Animal Services Representative at County of Riverside in Riverside, California

Job Description:

ABOUT THE POSITION

T he County of Riverside seeks candidates to fill positions throughout Riverside County. A list of eligible candidates will be established to fill current and future vacancies throughout the various locations in Riverside County.

The County of Riverside seeks to fill an Animal Services Representative (ASR) position to support the Department of Animal Services shelter operations, rescue and enrichment programs, current vacancies are in San Jacinto and Jurupa.

The ASR will work directly with rescue partners, facilitating the movement of animals within the shelter and/or coordinating transports to partners. The selected candidates will be responsible for maintaining open communication with rescue partners. The ASR will also lead the training and integration of the year-round volunteer program. This position involves heavy in-person and over the phone customer interaction.

The ASR will perform a wide range of behavior and enrichment duties including evaluating the mental and physical needs of new rescue animals, observing animal behaviors, alerting veterinary team members to medical needs, organizing and monitoring playgroups, conducting adoption evaluations and/or consultations and processing euthanasia assessments. Responsibilities will also include maintaining detailed notes, logs and inventories of animals utilizing Chameleon Software.

Highly competitive candidates will have experience providing customer service within a high-volume, high-pressure environment, and experience with conflict resolution (specifically with managing complaints and resolving disputes).

The work schedule is Monday - Saturday. Additionally, the Animal Services Representative may work weekends and holidays.

The Animal Services Representative is a journey level classification and reports to an appropriate supervisor or manager level class.

Meet the Team!

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services h as a vision for promoting an environment of responsible pet ownership through progressive animal welfare initiatives, community outreach, and humane education in a culture of compassion, creativity, and integrity. The Department of Animal Services believes the character of their organization is best reflected in the strong dedication of each one of their employees who strive to meet the highest standards of performance and compassion on behalf of the animals and people that they serve. The Department of Animal Services operates four shelters located in Blythe, Jurupa Valley, San Jacinto and Thousand Palms.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Perform clerical work requiring specialized knowledge of Animal Services programs and services; prepare and process materials/forms which require a thorough familiarity with department policies, procedures, terminology and applicable laws.

• Provide excellent customer service to the public or interdepartmental representatives; answer questions regarding a variety of animal services programs or services including questions on adoptions, vaccination clinics, animal service fees, or licensing.

• Review a variety of reports, forms, transactions, and records for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable ordinances; answer questions involving technical data, laws, policies, or procedures; process animal service fees using the Chameleon system.

• Compile a variety of narrative and statistical reports, which requires locating sources of information, devising forms to secure the data, and determining proper format for finished reports.

• Design or revise office forms; maintain complex filing systems for keeping track of animal licensing information, pet adoptions, clinic services, or other animal service transactions.

• Reply to routine questions regarding specialized animal services and programs offered by the department; compose correspondence and other materials requiring the application of specialized subject matter knowledge.

• Maintain animal service documents using the Chameleon system.

• May handle animals by checking for microchips or placing animals into proper handling areas for vet staff; use special equipment as needed such as kennels or microchip readers.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Graduation from high school or attainment of a satisfactory score on a G.E.D. test.

Experience

Six months of providing customer service with responsibility for receiving, evaluating, and responding to inquiries or complaints.

Customer service experience providing a variety of animal-related services including licensing, adoptions, clinic programs, rescues, or other related animal programs/ services is preferred.

Other Requirements

Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Physical Environment
Exposure to animal smells, dander, fluid, and wounds; may have to move heavy animals; may have to assist in the euthanasia process.

Knowledge Of

The principles, methods, and equipment used in providing animal services to the public; correct English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, punctuation, format, and style; Department of Animal Services office procedures, including preparing correspondence and reports, filing, and operating standard office equipment.

Ability To

Understand the capabilities and applications of specialized information processing equipment, such as the Chameleon system; use initiative and judgment in setting up formats for a variety of documents; provide guidance to and train staff; store and retrieve a variety of documents and subdocuments; meet departmental production and accuracy standards; establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public and with other county departments.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
This recruitment is open to all applicants.

GENERAL INFORMATION

If you have any questions regarding this posting, please contact Shara Fowler at shfowler@rivco.org .

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APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference.The Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 is available here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services ( NACES ) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ).

Equal Opportunity Employer
The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment
All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period
As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information
Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.

Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply' link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com .

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable LIUNA Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here .
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

• 
  Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.


• 
  Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.


• 
  Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.
  

A new member is defined as any of the following:

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.

A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,
Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):

0< 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)
4< 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)
10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)

Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.

SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.

HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance)

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

DISABILITY: Short-term Disability benefit pays up to a maximum of $461.54 weekly, payable up to a maximum of 52 weeks.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable Memorandum of Understanding.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.

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