Join Our Team

Position

Community Cat Administrator

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Type

Full-time

12 Month Contract

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Hours

• Wednesday - Sunday
• 35 - 37.5 hours per week

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Location

• HBSPCA, 245 Dartnall Road, Hamilton, ON

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Compensation

$55,000 + benefits

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Number of Positions

1

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Reports To

Director, Animal Care

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About the HBSPCA

For 138 years, the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA (HBSPCA) has been a cornerstone of animal welfare in our region. As one of only three Humane Canada Accredited animal welfare organizations in Canada, we care for more than 25,000 animals annually and work every day to strengthen the bond between people and animals in our community. Our vision - the Pet-First Campus and Unleash Love Capital Campaign - reflects our commitment to building Canada's first integrated Animal Wellness Hub, and the energy behind it starts with our people. Learn more at hbspca.com.

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Our Mission for this Program

The Community Cat Program has three objectives, and every part of this job connects to one of them.

1. Reduce the number of community cats in our communities.
2. Recruit, educate and support Colony Caregivers who become our community ambassadors, helping on the ground, supporting these colonies, and making sure community cats are safe and supported.
3. Create a program that supports community partners, colony caregivers and volunteers so that we increase the number of community cats served.

The Hamilton Burlington SPCA is one of a small number of organizations in Canada to hold Humane Canada accreditation. We operate our own veterinary hospital and surgical suite, a community van fleet, and a network of food and resource supports. This program is a core community program of the HBSPCA and it is supported by every department in the organization.

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The Position

This is the role that makes the Community Cat Program feel organized, responsive and welcoming from the very first phone call.

Colony caregivers are often exhausted, frequently paying for food and care out of their own pockets, and sometimes frustrated by how long it takes to get an answer. Our single most common complaint is response time. The Community Cat Administrator owns that problem. You are the first voice a caregiver hears, the person who books their surgery date, the person who confirms their food delivery, and the person who makes sure the paperwork is done properly so nothing falls through.

This job is tactical. It is phone calls, welcome conversations, correspondence, paperwork, onboarding, surgery support, recovery centre coordination, volunteer scheduling, and the coordination of food delivery and training. It is not a strategy job and we are not pretending otherwise. It is the job that keeps the program running, and doing it well is what will let this program grow.

You will work Wednesday through Sunday. Office Support Admin volunteers cover Monday and Tuesday, and you will set them up to succeed before your weekend begins.

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This Role is Right for You if:

We are looking for someone who intends to stay. This program has had too much turnover and our partners have noticed. Commitment to the cause is a hiring criterion, not a nice to have.

• Substantial customer service experience. Two or more years in a front line role handling a high volume of calls and inquiries, including difficult and emotional ones.
• Strong administrative skills. Accurate data entry, comfort with Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook, and the discipline to keep records current every day rather than every month.
• Organization. Managing a calendar, a queue and multiple deadlines without dropping any of them.
• Clear written communication. Emails, letters and notes that a caregiver can understand the first time they read them.
• Availability. Wednesday to Sunday, including every Sunday intake day.

Considered an Asset:

• Experience in animal welfare, veterinary reception, or a shelter environment.
• Knowledge of TNVR, colony management or community cat work.
• Experience coordinating volunteers.
• Experience with a shelter database or CRM.
• A second language spoken in our communities.

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Key Responsibilities

First Contact and Customer Service

• Answer the Community Cat phone line and monitor the program email inbox and voicemail queue as the first point of contact for the public, caregivers and partners.
• Meet our published response standard on every inquiry, and flag the exceptions to the Community Cat Manager rather than letting them sit.
• Deliver the welcome conversation with every new caregiver, explaining how the program works, what we provide, what we ask of them, and what happens next.
• Handle difficult conversations calmly. Some callers will disagree with our approach and will say so directly. You will listen, stay respectful, explain our position clearly, and know when to escalate.
• Greet caregivers and members of the public arriving on site for intake, drop off and pick up.

Caregiver Onboarding and Records

• Complete caregiver intake and registration, including colony location, colony size and contact details.
• Issue, explain and file trap agreements, and track trap serial numbers out and back.
• Maintain the Community Cat master workbook accurately and daily, including the caregiver list, trap inventory, food distribution, training records and surgery records.
• Produce weekly and monthly program reports for the Community Cat Manager, and pull data on request for the Director of Data, the Director of Giving and the Manager of Communications.

