GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
The Office Receptionist Lead – Animal Services provides lead oversight of the Animal Services Office Receptionists with the daily customer service duties in the shelter.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS
An employee in this class leads the Office Receptionists– Animal Services with the daily customer service duties and tasks and serves as the main point of contact for escalated customer service questions and requests. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Customer Service Manager.
Duties And Responsibilities
Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Provides oversight and serves as a lead for Customer Service personnel and the call center.
- Assist with processing adoptions, return to owners, transfers, intakes, and outcomes as needed.
- Provides support to staff on processes, procedures and systems.
- Serves as the initial contact for escalated customer service challenges.
- Covers agency when all supervisors are absent.
- Mentor and train new and existing employees.
- Assists the Customer Service Manager with preparing and taking deposits to the bank.
- Assists with preparing daily financial reports and documentation.
- Assists with daily financial monitoring.
- Assists with program management for the Spay and Neuter Voucher Program, Rabies Clinics, Mobile Pet Assistance Center (MPAC) outreach program, and other ongoing Shelter events.
- May become a certified Rabies Vaccinator and assist with vaccines and microchipping as needed.
Adoption Coordination
- Serve as lead for all animal adoption inquiries.
- Educate the public on successful pet ownership responsibilities.
- Screen potential adopters, helping to match pets to adopters.
- Process adoption applications and manage shelter animal database.
- Manage financial transactions and accounting for adoption and shelter fee payments.
- Schedule animals for surgery post adoption as necessary.
- Organize and prepare all transaction paperwork for County and State level audits (financial and programmatic).
Customer Service And Administration
- Lead customer service efforts.
- Manage sensitive and difficult conversations with the public in a professional manner.
- Provide accurate information and friendly professional service to the public and to coworkers in a responsive, positive, courteous, and tactful manner.
- Provide administrative support for Customer Service Manager.
- Provide administrative support for other Managers as able and necessary.
- Ensure the main entrance, lobby, and public restrooms are cleaned and professional appearance is maintained.
- Provide daily verbal and written communication with the public and staff over the phone, direct contact, and email.
- Write and mail donations letters to donors.
- Provide rabies vaccines during daily rabies clinics.
Support Foster Program
- Coordinate with other departments to identify animals needing foster placements.
- Communicate with and screen potential fosters.
- Make sure that all fosters receive the necessary training and support to perform their foster care responsibilities.
- Manage placement of foster animals.
- Oversee the scheduling of foster animals for proper vaccine and health check-ups, and surgery appointments.
- Administer vaccines, dewormer, and microchips to foster animals as needed.
RECRUITMENT STANDARDS
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
- Thorough knowledge of methods of caring for animals and of humane methods of disposing of them.
- Knowledge of disease management, recognition, control, and prevention as it relates to general animal care.
- Knowledge of basic cleaning and disinfectant procedures.
- Knowledge and ability to perform general diagnostic testing to assist with determining health of animal.
- Knowledge of animal shelter policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of and ability to assist in performing physical exams and identifying and addressing medical problems/diseases.
- Knowledge of federal and state laws governing the control and welfare of animals, the sheltering of animals, and animal euthanasia methods.
- Knowledge of laboratory practices and physician protocols dealing with rabies.
- Knowledge of laws, rules and regulations applicable to operating an animal shelter and managing personnel.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public and other employees.
- Ability to make sound decisions and solve problems in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to assign, direct, lead and evaluate activities of team members.
- Ability to deal tactfully, courteously, and firmly with the public.
- Ability to work afternoons and weekends.
- Ability to lead and coach subordinate staff in the absence of the Customer Service Manager.
Minimum Qualifications
High school diploma or GED and three years of experience in an animal shelter, veterinary clinic, animal rescue or other animal-related work.
Preferred Qualifications
Previous experience in a veterinary hospital, humane society or other animal care facility. Previous experience as an assistant supervisor or lead role overseeing, leading and coaching subordinate staff.
Physical Demands
Work in this class is described as medium and frequently requires the physical exertion to move objects and complete tasks. Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational functions of climbing, balancing stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking hearing and repetitive motions. Also, employees must possess visual acuity to determine colors, read, write, and the accuracy, neatness and the thoroughness of work assigned. Heavy work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
Work Conditions
The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations. While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear; frequently required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds; frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds; frequently push and/or pull up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
Working conditions are in a kennel environment with frequent exposure to laboratory conditions including hazardous materials, unfavorable fumes and odors, and working with animal body fluids and infectious diseases, and loud noises.
May Require Driving
This position may require driving for this position whether driving a County owned or personal vehicle to conduct county business such as but not limited to attending conferences, meetings, or any other county related functions. Motor Vehicle Reports may be verified for valid driver’s license and that the driving record is compatible with the county’s driving criteria. If a personal vehicle is operated for county business proper insurance is maintained as per Guilford County’s vehicle use policy.
Special Note: This generic class description gives an overview of the job class, its essential job functions, and recommended job requirements. However, for each individual position assigned to this class, there is available a completed job questionnaire with a physical abilities checklist which can give further details about that one specific position. Those documents should be reviewed before initiating a selection process. They can provide additional detailed information on which to base various personnel actions and can assist management in making legal and defensible personnel decisions.
