LEAD ANIMAL SERVICES TECHNICIAN (VOLUNTEER PROGRAM COORDINATOR) presso City of Columbia, SC

About the Department

This position provides leadership in and participates in the activities and operations of the Animal Control Department, including maintaining daily shelter operations, providing support in special projects, community outreach and life-saving efforts for shelter pets. The incumbent works within a general outline of work to be performed, and develops work methods and sequences under general supervision.

The work is considered medium-to-heavy in nature and involves walking, standing, stooping, lifting, climbing, pushing or raising objects and also involves exerting between 20 and 50 pounds of force on a recurring basis and 50 to 100 pounds of force on an occasional basis. The work requires the following physical abilities to perform the essential job functions: climbing, crawling, crouching, fingering, handling, hearing, kneeling, lifting, mental acuity, pulling, pushing, reaching, repetitive motion, speaking, standing, stooping, talking, visual acuity, and walking.

Work environment may involve exposure to bright/dim light, animals/wildlife, fumes and/or noxious odors, disease/pathogens, toxic/caustic chemicals; and is dynamic that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities, and needs. 

Position Duties

• Assists with coordination of scheduling all shelter pets for spay/neuter as needed for regular scheduling and fast tracking animals to viable outcomes.  This includes working with outside agencies as needed to accommodate work load;
• Assists with coordination of Community Cats / TNR programs for shelter/animal control animals and providing guidance to citizens participating in such programs;
• Assists Assistant Superintendent with reconciling monies (as needed);
• Utilizes and assists with social media, special events/promotions, educational opportunities, marketing materials and other such outlets to promote pet adoptions and shelter pet life-saving programs;
• Assists with coordination of placing shelter pets with rescue groups.  Assist with building partnerships with internal and external animal welfare agencies to promote viable outcomes for shelter pets;
• Oversees efforts to place more shelter pets into new homes through special placement programs;
• Coordinates with other animal welfare groups, volunteers and citizens to help reunite lost shelter pets with current owners;
• Assists with coordination of foster programs;
• Assists with representing Animal Services at public events, media outlets and meetings as needed;
• Assists in promoting spay/neuter programs to help decrease shelter intake;
• Utilizes volunteers as needed to assist with any effort that promotes viable outcomes for shelter pets;
• Receives complaints of dogs, cats or other animals creating nuisances and notifies appropriate City personnel for investigation and response;
• Communicates with animal control officers via two-way radio, providing information and assistance as requested;
• Receives and processes animals brought to the shelter for impoundment; conducts daily inventory of animals;
• Assists in the euthanasia of animals as necessary; prepares related paperwork;
• Provides basic animal care, including bathing, feeding, and observing animal behavior;
• Provides public education regarding animal control; explains ordinances related to the care and keeping of animals;
• Redeems animals to proper owners;
• Processes animals for adoption;
• Collects, receipts and records various fees and fines; prepares daily deposits;
• Assists in coordinating department activities with the Department of Health and Environmental Control and other agencies as appropriate;
• Provides instruction and leadership of lower-level technicians as assigned;
• Maintains assigned equipment; participates in the daily maintenance of facility;
• Maintains records of daily work activities;
• Attends training, meetings, workshops, etc., as necessary to maintain job knowledge, skills and required certifications; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK: 

• High school diploma or GED;
• Four (4) years of relevant prior experience;
• Valid South Carolina Class “D” Driver’s License; 
• S.C. Humane Euthanasia certification.

Other Qualifications

• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;
• Ability to deal with irate citizens;
• Ability to gather, organize, analyze, examine or evaluate data or information and may prescribe action based on such data or information;
• Ability to provide information, guidance or assistance to people to directly facilitate task accomplishment; may give directions or assignments to helpers or assistants;
• Ability to handle or use machines requiring moderate instruction and experience such as computers and software programs, animal restraints, medical equipment and instruments, etc.;
• Ability to perform semi-skilled work involving set procedures and rules but with frequent problems;
• Ability to read technical instructions, procedures, manuals and charts to solve practical problems; composing routine reports and specialized reports, forms and business letters with proper format; speaking compound sentences using normal grammar and word form;
• Ability to perform clerical, manual or technical tasks requiring a wide range of procedures and requiring intensive understanding of a restricted field or complete familiarity with the functions of a unit or small division of an operating agency; requires normal attention with short periods of concentration for accurate results or occasional exposure to unusual pressure; and
• Ability to guide others, requiring frequent decisions affecting co-workers, customers and others who depend on the service or product; works in a somewhat fluid environment with rules and procedures but with many variations from the routine.