Surgery Support and Recovery Centre Coordination

• Book and confirm surgery appointments with the veterinary hospital and hold the surgery calendar for the program.
• Prepare intake paperwork ahead of each surgery day and confirm arrivals with caregivers the day before.
• Coordinate the recovery centre, including space bookings, holding times, and communication with caregivers about when their cats are ready.
• Prepare discharge paperwork and aftercare instructions, and confirm return to field arrangements with the Trapping and Colony Support Coordinator.

Volunteer Engagement

• Schedule and brief Office Support Admin volunteers, including Monday and Tuesday coverage when you are off.
• Work with the Volunteer Department on recruitment, screening and onboarding of program volunteers.
• Track volunteer hours, recognize contributions, and keep volunteers informed about what the program is achieving.

Food Delivery and Training Coordination

• Take food and supply requests, schedule them, and confirm them with caregivers.
• Coordinate with Pet Thrift, Pet Pantry and Logistics on stock, loading and van scheduling.
• Schedule caregiver training sessions, confirm attendance, issue materials and record completions.

Partnerships and Communications

• Maintain regular correspondence with community partners, rescue groups and municipal contacts, and keep the partner contact list current.
• Draft caregiver facing communications and newsletters with the Manager of Communications.
• Monitor program social comments alongside Communications, respond to routine questions, and escalate anything sensitive.

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Tentative Weekly Schedule:

This schedule is tentative and will be confirmed with the successful candidate. Hours shift during peak kitten season and around trapping weeks.

• Wednesday - Reset and Plan: Clear the Monday and Tuesday volunteer queue, return calls, confirm the week's surgery bookings, brief the Trapping Coordinator on caregiver requests.
• Thursday - Onboarding and Training: Welcome calls with new caregivers, registrations, trap agreements, training session scheduling and confirmations.
• Friday - Food and Supplies: Confirm food and supply requests, coordinate loading and van scheduling with Logistics, update the master workbook.
• Saturday - Surgery Preparation: Prepare intake paperwork, confirm Sunday arrivals with every caregiver, prepare recovery centre space.
• Sunday - Intake Day: On site for intake. Greet caregivers, receive cats, complete paperwork, support the hospital team, communicate recovery timing.
• Monday - Off: Office Support Admin volunteers monitor the queue against your briefing notes.
• Tuesday- Off: Office Support Admin volunteers monitor the queue. No public facing service.

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Working Conditions

• Primarily office based at 245 Dartnall Road, with regular contact with animals, including unsocialized cats in traps.
• Sundays are intake days and are busy, physical and time sensitive.
• Occasional evening work during trapping weeks and community events.
• Exposure to allergens, cleaning products and animal odours.
• Occasional lifting of traps, carriers and food bags up to approximately 20 kilograms.

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How To Apply

Please send a resume and a short cover letter telling us why this work matters to you, to careers@hbspca.com,with "Community Cat Administrator" in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.

Please be aware that once you submit your resume or application, your information will be retained for 5 years as per Ministry of Labour Employment requirements 2025. If you are selected for an interview, your information will also be kept on file that you either were interviewed and declined or interviewed and selected. This is also a requirement of the Ministry of Labour to maintain a list of all candidates that applied for the role even if they are not hired. Finally, we do not use AI technology to review, assess and select candidates as of July 1, 2025. Only those selected will be contacted for an interview.

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The HBSPCA is an equal opportunity employer that actively supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and lived experiences. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact your interview lead for assistance.

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Position

Community Cat Trapping and Colony Support Coordinator

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Type

Full-time

12 Month Contract

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Hours

• Thursday - Monday
• Including evening trapping shifts

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Location

• On the road, based in the HBSPCA community van, across Hamilton and Burlington

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Compensation

$55,000 + benefits

‍

Number of Positions

1

‍

Reports To

Director, Animal Care

‍

About the HBSPCA

For 138 years, the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA (HBSPCA) has been a cornerstone of animal welfare in our region. As one of only three Humane Canada Accredited animal welfare organizations in Canada, we care for more than 25,000 animals annually and work every day to strengthen the bond between people and animals in our community. Our vision - the Pet-First Campus and Unleash Love Capital Campaign - reflects our commitment to building Canada's first integrated Animal Wellness Hub, and the energy behind it starts with our people. Learn more at hbspca.com.

