Minimum Qualifications
Education and/or Equivalent Experience:

• Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus one (1) year of experience in a field related to customer service.

Licenses or Certifications:

• None.

Notes to Applicants

To view the City of Austin Recruitment Video, click here!

Who Are We?
Austin Animal Center's mission is to enhance the lives of pets and people by preventing animal homelessness, to help lost pets find their way home or find new homes, to provide education and resources to preserve the human-animal bond, and to administer animal-related ordinances to ensure public and animal safety, all while achieving a 95% live outcome rate for sheltered pets.

Regarding Your Application:

• Please be sure to detail on the application all previous employment that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications.
• A detailed, 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 and employment dates for all jobs you wish to be considered.

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.

Additional Information:
Animal Service Office ( ASO ) 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.

Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Experience:

• Experience working in a dispatch capacity, triaging calls.
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience de-escalating customer service calls.
• Knowledge of basic animal welfare laws or regulations.
• Familiarity with City of Austin local geography.
• Bilingual in 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; while accurately creating, updating and maintaining electronic records associated with customers and animals.

Communicate with customers in person and receive and respond to customer inquiries via email, fax, phone or 311.

Contribute to the programs and services that support the shelter's live outcome goal.

Provide safe and humane handling of animals for the purposes of intake, inventory, behavioral assessments, environmental enrichment and promotional events, while adhering to disease management and safety protocols.

Safely and humanely handle animals for purposes of intake, inventory, behavioral assessments, environmental enrichment and promotional events.

Collect payments by accepting cash, making change for cash customers.

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:

• None.

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 good customer relations practices.
• Knowledge of animal services and animal related programs.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
• Skill in oral and written communication.
• Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations.
• Skill in observation and classification of animals.
• Skill in using computers and related software applications.
• Skill in information analysis and problem solving.
• Skill in safely handling animals, including those with unknown temperament.
• 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 quickly recognize and interpret animal signaling.

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.