Join Our Team

Position

Coordinator, Animal Pathways

Type

Full-time, Permanent

Hours

• Wednesday to Sunday
• 37.5 hours per week
• Plus primary after-hours on-call for emergency calls on working nights

Location

The HBSPCA, 245 Dartnall Road, Hamilton, ON

Salary

$50,000 to $60,000 + benefits, based on skills and experience

Reports To:

Senior Manager, Animal Pathways

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 the Program

The Animal Pathway is how everyanimal in our care finds its way home. It brings Adoption, Rehoming, Foster andEmergency Services together as one program. The program has four objectives,and every part of this job connects to one of them.

1. Move every animal to the right outcome as quickly and safely as we can, so no animal waits longer than it needs to.
2. Give every adopter, foster family and surrendering owner a welcoming, fast and well-organized experience, in person and online.
3. Grow the people power behind the program by recruiting, training and keeping volunteers and foster families who carry our work into the community.
4. Use our systems, technology and data to make better decisions, remove wasted steps and prepare the program for our new facility in 2029

The Hamilton Burlington SPCAoperates its own veterinary hospital and surgical suite, a behaviour andtraining team, a community van fleet, and a network of food and resourcesupports. The Animal Pathway is a core program of the HBSPCA and it is supportedby every department in the organization.

The Position

This is the role that keeps the Animal Pathways running on the days and hours the public needs us most.

Most adoptions happen on weekends. Emergencies happen outside office hours. Foster families need answers in the evening. The Coordinator, Animal Pathway is the person on the ground for all of it, Wednesday through Sunday, and the first call after hours on those days.

You will work closely with the Senior Manager, Animal Pathways, who sets the vision and the plan, and you will help carry it out. You will lead adoption staff and volunteers on weekends, match animals with the right families, drive animals to and from foster homes and partner locations, support foster families, and respond to emergency calls.

This job is hands-on. It is adoption counselling, foster check-ins, van runs, event days, records and phone calls. It is a strong step for someone who wants to grow into leadership, and we will invest in your development.

We would especially welcome a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) or someone with animal medical experience. Many animals in foster and in emergencies have medical needs, and that knowledge makes a real difference in this role.

This Role is Right for you if...

We are looking for someone who intends to stay and grow with us. Commitment to the cause is a hiring criterion, not a nice to have.

• Customer service experience. Two or more years in a front-line role handling a high volume of people, including difficult and emotional conversations.
• Strong problem solving. You stay calm and use good judgment when an animal, foster family or adopter needs help now, and you know when to escalate.
• Client upselling. You are comfortable and genuine when offering adopters pet insurance, training classes, wellness packages, food and supplies from Pet Thrift, and monthly giving.
• Leading on the floor. You can direct adoption staff and volunteers on weekends, keep the day organized and set a good example.
• Organization. You manage a schedule, a queue of foster requests and van runs without dropping any of them.
• Comfort with technology. You are confident with Microsoft 365 and a shelter database or CRM, and you keep records accurate every day.
• Driving. A valid Ontario G licence, a clean driver's abstract, and comfort driving an HBSPCA van.
• Availability. Wednesday to Sunday, plus primary after-hours on-call for emergency calls on your working nights.

Considered an Asset

• Ideally, a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), oranimal medical experience such as veterinary assistant or shelter medical care.
• Experience in animal welfare, a shelter, a rescue or aveterinary clinic.
• Adoption counselling or foster program experience.
• Experience coordinating volunteers or events.
• Pet First Aid or Fear Free certification.
• A second language spoken in our communities.

Key Responsibilities

Adoption and Weekend Leadership

• Lead adoption staff and volunteers on weekends, set the day's priorities and keep the adoption floor welcoming and organized.
• Deliver conversation-based adoption counselling and match people and pets well.
• Offer adopters the add-ons that help their new pet succeed, including pet insurance, training classes, wellness packages, food and supplies from Pet Thrift, and monthly giving.
• Handle escalated questions and concerns on site, and flag patterns to the Senior Manager.
• Complete adoption paperwork, payments and records accurately, following our cash and receipt controls.