‍

Our Mission for this Program

The Community Cat Program has three objectives, and every part of this job connects to one of them.

1. Reduce the number of community cats in our communities.
2. Recruit, educate and support Colony Caregivers who become our community ambassadors, helping on the ground, supporting these colonies, and making sure community cats are safe and supported.
3. Create a program that supports community partners, colony caregivers and volunteers so that we increase the number of community cats served.

The Hamilton Burlington SPCA is one of a small number of organizations in Canada to hold Humane Canada accreditation. We operate our own veterinary hospital and surgical suite, a community van fleet, and a network of food and resource supports. This program is a core community program of the HBSPCA and it is supported by every department in the organization.

‍

The Position

This is a full time job on the road. Your office is the community van.

You are the person our caregivers actually see. You set traps, you retrieve them, you teach volunteers how to trap safely and humanely, you knock on doors in neighbourhoods where nobody has ever heard of us, you deliver food and supplies, and you carry the cats in on Sunday and take them back out on Monday. When someone in this community forms an opinion about the HBSPCA Community Cat Program, it is usually because of an interaction with the person in this role.

This job is tactical and it is physical. Trapping happens in the evenings, two weeks of every month. The other two weeks are door to door canvassing in a new neighbourhood and food and supply distribution. Return to field work happens Mondays after recovery.

We are not looking for someone who wants to trap alone forever. We are looking for someone who wants to build a trained volunteer trapping team, because that is how this program reaches more cats than one person ever could

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This Role is Right for You if:

We are looking for someone who intends to stay. This program has had too much turnover and our partners have noticed. Commitment to the cause is a hiring criterion, not a nice to have.

• Substantial customer service experience. Two or more years dealing directly with the public, including people who are upset, skeptical or opposed to what you are doing. Half of this job is talking to people, not cats.
• Valid Ontario G licence and clean driver abstract. You will be driving the community van daily across Hamilton and Burlington.
• Physical capability. Lifting and carrying traps, carriers and food bags up to approximately 20 kilograms, repeatedly, outdoors, in all seasons and weather.
• Evening availability. Trapping happens in the evening, two weeks of every month. This is not negotiable and it is the core of the role.
• Self direction. You will be alone in a van most of the day, deciding how to use your time against a plan. We need someone who does the work without being watched.
• Record keeping discipline. Every trap, colony visit and delivery recorded the day it happens.

Considered an Asset:

• Hands on humane trapping experience, including drop traps.
• Experience handling unsocialized or feral cats.
• Experience training or supervising volunteers.
• Door to door canvassing, outreach or community organizing experience.
• Knowledge of Hamilton and Burlington neighbourhoods.
• A second language spoken in our communities

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Key Responsibilities

Trapping and Field Operations

• Plan and run targeted trapping efforts, concentrating on one area at a time rather than scattering effort, which is the approach that has been shown to work.
• Condition and pre feed trapping sites at the start of a trapping week so cats are reliable and predictable by the time traps go out.
• Set, monitor and retrieve traps, including drop traps and transfer equipment, using humane handling standards at all times.
• Assess colonies on site, count cats, identify ear tips, note kittens and nursing queens, and record what you find.
• Transport cats safely to the hospital and back to their colonies.
• Support return to field on Mondays after recovery, confirming that every cat goes back to the location it came from.

Volunteer Trap Training and Supervision

• Train Community Trapping Team Member volunteers in humane trapping, safe handling, transport and site etiquette.
• Lead volunteers in the field during evening trapping sessions and public trapping nights.
• Coach colony caregivers who want to trap their own cats, so they gain independence over time.
• Work with the Volunteer Department on recruiting and retaining field volunteers.

