Animal Foster Care & Transfer Coordinator II

Summary: The Foster & Transfer Coordinator plays a critical role in advancing the Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s (AWLA) mission by expanding and supporting the capacity of our animal foster and transfer programs. This position works along side the Foster & Transfer Coordinator and the Animal Placement Manager  to recruit, train, and retain foster families and ensure adequate support and care for animals in their homes. Additionally, this position assists with the intake and outflow of transferred animals and is the one primarily responsible for  building strong, sustainable relationships with partner shelters and rescue organizations.

This role serves as a resource and mentor to staff and volunteers who support these programs and ensures accurate documentation and compliance with transfer and foster procedures. This role collaborates across departments to ensure optimal care and outcomes for animals, while championing a positive, inclusive experience for people participating in AWLA’s foster and transfer initiatives.

The ideal candidate is a confident, compassionate individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment, has a strong commitment to enhancing animal welfare and knowledge of animal behavior. They are a relationship builder and someone who believes in helping to drive excellence and progress within the industry.

Key Responsibilities:

Foster Program

• Work closely with animal care, medical, and behavior teams to create appropriate and ideal pathways for animals in our care and identify animals that are candidates for and would benefit from placement in a foster home
• Participate in coordination of foster animal pick up and drop off
• Monitor the health (preventatives, vaccines, surgeries, etc) and behavior of foster animals by being in regular communication with foster parents. Coordinate needed follow up or care actions with medical, behavior, adoptions, and animal control teams
• Recruit, onboard, and engage foster parents through a variety of methods, and coordinate with other departments as needed to support these efforts. Ensure all training and resources help to  ensure a supportive and positive experience
• Maintain accurate records of all foster families, animal placements, and information of note about foster animals to help support their care decisions and find the right match for adoption
• Collaborate with your supervisor and colleagues to evaluate and improve foster processes, protocols, and family support, focusing on effective communication, training, and inclusion.
• Assist in developing and facilitating foster orientation and training sessions
• Promote teamwork and operational excellence by demonstrating a strong commitment to continuous improvement within the foster program
• Ensure informative and timely communication with foster parents, both proactively to share reminders or new information and also responsively to ensure they are supported and their needs are met. Keep foster families informed by regularly updating them on program changes, challenges, policies, and protocols
• Communicate compassionately about sensitive topics, such as medical treatments and euthanasia, and provide guidance to foster parents during these situations
• Collaborate with AWLA staff to plan and implement activities and events that support the foster care program’s growth and success
• Manage foster supplies and materials to be provided to foster parents as needed

Transfer Program

• Oversee and coordinate incoming and outgoing animal transfers, ensuring safe, timely, and appropriate movement of animals and  ensuring that required documentation (e.g., bite history, medical records) is obtained and entered into shelter databases
• Cultivate relationships with partner shelters and rescues, continually seeking innovative ways to assist animals in need and maintaining active MOUs and agreements with partner organizations. This includes travel to these organizations for animal selection and relationship building
• Train staff and volunteers supporting transfer efforts on best practices for transport, intake processing, and documentation
• Monitor transfer statistics, prepare reports, and evaluate program impact
• Identify opportunities for animal outflows to trusted partners and oversee the coordination of transfer-out processes
• Build a network of transfer partners to transfer AWLA animals out and other organization’s animals in order to ensure optimal outcomes for shelter animals
• Enlist support from volunteers and staff for activities including animal transport, medical intake,and documentation

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position does not include formal direct reports but provides day-to-day mentorship, guidance, and support to foster caregivers, staff, and volunteers. May provide training and oversight to volunteers or staff as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education / Licenses / Certifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record

Experience

• At least 2 years of experience in an animal shelter or rescue organization, including direct experience with foster care coordination or animal transfer preferred
• Experience leading or training teams, either formally or informally, is strongly desired
• Experience working with animals of varying species, behaviors, and medical needs
• Demonstrated success in customer service, team leadership, and partnership-building

Skills & Attributes

• Excellent communication, conflict-resolution, and relationship-building skills
• Skilled at balancing empathy and professionalism in emotionally charged situations
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and shelter management software (e.g., PetPoint or equivalent)
• Able to work independently, take initiative, and exercise sound judgment under pressure
• Committed to DEI principles and AWLA’s core values of compassion, transparency, and teamwork

Requirements:

• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and non-standard hours as needed
• Comfortable working around a variety of domestic and exotic animals
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs and remain active on your feet for extended periods
• Comfortable handling emotionally challenging situations with maturity and emotional resilience
• Upon hire, must complete rabies and tetanus vaccination series

Benefits:

• Competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Paid vacation, sick leave, 12 holidays, and 3 floating holidays per year
• Employer-funded 7% retirement contribution after 2 years
• Language proficiency bonus for Arabic, Mandarin, Sign Language, Spanish, or Vietnamese
• Free pet adoption and pet wellness benefits
• Eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program