Foster Support

• Be the main contact for foster families Wednesday to Sunday, answering questions and solving problems quickly.
• Schedule and deliver foster check-ins, supply pick-ups, medical rechecks and returns.
• Help recruit, onboard and train new foster families, and keep foster records current.
• Watch for animals in foster who need medical or behaviour follow-up and arrange it with the hospital and behaviour team.

Driving and Transport

• Drive the HBSPCA van to move animals to and from fosterhomes, partner locations, adoption events, veterinary appointments and transferpartners.
• Complete vehicle checks and trip logs, and keep animalssafe and secure in transport.

Emergency Calls and After-Hours Support

• Serve as primary on-call on your working nights for urgent foster, animal and emergency calls, and escalate to the Senior Manager when needed.
• Respond to emergency intake and temporary emergency boarding following our emergency plans.
• Record every call-out and its outcome so nothing is missed the next day.

Rehoming and Animal Pathway Support

• Support owners who are considering rehoming, and sharethe options that may help them keep their pet.
• Take part in animal flow rounds and help act onlong-stay animals at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days in care.
• Help make sure each animal is seen and chosen, withgood photos, stories, enrichment and grooming.

Events and Partnerships

• Help run adoption events, offsite pop-ups and partner adoption days, including set-up, animal transport and on-site counselling.
• Track event results such as adoptions, applications, and new fosters and volunteers.

Volunteer Engagement

• Brief, schedule and support volunteers on your shifts, and recognize their contributions.
• Work with the Volunteer Department to train volunteersin adoptions, foster support and transport.

Records and Reporting

• Keep animal, foster and client records accurate everyday in the shelter database and CRM.
• Write shift handover notes for the Senior Manager every Sunday, and contribute to weekly reports.

Tentative Weekly Schedule

This schedule is tentative and will be confirmed with the successful candidate. Hours shift during kitten season, adoption events and emergency responses.

• ‍Wednesday - Handover and Foster: Review the Senior Manager's notes, confirm the week's foster check-ins and van runs, and return calls.‍
• Thursday - Foster and Transport: Foster check-ins, supply runs, medical recheck transport and new foster onboarding.‍
• Friday - Weekend Readiness: Confirm adoption floor animals and weekend staff and volunteer coverage with the Senior Manager. Prepare paperwork and event supplies.‍
• Saturday - Adoption Day: Lead the adoption floor, counsel adopters, and support staff and volunteers.‍
• Sunday - Adoption Day and Handover: Lead the adoption floor, complete records and write handover notes for the Senior Manager.‍
• Monday - Off: The Senior Manager covers the program.
• Tuesday - Off: The Senior Manager covers the program.
  ‍

Working Conditions

• Split between the adoption floor, animal areas, the office and the road.
• Regular contact with dogs, cats and small animals, including fearful, unsocialized or sick animals.
• Weekends are busy, public-facing and time sensitive.
• Primary after-hours on-call on working nights, which may include calls and site visits in the evening.
• Regular driving of an HBSPCA van in all weather.
• Exposure to allergens, cleaning products, animal odours and noise, and the risk of bites or scratches.
• Lifting of animals, crates and supplies up to approximately 20 kilograms.

‍

How to Apply

Please send a resume and a short cover letter telling us why this work matters to you, and an example of a process you improved, to careers@hbspca.com, with "Coordinator, Animal Pathway" in the subject line. Applications close November 30, 2026.

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.

Closing Date

Please note that the closing date of this posting is up to the discretion of the employer.

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.

Position

Senior Manager, Animal Pathways

Type

Full-time, Permanent

Hours

• Monday to Friday
• 37.5 hours per week (administration)
• Plus a minimum of one Saturday a month as required, with rotating on-call for Emergency Services

Location

The HBSPCA, 245 Dartnall Road, Hamilton, ON

Salary

$70,000 to $85,000 + benefits, based on skills and experience

Reports To:

Director, Volunteer and Community Programs

Leads

Animal Pathway Coordinator, plus Adoption, Rehoming, Foster and Emergency Services staff and volunteers

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 the Program

The Animal Pathway is how every animal in our care finds its way home. It brings Adoption, Rehoming, Foster and Emergency Services together under one leader. The program has four objectives, and every part of this job connects to one of them.

