Animal Triage Coordinator

We welcome diversity, value differences, and foster inclusion in our employment practices. Find out more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion by reading our Foundational Principles on our website. We invite applications from all qualified individuals who are philosophically aligned with our mission, vision and values.

The BC SPCA is a dynamic organization with facilities and services across the province of BC. Join an expanding team in an exciting time of change in an organization that makes a difference! Please read below for additional details and let us know if you have the skills and experience we are looking for by submitting your application.

If you are up for the challenge and would like to be considered for this position, we would like to hear from you. The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) is looking to fill the following career opportunity:

POSITION:                 Regional Foster Coordinator

STATUS:                    Permanent; Full-Time with benefits

SHIFT:                        35 hours per week

LOCATION:                Remote based in Victoria area, BC

CLASSIFICATION:    Exempt

WAGE:                       Salaried 

CLOSING DATE:       Open until Filled

About the Role:

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Animal Triage & Flow, this position supports the implementation and continuous improvement of a centralized animal intake system, with a focus on triaging animals based on the Vulnerability Spectrum.

In the first year, this position will support the coordination of the centralized intake pilot projects, ensuring alignment, efficient communication, and consistent practices across participating Community Animal Centres (CACs). This role will prioritize our Emergency Animal Boarding program while supporting stray animal intake and diversion efforts, to ensure appropriate pathway planning and capacity management.

Beyond the pilot phase, the Animal Triage Coordinator will support the evolution of centralized intake and triage procedures across the province, ultimately encompassing all incoming streams. This includes monitoring CAC inventory and intake data to identify trends, assisting with reducing length of stay, and contributing to efficient animal pathway planning driven by the Vulnerability Spectrum. The Animal Triage Coordinator also provides operational support to internal teams, facilitates smooth transitions for incoming animals, and contributes to the BC SPCA’s mission and vision through regular reporting and collaboration.

Key Responsibilities:

Animal Triage (40%):

Year 1 - Island & North Regional Pilot

• Communicate, pilot and implement the new procedures related to centralized intake and triage in the designated regions with the Senior Manager, Animal Triage & Flow, the Animal Help Line and Foster teams, and the broader Animal Services team.  
• Engage with members of the public by phone who are requesting services following the Animal Helpline’s initial assessment, completing detailed triage assessments through conversation and application of the Vulnerability Spectrum.
• Assist the Animal Helpline and CACs with diverting strays to their appropriate animal control provider, which may require conversing with local governments and their Animal Control and Kenneling provider.
• Triage Emergency Animal Boarding and stray animal requests received in the designated regions using the Vulnerability Spectrum, ensuring the most vulnerable animals receive priority assessment/seizure/intake/placement according to our guidelines.
• Assess and recommend animal placement, incorporating live capacity metrics and coordinating with internal teams to ensure timely, data-driven pathway planning decisions that optimize animal flow and minimize bottlenecks.

Year 2 and Beyond

• Triage a broader range of intake requests using the Vulnerability Spectrum, adapting as the Animal Flow program’s scope and tools evolve throughout BC.
• With a continuous improvement approach to the centralized intake process, monitor the consistency and efficiency of the pilot procedures, and the success of pathway planning practices according to our pilot goals, such as increasing the percentage of Emergency Boarding animals placed in foster homes.
• Assist in implementing and refining intake protocols and data-driven decision-making tools.
• Using established processes, maintain and manage the intake waitlist for qualifying animals, ensuring accurate tracking, timely updates, ongoing assessments and clear communication with internal teams and external clients.

Animal Flow (30%):

Year 1 – Island and North Regional Pilot Projects

• Support CACs in the pilot regions to focus direct care services on the most vulnerable animals, by identifying appropriate diversion pathways for incoming strays in municipalities where the BC SPCA does not hold an Animal Control contract.
• Monitor the pathway of stray animals in the pilot regions and assist with reducing length of stay through effective pathway management.
  • Monitor inventory regularly to ensure accurate data for triage, and to identify trends and bottlenecks to the Senior Manager for analysis and action.
  • Run regular length of stay reports to identify animals in care long-term; discuss options and create new pathways with appropriate team members towards the goal of reducing overall length of stay.

Post-Pilot Additional Areas of Focus

• Assist in the expansion of animal flow procedures and support into other regions, encompassing more CACs around BC.
  • Provide training to other Animal Triage Coordinators in future, under the direction of the Senior Manager.
• Provide suggestions to improve the efficiency and scope of the animal flow program.
• Monitor the pathway of animals in care and assist with reducing length of stay through effective pathway management across multiple streams and programs.

CAC Support and Data management (20%):

• Monitor intake data and trends to identify emerging needs, support planning efforts, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all intake requests, triage decisions, and placement outcomes.
  • Generating reports as necessary.
• Support the development of tools and processes that enable live-capacity tracking and centralized intake management.

Other Duties (10%):

• Participate in and contribute to committees, working groups (e.g. Emergency Board Working Group), and other cross-functional teams as necessary.
• Contribute to a culture of health, safety and wellness and models appropriate work-life balance.
• Collaborate with Community Services to identify the inclusion of social services agencies in early intervention planning, supporting proactive, long-term animal diversion strategies.
• Make suggestions on how volunteers could be incorporated into the work of this team and, if approved, collaborate with Volunteer Resources to implement.

Knowledge and skill requirements

• Post-secondary education in Social Work, Psychology, or a related field plus a minimum of three (3) years’ experience working in human/animal care/welfare, healthcare/emergency services dispatch; or an equivalent combination of education or experience acceptable to the employer. Relevant experience includes, but is not limited to:

• • • Implementation of the Five Freedoms, Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) Guidelines, and Capacity for Care concepts
    • Working in a human or animal shelter or similar care environment supporting vulnerable beings
    • Tracking data and compiling reports
    • Providing excellent service, advice and recommendations to others
• Proven ability to work successfully in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with competing deadlines and multiple priorities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and ability to work with internal and external parties at all levels and from diverse backgrounds in a positive and respectful manner.
• Excellent organizational skills with remarkable attention to detail.
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as collaboratively as a member of a team.
• Excellent computer skills – Windows, MS Office; MS Teams; knowledge of Shelter Buddy is considered an asset.
• Training in and/or knowledge of animal science and behaviour would be considered an asset.
• Ability to travel throughout the province, on occasion, as needed.
• Working knowledge of the concepts of diversity, equity, inclusion and reconciliation; ability to relate respectfully to a diverse audience.
• Philosophical harmony with the BC SPCA’s vision, mission, values and strategic directions

How to apply:

If you are interested in joining our team and are legally entitled to work in Canada, we would like to hear from you. Click on apply now or use the link to apply https://spca.bc.ca/about-us/careers/

We are committed to a transparent, human-led hiring process. While we use technology to support application management, applications are not screened, scored, or ranked by AI systems. All hiring decisions are made by human hiring managers based on skills, experience, and alignment with the organizational values.

We thank you for your interest in the BC SPCA, however; only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls, please. 

The BC SPCA is a Registered Charity BN 11881 9036 RR0001