Intake Supervisor

Here at SPCA of Wake County, our strength is our staff. We know that caring for animals is more than just a job, it's our passion. We have a team of dedicated, innovative, and compassionate people caring for every animal that comes into our shelter. We work together every day to make a difference in the lives of animals. SPCA of Wake County is seeking a full-time Intake Specialist to join our busy and stellar team of animal welfare advocates. Intake Specialists are responsible for coordinating the intakes of dogs, cats and other animals (guinea pigs, rabbits, & other small mammals) entering our adoption program, while collecting all necessary information and maintaining an excellent level of customer service. Intake Specialists provide information to the public about pet retention services and schedule appointments for pet surrenders and pet transfers from shelter partners.

Our Core Values:
1- Hell, Yeah!
2- Be Kind
3- Do What You Say
4- Forward Focused
5- Loose & Wiggly
6- Drop the Mic

Position Summary
The Intake Supervisor is a working supervisor responsible for overseeing the daily operations of
the Intake Department while ensuring exceptional customer service, operational efficiency, and
positive outcomes for animals entering the SPCA of Wake County Adoption Program. This role
provides direct supervision, coaching, scheduling, training, and development for Intake team
members while supporting a collaborative and mission-driven work environment.
This position leads the coordination and assessment of animals entering the organization
through owner surrender, transfer partnerships, and other intake channels. The Intake
Supervisor works closely with pet owners, rescue partners, volunteers, and internal
departments to facilitate safe, humane, and efficient intake processes while supporting pet
retention efforts when appropriate.
As a working supervisor, this role actively participates in daily intake operations, including
customer interactions, scheduling, recordkeeping, animal handling, and coordination with
Medical, Foster, Animal Care, and Adoptions teams. The position plays a key role in maintaining
population flow, supporting animal welfare standards, and ensuring operational readiness
across the organization.
This role is ideal for experienced animal welfare professionals who thrive in fast-paced
environments, possess strong leadership and customer service skills, and are passionate about
supporting both people and animals during critical points in the sheltering process.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Intake Operations & Customer Service
- Oversee and coordinate daily intake operations, ensuring efficient and humane
processing of animals entering the SPCA Adoption Program
- Lead Intake team members in scheduling and facilitating owner surrenders, shelter
partner transfers, and other intake activities
- Provide exceptional customer service through phone, email, and in-person interactions
with pet owners, transfer partners, volunteers, and community members

- Conduct pet retention counseling and provide resources when appropriate to support
positive outcomes for pets and families
- Gather, review, and process intake documentation, medical histories, behavioral
information, and related records

- Ensure accurate and timely data entry within shelter management, CRM, and related
systems
- Assist with intake assessments and support decision-making regarding animal placement
and next steps
- Address customer concerns, complaints, and complex situations with professionalism,
compassion, and sound judgment

Leadership & Team Development:
- Directly supervise Intake team members, providing day-to-day leadership, coaching,
support, and accountability
- Train, onboard, mentor, and develop employees to support departmental success and
professional growth
- Foster a positive, collaborative, and mission-driven work environment for staff and
volunteers
- Assist with scheduling, workload distribution, and operational coverage planning
- Monitor team performance and provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and corrective
action when necessary
- Identify workflow challenges and implement solutions that improve departmental
efficiency and effectiveness
- Model professional behavior, customer service excellence, and organizational values
Animal Welfare & Population Management
- Support the safe, humane, and appropriate handling of all animals entering SPCA
custody
- Help ensure proper sanitation, housing, and welfare standards are maintained within
intake areas
- Monitor intake volume and work collaboratively with Animal Care, Medical, Foster, and
Adoptions teams to support population management strategies
- Assist with maintaining efficient animal flow throughout the organization
- Support placement decisions and coordination for foster care, medical treatment,
behavior support, and adoption readiness
- Promote low-stress handling techniques and animal welfare best practices
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with the Medical team to support timely examinations, vaccinations,
treatments, and medical intake processes
- Partner with the Foster Care team to identify and coordinate foster placement
opportunities
- Collaborate with Animal Care and Adoptions teams to support organizational capacity
and positive animal outcomes
- Maintain regular communication with the Intake Manager regarding operational
concerns, staffing needs, workflow issues, and department performance
- Participate in meetings, planning discussions, and organizational initiatives as needed
Safety, Compliance & Operational Excellence
- Help ensure the safety of employees, volunteers, visitors, and animals within the Intake
Department
- Support compliance with organizational policies, procedures, animal welfare standards,
and safety protocols
- Maintain accurate records and documentation in accordance with departmental and
organizational requirements
- Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, kindness, and continuous
improvement
- Perform additional operational and administrative duties as assigned to support
organizational needs

