Animal Service Customer Care Representative Senior

Job Description:

Animal Service Customer Care Representative Senior

Description

Minimum Qualifications
Education and/or Equivalent Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus two (2) years of experience in customer service.

Licenses or Certifications:

• None.

Notes to Applicants
Who Are We?
Austin Animal Center is the municipal shelter for the City of Austin and unincorporated Travis County, providing shelter to thousands of animals annually as well as providing animal protection and pet resource services. We accept stray and owned animals regardless of age, health, species or breed. Our goal is to place all adoptable animals in forever homes through adoption, foster care, or rescue partner groups.

Why work here?
If you love animals and want to make a positive impact on our community this is the place for you!We at Austin Animal Center is committed to the wellbeing of animals in our community and shelter. On a daily basis, the work we do here helps hundreds of animals and people within our network.

What is the Job?
The Customer Care Representative Senior will provide guidance, assistance, and training to Customer Service Representatives. This role is responsible for addressing initial staff and customer questions, concerns, and determining when situations need to be escalated to the supervisor. This role will advise and respond to complex customer inquiries regarding services, ordinances, and procedures related to sheltered animals and general animal welfare, including animal availability, service timelines, and fees. Customer communication will occur in person, email, fax, phone, or 311.

The ideal candidate will be a strong verbal communicator with great listening and organization skills. They will have the ability to create effortless experiences by assisting our customers in issue resolution with helpful, efficient, and accurate answers to their questions with little to no supervision. They must be a successful team member with exemplary customer service. Must be computer proficient, and possess the ability to learn, adapt quickly, and multi-task in a busy, fast-paced, ever-changing environment. Must have the ability to accurately create, update, and maintain electronic records associated with customers and animals, as well as provide humane handling of animals while adhering to disease management and safety protocols.

Regarding Your Application:

• A complete employment application is required. It helps us to better evaluate your qualifications and will be used to determine salary if you are selected for this position. Be sure to provide job title, employment dates, and responsibilities/duties performed for all jobs you wish to be considered.
• A résumé is required and will not substitute for a complete employment application.

If you are selected to interview:

• Military/Veterans must provide a copy of their DD214 at the time of initial interview to receive military/veteran interview preference.

If you are selected for hire:

• A Criminal Background check ( CBI ) will be conducted.
• Your references will be contacted. Please ensure references have contact information.

Additional Information:

• Animal Service Office worksite locations are tobacco-free. Use of tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes is not permitted on any ASO worksite - including construction sites, parking lot, or in any personal vehicle located on the premises.

Please Note this posting may close any time after 7 days.
Pay Range
$23.44 - $26.83

Hours
Days :
Sunday - Thursday

Hours :
10:15 a.m. - 7:15 p.m.
Job Close Date 02/10/2025 Type of Posting External Department Animal Services Regular/Temporary Regular Grant Funded or Pooled Position Not Applicable Category Professional Location Austin Animal Center, 7201 Levander Loop Bldg A 78702 Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Experience:

• Demonstrated ability to adapt to a quickly changing environment
• Demonstrated ability to communicate, mediate, and negotiate with customers to resolve complex customer service issues
• Experience working in an animal welfare related field and handling animals
• Experience leading, developing, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating outcome-based programs and services
• Experience developing effective relationships with other staff departments to identify and address organization needs
• Bi-lingual (Spanish)

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
Advise and respond to complex customer inquiries regarding services, ordinances, and procedures related to sheltered animals and general animal welfare, including animal availability, service timelines and fees. Communicate with customers in person and receive and respond to customer inquiries via email, fax or phone. Provide safe and humane handling of animals for the purposes of intake, inventory, behavioral assessment, environmental enrichment and promotional events. Accurately process customer and animal transactions, including corrections to customer accounts using various databases and software applications. Contribute to programs and services that support the shelter’s live outcome goal. Provide training and technical assistance to employees. Assign and prioritize daily tasks in order to meet daily customer demands. Monitor assignments to ensure completion. Balance cash drawer by counting cash at beginning and end of work shift.

Responsibilities- Supervision and/or Leadership Exercised:

• May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of supervisory and managerial techniques and principles.
• Knowledge of federal, state and local laws pertaining to animals.
• Knowledge of animal services and related programs.
• Knowledge of good customer relations practices.
• Skill in using computers and related software applications.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing
• Skill in oral and written communication.
• Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations.
• Skill in information analysis and problem solving.
• Skill in using computers and related software applications.
• Skill in observation and classification of animals.
• Skill in safely handling animals, including those with unknown temperament.
• Ability to quickly recognize and interpret animal signaling.
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective communication and working relationships with city employees and the public Ability to make change for cash accurately.
• Ability to train others.

Criminal Background Investigation This position has been approved for a Criminal Background Investigation. EEO/ADA
The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual’s AIDS , AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.
Information For City Employees: If you are an employee within the department, are in good standing and meet both the minimum and preferred qualifications, then you will receive an initial interview.

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
* This position requires Graduation from High School or equivalent, plus two (2) years of experience in customer service. Do you meet these qualifications?

• Yes
• No

* Give an example of an average fast-paced day in your current or a more recent job when you had to manage competing demands that required excellent multi-tasking and organizational skills.
(Open Ended Question)
* Exceptional communication skills (verbal and written) and customer service are essential in this position. Briefly describe your customer service experience, include steps that you make take to resolve customer complaints.
(Open Ended Question)
* Describe your experience developing effective relationships with other staff departments to identify and address organization needs
(Open Ended Question)
* Breifly describe your experience leading, developing, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating outcome-based programs and services.
(Open Ended Question)
* Briefly describe your experience in an animal related field, including animal handling.
(Open Ended Question)
* Are you bilingual in English/Spanish?

• Yes
• No

* Are you willing to work varied hours to include evenings, and weekend day(s)?

• Yes
• No

* This position requires a criminal background check. By selecting the following, you are acknowledging that you understand if you are selected as a top candidate for this position, you will need a successful Criminal Background Investigation (CBI) to be hired.

• I acknowledge and understand this position requires a Criminal Background Investigation (CBI).

Optional & Required Documents

Required Documents Resume Optional Documents Cover Letter