Colony Caregiver Visits and Community Outreach

• Visit colony caregivers on site, see the colony for yourself, and solve problems in person rather than over the phone.
• Run door to door canvassing in target neighbourhoods, one week each month, distributing flyers and talking to residents about community cats and what we offer
• Identify unregistered colonies and new caregivers, and hand the details to the Community Cat Administrator for onboarding.
• Represent the program at community events and public trapping evenings.

Food and Distribution

• Load, transport and distribute cat food, shelters, straw, feeding stations and other colony supplies.
• Run the food and supply distribution week each month, working from the delivery schedule set by the Administrator.
• Coordinate with Pet Thrift, Pet Pantry and Logistics on stock and loading.

Van, Equipment and Records

• Keep the community van clean, stocked, safe and maintained, including daily checks, fuel, mileage and scheduled servicing.
• Maintain the trap fleet, clean and disinfect traps between uses, and report damaged traps for repair or replacement.
• Record every trapping session, colony visit, distribution and return to field in the Community Cat master workbook, on the day it happens.

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Tentative Weekly Schedule:

This schedule is tentative and will be confirmed with the successful candidate. Evening shifts during trapping weeks are a standing part of this role, not an occasional extra.

• Thursday - Site Preparation: Van check and load, site conditioning and pre feeding, caregiver visits, volunteer briefing for the weekend.
• Friday - Field and Evening Trapping: Colony visits and equipment prep during the day, trapping in the evening with volunteers.
• Saturday - Field and Evening Trapping: Trap monitoring and retrieval, second evening trapping session, transport to holding.
• Sunday - Intake Day: On site at HBSPCA supporting intake with caregivers, transferring cats to the hospital team, cleaning and resetting equipment.
• Monday - Return to Field: Return recovered cats to their colonies, confirm caregiver handovers, complete records, van and trap maintenance.
• Tuesday - Off: Volunteer supports cover equipment and follow up tasks. No public facing service.
• Wednesday - Off: Volunteer supports cover equipment and follow up tasks.

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Tentative Monthly Cycle:

The month runs on a four week rhythm so that caregivers, volunteers and partners always know what is coming.

• Week 1 - Trapping Week: Pre feeding and site conditioning early in the week, evening trapping Friday and Saturday, Sunday intake, Monday return to field.
• Week 2 - Door to Door Canvassing: A new target neighbourhood. Flyer distribution, door to door conversations, colony identification, caregiver recruitment.
• Week 3 - Trapping Week: Same rhythm as week one, usually returning to the neighbourhood canvassed in week two.
• Week 4 - Food and Supply Distribution: Loading and delivery of food, shelters and supplies to registered caregivers, plus colony check ins and equipment maintenance.

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Working Conditions

• Full time on the road, based in the community van.
• Outdoor work in all weather, including winter evenings.
• Regular evening shifts during trapping weeks.
• Direct handling of unsocialized cats in traps, with risk of scratches and bites.
• Exposure to allergens, zoonotic disease risk, cleaning products and animal odours.
• Repeated lifting, bending, carrying and loading.
• Work in properties, alleys, industrial yards and rural barn settings.

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How To Apply

Please send a resume and a short cover letter telling us why this work matters to you, to careers@hbspca.com, with "Community Cat Trapping and Colony Support Coordinator" in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.

Please be aware that once you submit your resume or application, your information will be retained for 5 years as per Ministry of Labour Employment requirements 2025. If you are selected for an interview, your information will also be kept on file that you either were interviewed and declined or interviewed and selected. This is also a requirement of the Ministry of Labour to maintain a list of all candidates that applied for the role even if they are not hired. Finally, we do not use AI technology to review, assess and select candidates as of July 1, 2025. Only those selected will be contacted for an interview.

‍

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The HBSPCA is an equal opportunity employer that actively supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and lived experiences. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact your interview lead for assistance.

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Position

Strategic Partnerships Lead

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Type

• Full-time
• 24-36 Month Contract (with opportunity to transition roles based on completion of projects)

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Hours

• Standard 8 am - 4 pm
• Potential of evenings and weekends (strong flexibility required)
• Will vary from week to week

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Location

• 175 Longwood Road South, Hamilton, ON
• Anticipated to spend less than 30% at work station, majority of time spent in the community of Hamilton and Burlington developing partnerships

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Compensation

$60,000 - $80,000

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Reports To

Director of Strategy and Revenue

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About the HBSPCA

For 138 years, the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA (HBSPCA) has been a cornerstone of animal welfare in our region. As one of only three Humane Canada Accredited animal welfare organizations in Canada, we care for more than 25,000 animals annually and work every day to strengthen the bond between people and animals in our community. Our vision — the Pet-First Campus and Unleash Love Capital Campaign — reflects our commitment to building Canada's first integrated Animal Wellness Hub, and the energy behind it starts with our people. Learn more at hbspca.com.