1. Move every animal to the right outcome as quickly and safely as we can, so no animal waits longer than it needs to.
2. Give every adopter, foster family and surrendering owner a welcoming, fast and well-organized experience, in person and online.
3. Grow the people power behind the program by recruiting, training and keeping volunteers and foster families who carry our work into the community.
4. Use our systems, technology and data to make better decisions, remove wasted steps and prepare the program for our new facility in 2029.

The Hamilton Burlington SPCA operates its own veterinary hospital and surgical suite, a behaviour and training team, a community van fleet, and a network of food and resource supports. The Animal Pathway is a core program of the HBSPCA and it is supported by every department in the organization.

The Position

This is the role that owns the journey of every animal from the day it is ready for a home to the day it leaves with its new family.

Today, Adoption, Rehoming, Foster and Emergency Services each do good work, but they often work side by side rather than as one team. Animals wait longer than they should. Adopters wait for answers. Foster families are not always sure who to call. The Senior Manager of Animal Pathways brings these pieces together into one clear process, with one set of standards and one person accountable for the results.

You will set the vision for this program and build the plan to deliver it. You will grow our adoption partnerships and create events that lead to adoptions on the day and relationships that last. You will make sure we do what it takes to invest in each shelter animal so it finds the right forever home. You will lead staff and a large group of volunteers. You will coach and mentor your team so they grow into the next generation of leaders here. You will fix problems at the counter and in the process behind it. You will make full use of the systems we already have, and you will bring in technology where it makes the experience faster and easier for the people we serve.

This is a hands-on leadership job. You will spend time on the adoption floor, in foster check-ins and in emergency responses, and you will also own the numbers, the processes and the plan. Doing it well is how more animals get home, and how this program gets ready for our new facility.

This Role is Right for you if...

We are looking for a leader who wants to build something and stay to see it through. Commitment to the cause and to growing your team are hiring criteria, not nice to haves.

• ‍Vision and planning. You can build a program vision, turn it into a practical management plan with targets, timelines and a budget, and lead a team to deliver it. You have grown partnerships and run events that produced results you can measure.‍
• Customer service leadership. Five or more years in customer-facing work, including at least three years managing a front-line team in a high-volume setting such as a shelter, veterinary practice, retail or hospitality. You set the standard for service and you hold your team to it.‍
• Strong problem solving. You find the real cause of a problem, fix it, and put a process in place so it does not happen again. You make sound decisions quickly when an animal or a client needs an answer now.‍
• Client upselling. You are comfortable and genuine when offering adopters the products and services that help their new pet succeed, such as pet insurance, training classes, food, supplies, wellness care and monthly giving. You can teach your team to do the same without pressure.‍
• Teaching, coaching and mentoring. You have trained and developed staff and volunteers, given direct feedback, and helped people grow into bigger roles.‍
• Volunteer leadership. You know how to recruit, schedule, train and keep volunteers, and you treat them as a real part of the team.‍
• Comfort with technology. You are confident with Microsoft 365 and learn new systems quickly. You have used, or are ready to master, a shelter database or CRM, online applications, and reporting tools.‍
• Use of data. You track length of stay, outcomes, capacity and client wait times, and you use what the numbers tell you to make changes.‍
• Availability. Monday to Friday, at least one Saturday a month as required, some evenings, and a share of on-call coverage for Emergency Services.

Considered an Asset

• Animal shelter or rescue management experience, including adoption, foster or transfer programs.
• Knowledge of capacity for care, open adoption (conversation-based adoption) and Fear Free practices.
• Experience with emergency animal sheltering, disaster response or crisis intake.
• A post-secondary diploma or degree in animal welfare, business, nonprofit management or a related field.
• Retail, sales or membership experience with measurable targets.
• Experience leading process change or a new system rollout.
• A valid Ontario driver's license.
• A second language spoken in our communities.

