded for:

Veteran Points: 0 – 15 points
Detroit Residency Credit: 15 points

LRD: 08/03/2023

City of Detroit

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Animal Shelter Assistant