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The Position

The HBSPCA is entering a pivotal phase of growth with the development of a new, state-of-the-art animal care and community facility.

This role is not traditional fundraising.

We are seeking a Strategic Partnership Lead to build and steward meaningful, long-term partnerships that support both the capital development of the new facility and its ongoing operations and community impact.

This is an opportunity to shape how organizations, brands, and community partners show up in a space dedicated to animal welfare, education, and connection.

HBSPCA is seeking a Strategic Partnerships Lead - a relationship-builder, problem-solver, strategic thinker, and closer who is passionate about connecting purpose with opportunity. This role is not traditional fundraising. It’s about creating solutions-based partnerships that drive meaningful investment (typically $100K+) in HBSPCA’s capital and community priorities.

The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, creative, and confident, comfortable navigating high-level discussions, structuring mutually beneficial partnerships, and creating and stewarding long-term relationships from introduction to signed agreement.

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Key Responsibilities

Partnership Development

• Identify and engage aligned corporate, local, and national partners
• Build and manage a qualified pipeline of partnership opportunities
• Develop tailored proposals that connect partner goals with HBSPCA’s mission and programs

Strategic Alignment

• Position the new facility as a platform for impact, visibility, and community engagement
• Collaborate internally to align partnerships with capital campaign priorities and operational needs
• Integrate partners into programs, spaces, and experiences within the new facility

Revenue & Growth

• Secure financial and in-kind contributions supporting both capital (build phase) and GIK (ongoing operations)
• Structure multi-year agreements that ensure sustainable support

Relationship Management

• Steward partner relationships with a high level of integrity and care
• Ensure partners receive meaningful engagement, visibility, and impact reporting
• Identify opportunities to deepen and expand partnerships over time

Collaboration

• Work closely with fundraising, marketing, and leadership teams
• Contribute to partnership strategy, pricing, and offering development (e.g., naming rights, program sponsorships, experiential activations)

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Skills & Qualifications:

• 5+years in business development, partnerships, or relationship-driven sales(nonprofit, agency, or corporate experience welcomed).
• Proven success managing complex deals or partnerships of $100K+.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong organization and CRM discipline (Raisers Edge or similar).
• Proficient in tools such as Canva and AI platforms to create compelling partnership materials, presentations, and outreach.
• Strategic mindset with creative problem-solving abilities.
• A self-starter who is comfortable taking initiative, setting priorities, and following through.
• Emotional intelligence and compassion able to collaborate respectfully with partners, staff, volunteers, and donors.
• Access to a reliable vehicle

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Personal Attributes

• Passionate about community impact and animal welfare.
• Curious, innovative, and solutions-focused.
• Confident yet flexible to be able to listen deeply and adapt approaches.
• Empathetic leader who balances results with relationship care.
• Self manager that works autonomously with limited supervision and clear objectives

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How To Apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit a resume and cover letter detailing their qualifications and passion for the role to careers@hbspca.com. Please include "Strategic Partnerships Lead" in the subject line.

Please be aware that once you submit your resume or application, your information will be retained for 5 years as per Ministry of Labour Employment requirements 2025. If you are selected for an interview, your information will also be kept on file that you either were interviewed and declined or interviewed and selected. This is also a requirement of the Ministry of Labour to maintain a list of all candidates that applied for the role even if they are not hired. Finally, we do not use AI technology to review, assess and select candidates as of July 1, 2025. Only those selected will be contacted for an interview.

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Interview Process

1. Initial Screening Call
2. Take Home Assessment
3. Virtual Interview
4. Final Assessment with CEO & President

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The HBSPCA is an equal opportunity employer that actively supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and lived experiences. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please contact your interview lead for assistance.