Key Responsibilities

Program Vision and Management Plan

• Create and own a written vision for the Animal Pathway and an annual management plan with clear goals, targets, timelines and budget, and report progress to the Director every month.
• Set measurable targets for adoptions, length of stay, returns, partner placements, event adoptions, foster growth and add-on sales, and review them with the team every week.
• Update the plan each year as community needs change and as we prepare for the new facility.

Adoption Partnerships and Events

• Expand adoption partnerships with pet retailers, veterinary clinics, businesses, rescue groups and community organizations, including offsite adoption locations and partner-hosted adoption days.
• Plan and run events that lead to adoptions on the day and lasting relationships, such as adoption weekends, offsite pop-ups, themed promotions and meet-and-greets, working with Events, Communications and Fundraising.
• Measure every event by adoptions completed, applications started, fosters and volunteers recruited, and new supporters gained, and use the results to plan the next one.

Investing in Our Shelter Animals

• Review every animal in care regularly and ask what it will take to get that animal home.
• Make sure each animal gets what it needs to be seen and chosen, including medical follow-up, behaviour support, enrichment, grooming, good photos and stories, and time in foster.
• Identify gaps in care or support and bring the case for funding to leadership and Fundraising, including the planned fund for surrendered, abandoned and senior animals.

Animal Pathway Leadership

• Lead Adoption, Rehoming, Foster and Emergency Services as one connected program with shared goals, standards and reporting.
• Manage capacity for care across the shelter and foster homes, so the number of animals in care matches our ability to care for them well.
• Hold daily animal flow rounds with Animal Care, the veterinary hospital and the behaviour team to plan the next step for every animal.
• Lead the long-stay animal pathway, acting on each animal at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days in care, working closely with the behaviour team.
• Write, maintain and train staff on standard operating procedures for each part of the pathway.

Adoption

• Run a welcoming, conversation-based adoption process that matches people and pets well and keeps the bar to adoption reasonable.
• Review and improve how animals are selected for the adoption floor, how they are presented, and how adopters are matched, so good matches happen faster.
• Work with Communications on animal profiles, photos, promotions and adoption events, both on site and in the community.
• Track adoption returns and use what we learn to improve matching and post-adoption support.

Rehoming and Owner Surrender

• Oversee a supported rehoming option that helps owners place their pet directly when that is the right choice, before surrender is needed.
• Make sure surrender conversations are respectful and that owners are offered the supports that might help them keep their pet.
• Work with transfer and rescue partners to place animals whose best outcome is outside our building.

Foster

• Grow the foster network, including recruitment, screening, training and recognition of foster families.
• Set clear foster standards for communication, supplies, medical follow-up and returns, and make sure every foster family knows who to contact.
• Use foster homes to shorten length of stay in the shelter, including short-term, weekend and adopt-from-foster options.

Emergency Services

• Lead the Animal Pathway response to emergency intake, temporary emergency boarding and community crises, working with the Director responsible for Emergency Preparedness.
• Keep emergency plans, supply lists and a trained staff and volunteer response team current and ready.
• Share in an on-call rotation for urgent animal and foster issues after hours.

Client Experience and Upselling

• Set and meet published service standards for response times, wait times and follow-up for adopters, fosters and surrendering owners.
• Handle escalated concerns and complaints calmly and fairly, and fix the process behind each one.
• Build a genuine add-on program at the point of adoption, including pet insurance, training classes, wellness care, food and supplies from Pet Thrift, and monthly giving, and set targets for it.
• Follow up with adopters after the adoption to check in, offer support and build lifelong supporters.

Teach, Coach, and Mentor

• Hire, train, schedule and lead Animal Pathway staff, with regular one-on-ones, clear goals and timely feedback. This includes building and managing the Animal Pathway Coordinator's schedule so evenings and weekends are covered.
• Coach team members on customer service, difficult conversations, animal handling and upselling.
• Identify and develop future leaders within the team, supporting the HBSPCA approach to cross-training and succession.

