Behavior and Training Program Coordinator chez PET ALLIANCE OF GREATER ORLANDO

Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Behavior and Training Program Coordinator plays a critical role in assessing, managing, and improving the behavioral health of shelter animals. This position conducts comprehensive behavior assessments for dogs and cats, develops and implements individualized modification plans, and monitors progress to promote positive outcomes. The coordinator leads structured playgroups, coordinates and delivers training for staff, volunteers, and the public, and provides adoption counseling and post-adoption support focused on behavior. They also oversee the pet retention program to help owners keep their pets by addressing behavior challenges and make final decisions regarding behavior-based surrender requests. In addition, this role ensures accurate documentation of training and care, maintains general animal care and shelter cleanliness, employs safe animal handling techniques, and delivers exceptional customer service. The Behavior and Training Program Coordinator collaborates across shelter teams to support animal welfare and community education.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities listed are not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties that are required of the position. Responsibilities, tasks, duties, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Complete behavior assessments for both dogs and cats in shelter care, including identifying challenge behaviors, enrichment or stress reduction needs, housing evaluations, and/or humane euthanasia, if necessary
• Based on evaluation, make recommendations for care including creating, implementing, and monitoring individual modification plans, training for staff and volunteers in handling, foster care or rescue placement, adoption matchmaking, or possible humane euthanasia, if necessary
• Monitor animal behavior throughout shelter stay, using observations to contribute to discussions about an animal’s health, adjusting strategies, performing follow-up assessments, and implementing updated behavior plans that keep animals moving toward a positive outcome
• Develop and lead structured dog playgroups to encourage healthy socialization and reduce kennel stress, ensuring safety by observing and documenting social behaviors, managing negative interactions, and safely intervening to prevent or break up potential fights
• Develop, coordinate and teach training classes for staff, volunteers, and the public on proper animal handling, behavioral interventions, and training techniques to ensure safety for all involved
• Provide adoption counseling to potential adopters, leading behavior consults, meet-and-greets, and dog-dog introductions to ensure safe and successful adoption placements
• Deliver post-adoption support and guidance to adopters for animals with established behavior plans, offering guidance and resources to promote long-term success
• Oversee the pet retention program, providing behavior support to pet owners to address challenges and help them keep their pets rather than surrendering them
• Make final determinations on behavior-based surrender requests, considering assessment findings, available resources, and potential alternatives to surrender
• Oversee and document training progress, enrichment participation, and care notes, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and timely reporting of concerns to leadership
• Lead group training classes for the public
• Provide general care and maintenance of shelter animals including feeding, watering, medicating, bathing and grooming, providing enrichment and exercise opportunities, and monitoring for behavior or medical needs on a regular basis
• Clean and disinfect all shelter areas and animal equipment including but not limited to kennels and cages, play yards, dishes, linens, and litter
• Use proper animal restraint techniques for the safety and well-being of the animal and the team for both medical and behavioral needs
• Deliver excellent customer service with internal and external customers through in-person and phone interactions answering questions and giving recommendations of care
• Assist in other shelter areas, as needed

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 3 years of professional animal behavior experience in a shelter or other training environment
• Minimum of 1 year of experience leading a program or team
• Experience leading group classes and public education programs preferred
• Certification in animal behavior or training (e.g., CPDT-KA, CPDT-KSA, CDBC, IAABC, KPA-CTP, ABCDT, Dogs Playing for Life Mentorship Program) required
• At least 1 successful example of development and implementation of behavior modification plan 
• Experience developing behavior modification protocols and developing curriculum

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Expert knowledge of animal behavior, learning theory, and positive reinforcement techniques
• Expert ability to comfortably work with animals, treating them with respect and care, including large animals, animals that are difficult to handle and/or stressed with complex behavioral challenges
• Expert ability to assess animal behaviors and cues
• Expert ability to quickly adapt to customer, animal, and business needs
• Knowledge of and ability to perform tasks on a computer using different software programs
• Strong ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• Demonstrated ability in analyzing emergencies and quickly finding optimal solutions
• Knowledge of the four C’s of successful canine behavior training
• Knowledge of basic animal shelter processes and terminology
• Basic knowledge and understanding of prevalent illnesses and diseases, ensuring familiarity with their symptoms, treatments, and preventative measures
• Effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to collaborate with others and work effectively in a team environment
• Strong attention to detail and ability to focus with distractions
• Excellent ability to use good judgement in problem solving and decision making
• Ability to take initiative and to work with minimal supervision and direction
• Effective multitasking abilities, efficiently managing and prioritizing multiple tasks with attention to detail and effectiveness
• Ability to foster strong relationships and providing constructive feedback when needed
• Ability to guide and motivate others towards shared goals
• Strong training skills with the ability to adapt training techniques for individual needs, including individual and group sessions
• Strong time management skills, efficiently prioritizing tasks and responsibilities to meet deadlines and achieve objectives in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to recognize and communicate medical and behavioral concerns to team and leadership
• Creative thinker in developing enrichment strategies and behavior plans
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

• Physical demands include extended periods of standing, walking, bending, stooping, crouching, reaching, handling, grasping, and coordination with constant lifting and carrying requirements of up to 50 lbs.
• Physical demands also include frequent pulling, balancing, and coordination while handling animals of up to 100 lbs. on uneven surfaces
• Visual acuity and depth perception are required for safe handling of animals, including the ability to observe people and animals clearly from distances up to 150 feet
• Hearing ability to perceive normal speech at close range and shouting from distances up to 150 feet, with the capacity to detect and distinguish both soft and loud animal vocalizations
• Work includes performing repetitive tasks regularly
• Work constantly engages in direct, hands-on interaction with potentially reactive animals in the shelter, requiring compassionate care, training techniques, and behavioral interventions as necessary to support their well-being and progress
• Work is frequently performed in the small, enclosed spaces such as animal cages
• Work includes providing compassionate and dedicated care to others 
• Work requires the ability to maintain focus and composure while working under pressure, manage stress during difficult situations, and adapt quickly to resolve issues or conflicts
• Work requires the ability to maintain composure, empathy, and patience in challenging or emotionally charged situations, while demonstrating strong communication skills to foster compassion, understanding and resolution
• Work requires the ability to be pragmatic and use logical reasoning to assess animals’ behavior and adoptability

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Most of the work is performed outdoors in play areas or on Pet Alliance grounds, which are subject to extremes in temperature, humidity, and atmospheric conditions.
• Considerable work is performed in the kennel areas of Pet Alliance which are open and well lit, adequately ventilated, noisy and distracting environment. In addition, the kennels are subject to extremely warm temperatures during the summer months.
• Work environment involves exposure to potential hazards such as chemicals, animal waste, and sharps.
• The job requires frequent and routinely intense public contact as well as the ability to multi-task under conditions that can be described as extremely fast-paced/high volume and are potentially stressful on a routine basis.