View All Class Specifications

Senior Animal Services Representative

Category: Classified
Pay Grade: C17
Job Code: 20042

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described.  Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Animal Services Representative performs advanced customer service, clerical, and animal care duties in support of shelter operations. This role provides leadership, guidance, and support to the Animal Services Representative (ASR) team and acts as a liaison between staff and management. The Senior Animal Services Representative assists with training, scheduling, resolving escalated customer issues, and ensuring service excellence across the call center, intake, front desk, and greeter functions. This position requires a strong understanding of shelter policies and procedures, excellent communication and organizational skills, and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (examples, not all inclusive)

• Serves as lead support to Animal Services Representatives by providing guidance, mentoring, and assisting with day-to-day problem-solving;
• Oversees and ensures coverage and scheduling of Animal Services Representatives in all areas (call center, intake, front desk, greeters);
• Trains new Animal Services Representatives and provides ongoing coaching and performance feedback;
• Responds to and resolves escalated customer service inquiries, complaints, and complex service issues;
• Coordinates with shelter leadership to improve workflow, customer experience, and communication;
• Performs all standard Animal Services Representatives duties as needed, including animal intake, adoptions, returns to owner, and POS transactions;
• Ensures compliance with shelter protocols, licensing requirements, and customer service standards;
• Assists with data collection, reporting, and quality control of service performance metrics;
• May serve as acting lead in absence of the Customer Service Experience Manager;
• Void transactions in the shelter management system as needed, ensuring accuracy and compliance with financial procedures;
• Merge duplicate or related accounts to maintain accurate customer and animal records;
• Log and disseminate incoming checks received via postal mail and lockbox in accordance with department protocol;
• Serve as the lead worker on Saturdays during half-day shifts, providing direction and support to Animal Services Representatives;
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Minimum 2 years of experience as an Animal Services Representative or equivalent role in a high-volume animal care or customer service environment; or High School diploma, trade school, or vocational training degree, diploma, or certificate that includes training or experience as described above; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.  

Special Qualifications (May be required depending on area of assignment):

• Florida Driver’s License or Florida Commercial Driver’s License and endorsement, if any.
• Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
• Physical strength and agility to safely handle animals and perform tasks in a shelter setting.
• Exposure to personal risk during assignments causing periodic contact with hostile or diseased animals.
• Other knowledge, skills, abilities, and credentials required for a specific position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of shelter procedures, animal handling, and customer service techniques;
• Knowledge of business English, spelling, and punctuation;
• Knowledge of standard office practices, procedures, and equipment;
• Knowledge of safe handling of animals and ensures that they, colleagues, visitors, and other animals remain safe;
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of cashier functions;
• Knowledge of basic animal control procedures and techniques for the care and handling of animals;
• Knowledge and skills to restrain, handle, and care for animals in a humane manner;
• Skills in strong verbal and written communication;
• Skills in conflict resolution and de-escalation;
• Ability to operate office software and shelter databases;
• Ability to prioritize in a dynamic, fast-paced environment;
• Ability to perform computer data entry and work processing functions;
• Ability to understand and carry out basic and written instructions and keep records;
• Ability to compose and prepare routine communications;
• Ability to make arithmetical computations with speed and accuracy;
• Ability to work various shifts, including weekends;
• Ability to acquire knowledge of department regulations and to apply same to work situations;
• Ability to understand oral and written instructions;
• Ability to quickly react and/or assist in an emergency/crisis situation.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS

The work is medium work which requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.  Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Visual ability: Sufficient to effectively operate office equipment including copier, computer, etc.; and to read and write reports, correspondence, instructions, etc.
• Hearing ability: Sufficient to hold a conversation with other individuals both in person and over a telephone; and to hear recordings on transcription device.
• Speaking ability: Sufficient to communicate effectively with other individuals in person and over a telephone.
• Mental acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities, and needs.