Required Qualifications:
- Minimum 3 years of experience in animal welfare, animal sheltering, veterinary support,
animal care, or a related field
- Minimum 1 year of supervisory, leadership, or team lead experience
- Excellent customer service skills with the ability to communicate compassionately and
professionally during emotionally sensitive situations
- Working knowledge of companion animal behavior and humane animal handling
practices
- Working knowledge of common veterinary terminology and basic animal health concepts
- Experience performing or supporting basic veterinary procedures such as vaccinations
and intake-related medical processes
- Experience utilizing database, CRM, shelter management, or related software systems to
maintain records and documentation
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, and Excel
- Strong organizational, time management, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment
- Demonstrated commitment to animal welfare and the mission of the SPCA of Wake
County

Preferred Qualifications:

- Previous supervisory experience within an animal shelter, animal welfare organization, or
veterinary setting
- Experience with shelter population management and intake diversion strategies
- Experience providing pet retention counseling or community resource support
- Familiarity with shelter software systems and Salesforce
- Fear Free, low-stress handling, or similar animal handling training/certifications
- Experience working with volunteers and community partners

Physical Requirements:
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, crouch, kneel, and remain physically active for
extended periods of time
- Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds
- Ability to safely handle animals of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical conditions
- Ability to communicate effectively in person, by phone, and through electronic
communication methods
- Ability to work in environments with high noise levels, strong odors, and exposure to
cleaning chemicals and disinfectants
- Ability to work safely around animals that may be fearful, stressed, or fractious
- Exposure to zoonotic diseases, parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other animal-
related environmental conditions
- Ability to consistently perform onsite supervisory, operational, customer service, and
animal handling responsibilities at the SPCA of Wake County Resource Center

Work Environment
This role operates within a fast-paced animal welfare environment and involves frequent
interaction with animals, staff, volunteers, transfer partners, and members of the public.
Responsibilities include working in animal housing areas, intake processing spaces, medical
environments, and public-facing service areas.
The position requires maintaining professionalism and effectiveness while working in an
environment that may include high noise levels, strong odors, emotionally sensitive situations,
and animals of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical conditions. The role requires regular
onsite presence to support staff supervision, customer service, operational coordination,
animal intake activities, and cross-functional collaboration.

Benefits:

• Medical and Dental: Employer pays 90% of employee coverage (full-time)
• Insurance includes wellness, dental, vision, life, mental health care, prescriptions, emergency & urgent care, chiropractic care, and physical therapy
• Telemedicine options, 24/7 access to virtual health & wellness care and virtual behavioral health care

PAID TIME OFF –

• All part-time and full-time staff receive paid time off.
• Paid Holidays - 9 paid holidays per year (full-time)
• Vacation Time - 10 paid vacation days per year (full-time) with scheduled increases at milestone anniversaries of hire date
• Sick Time - 6.5 paid sick days per year (full-time)

FINANCIAL –

• Healthcare: Flexible Spending Account
• 401k Plan
• Coastal Federal Credit Union Membership
• 20% discount on pet adoptions and in SPCA Wake retail store

OTHER –

• Bereavement time off
• Federal & State Leave of Absence options

Disclaimer: This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Responsibilities may change based on organizational needs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, consistent with applicable federal, state, and
local laws.

Only the most qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews. No phone calls or emails, please — we’ll have our people call your people