Purpose of Position

The Intake Coordinator serves as the lead for HSCO’s managed intake process, ensuring animals enter the shelter system in a way that prioritizes animal welfare, supports people in crisis, and maintains sustainable shelter operations. This position is the first point of contact for community members seeking to surrender an animal and is responsible for assessing needs, providing resources and alternatives when appropriate, and scheduling intake appointments in line with HSCO’s capacity and best practices.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Operational Duties

• Serve as the primary staff lead for managed intake, ensuring all procedures are followed consistently and in alignment with HSCO policies.
• Assess and manage requests for intake using standardized protocols, balancing urgent animal welfare needs with shelter capacity and resources.
• Coordinate and schedule animal intake appointments, ensuring accurate documentation and communication across teams.
• Perform intake procedures including intake exams,, vaccinations, and data entry as needed.
• Maintain accurate records in shelter management software and dedicated tracking spreadsheets to ensure thorough documentation of intake requests, conversations, and decisions.
• Assist the foster program with scheduling animal re-checks and vaccination boosters, fielding questions from foster families, and providing coverage when needed.

Leadership and Oversight

• Collaborate with veterinary and operations teams to evaluate each intake case and determine appropriate pathway. Participate in weekly pathway meetings.
• Work closely with Animal Care Technicians scheduled to assist in Intake – providing hands on assistance when necessary and ensure accuracy of record keeping.
• Work closely with the Operations Director to evaluate and refine intake protocols.
• Monitor intake trends and provide regular reports to leadership.
• Provide guidance, support, and training to staff handling intake requests and completing intake appointments, modeling compassionate and consistent communication.

Community Support & Diversion

• Provide owners with compassionate counseling, resources, and alternatives to surrender whenever feasible (behavior support, rehoming tools, etc.)
• Coordinate with Veterinary Outreach program to connect families requesting intake with veterinary or food resources that could help them keep their pets in homes, or prevent future surrender requests.
• Develop and maintain knowledge of community resources to refer clients to appropriate support services. Establish new and steward existing relationships with community partner organizations to facilitate further connection and support for our clients.
• Educate the public on HSCO’s intake policies and the importance of managed intake for sustainable animal welfare.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of animal behavior, welfare practices, and intake diversion strategies preferred. Ability to become Fear Free Certified within 1 year of hire.
• Strong administrative and organizational skills, with the ability to manage scheduling, electronic record-keeping, and follow up.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to engage compassionately with individuals in crisis.
• Comfort handling animals of all sizes, breeds, and temperaments. Prior experience administering vaccinations and basic medications under the guidance of a veterinarian.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other web based applications.
• Bilingual skills preferred, but not required.
• Current Certified Euthanasia Technician, or willing/able to receive within 1 year of hire.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in animal welfare, sheltering, veterinary, or related field.
• Prior administrative, scheduling, or customer service professional experience.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and perform physical animal handling when necessary.
• Ability to work flexible schedule, including some weekends, evenings, and holidays when necessary.

Working Conditions:

Work may be performed in noisy indoor and outdoor environments.  You may encounter exposure to the elements, including severe cold and heat, be exposed to zoonotic diseases and aggressive animals that my result in scratches, bites, kicking or cause other bodily injuries. People assigned to this position may encounter high levels of stress. Position requires lifting, bending, stretching, standing for long periods of time, computer work, writing, and filing. You must have the physical and mental ability to safely perform the full range of duties of the position without creating a hazard to self or others.