Engage and Utilize Volunteers

• Work with the Volunteer Department to recruit, screen, onboard and schedule volunteers for adoption counselling, foster support, animal transport, events and emergency response.
• Give volunteers meaningful work, clear direction and regular recognition, and track their hours and impact.
• Build volunteer team leads who can run parts of the program with staff support.

Technology and Organizational Support Systems

• Use the shelter database, CRM and Microsoft 365 tools fully and keep animal and client records accurate every day.
• Bring in technology that improves the client experience, such as online adoption applications, appointment booking, text and email updates, and the website information widget.
• Work with Data, Finance, HR, IT and Facilities to use the systems and supports that already exist rather than building workarounds.
• Produce weekly and monthly reports on outcomes, length of stay, capacity, foster numbers, client wait times, add-on sales and volunteer hours.

Partnerships and Collaboration

• Work closely with Animal Care, the veterinary hospital, behaviour and training, Fundraising, Communications and Community Programs, and lead process reviews across these teams.
• Keep strong relationships with rescue and transfer partners, municipal contacts and community groups.
• Help plan the Animal Pathway for the new facility opening in 2029.

Tentative Weekly Schedule

This schedule is tentative and will be confirmed with the successful candidate. Hours shift during kitten season, adoption events and emergency responses.

• Monday - Plan and Review: Animal flow rounds with Animal Care, the hospital and behaviour. Review weekend results and the Coordinator's notes, length of stay and the long-stay list. Set the week's priorities.‍
• Tuesday - Team and Coaching: One-on-ones, staffand volunteer training, and coaching on service and upselling.‍
• Wednesday - Foster and Rehoming: Foster check-ins, new foster onboarding, rehoming and transfer partner follow-up.‍
• Thursday - Partners, Events and Systems: Adoption partner meetings, event planning, process improvement with partner departments and weekly reports.‍
• Friday - Weekend Readiness: Confirm adoptionfloor animals, profiles and promotions with Communications. Confirm volunteercoverage. Set and brief the Animal Pathway Coordinator's weekend schedule.‍
• Saturday - One a Month, as Required: On the adoption floor during peak hours. Support counsellors, handle escalations and lead by example.‍
• Sunday - Off: Weekend coverage is led by the Animal Pathway Coordinator using your briefing notes.

Working Conditions

• Based at 245 Dartnall Road, split between the office, the adoption floor and the animal housing areas.
• Regular contact with dogs, cats and small animals, including fearful or unsocialized animals.
• Saturday shifts are on the adoption floor during peak hours and are busy, public-facing and time sensitive.
• Rotating after-hours on-call for urgent foster and emergency issues, with occasional evening and weekend events.
• Exposure to allergens, cleaning products, animal odours and noise, and the risk of bites or scratches.
• Occasional lifting of animals, crates and supplies up to approximately 20 kilograms.

How to Apply

Please send a resume and a short cover letter telling us why this work matters to you, and an example of a process you improved, to careers@hbspca.com, with "Senior Manager, Animal Pathway" in the subject line. Applications close November 30, 2026.

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.

Closing Date

Please note that the closing date of this posting is up to the discretion of the employer.

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.

Position

Community Cat Administrator

‍

Type

Full-time

12 Month Contract

‍

Hours

• Wednesday - Sunday
• 35 - 37.5 hours per week

‍

Location

• HBSPCA, 245 Dartnall Road, Hamilton, ON

‍

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 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.

‍

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.

‍

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.

‍

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.

‍

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.

‍

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.

Closing Date

Please note that the closing date of this posting is up to the discretion of the employer.

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.

‍

Position

Community Cat Trapping and Colony Support Coordinator

‍

Type

Full-time

12 Month Contract

‍

Hours

• Thursday - Monday
• Including evening trapping shifts

‍

Location

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

‍

Compensation

$55,000 + benefits

‍

Number of Positions

1

‍

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 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.

Closing Date

Please note that the closing date of this posting is up to the discretion of the employer.

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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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