Location: Houston, TX (onsite) 901 Pinemont Dr, Houston, TX 77018
Hiring Range: This position’s hiring range is anticipated to be $19.50 per hour to $22 per hour, depending on experience, plus great benefits.
Schedule: Due to the nature of events, this role does require flexibility to work holidays, evenings, and weekends.
Position Summary: Volunteer and 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 [LSC supervisory tree] will 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. 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.
Coordinate 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 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.
Oversee and execute the strategy to increase awareness and community engagement with both national and local Best Friends initiatives; work with Senior Manager to identify opportunities and strategies to increase visitor foot traffic to onsite and offsite events; ensure external communications and practices align with organizational goals for constituent journey development and ongoing engagement with Best Friends’ mission.
Coordinate and conduct volunteer engagement programs; introduce, recruit, and engage with organizations, individuals, and stakeholders to develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships; implement Best Friends engagement and advocacy strategies; support strategies through communications, events/meetings, service delivery, or other methods.
Evaluate operational needs: develop, and support group and individual volunteer partnerships to implement programs to meet those needs, connecting community members with the programs and organizations they can be a part of, or that can provide help.
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.
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.
Handle, care for, and transport cats/dogs to and from events as needed.
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:
1-2 years’ experience leading volunteers and overseeing planning and execution of events for non-profit organization is preferred but not required.
Prior experience providing a high level of customer service experience in a public or community focused role.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Bilingual or multi-lingual skills are 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.
Comfortability and 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, Canva, and social media or a desire to learn.
Physical Requirements:
Must be able to:
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.
Handling and exposure to dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status as well as their allergens.
Must have a valid driver's license for at least 3 years, ability to qualify to be added to Best Friends insurance
Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department.
Travel up to 20% - primarily around the greater Houston area, including for offsite events and to other shelters. Ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed.
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.