Lead Kennel Tech - PetSuites
Hoover, AL 35244
About the Job
Company Overview: PetSuites is part of a larger company called National Veterinary Associates (“NVA”) that is made up of over 1000+ locations of veterinary hospitals and pet resorts.This is exciting as NVA has dedicated resources to growing our business and your role. The pet resorts industry is growing at a rapid pace and so is NVA. We are proud to be a part of this growing business!
Position Overview: The Pet Pro Lead is a position within the Resort and reports directly to the Resort Manager and General Manager. We believe in the mission of “Pet Lovers Delighting Pet Lovers” and we demonstrate this through being Playful, Passionate, Personal and Professional. A successful candidate will have at least 1 year of supervisor or equivalent experience that includes the oversight and motivation of staff members, and quality assurance. Animal experience is required. We are busiest on the weekends and holiday time frames so you must be available for many of these. You must be able to successfully complete tasks in a timely fashion in a fun, fast paced environment. If you have a love of animals and are a dedicated, high energy employee with management or supervisor experience, we may have the perfect job for you.
A Day in the Life: As a Pet Pro Lead, you are part of a larger team who is focused on the daily pet care of our guests. You’ll report to the RM and GM and work a variety of shifts to handle everything from walking dogs, feeding and administering medicines, cleaning their rooms, playing with dogs + cats and loving them as if they were your own. You’ll not only communicate with the pet(s), but also have a lot of interaction with pet parents. You’ll document what you are seeing and be ready to share with your manager and the pet parent.
Pet Pro Lead Requirements:
- Must coach and train team members
- Must be able to handle dogs of all sizes and cats
- Must enjoy working with both people and pets
- Must have the stamina to walk energetic dogs as well as ensure our pet resort looks inviting and clean
- Must have a flexible work schedule where you can work during the week, as well as, many weekends and holiday time frames
- Must be able to follow directions and comply with processes and procedures
- Must have a keen sense of observation when observing the pets
- Must be able to perform physically demanding tasks and stand for long periods
- Knowledge of different breeds and body languages is preferred but not required
- Knowledge of dogs in a group setting preferred but not required
Daily Responsibilities:
- Ensure that each guest is treated with respect and dignity
- Ensure that all guests are receiving appropriate amounts of food and water, clean and sanitize food/water bowls on a daily basis.
- Clean up dog and cat eliminations constantly throughout your shift.
- Walk dogs on leash to and from outside exercise areas.
- Engage in play activities with pets including: fetch, exercise walks, chase, agility, follow the leader, recall and basic obedience games, etc.
- Supervise activities of multiple dogs throughout the day
- Monitor closely for any potential conflicts or escalations and redirect or remove one or more dogs from the situation as needed
- Maintain a sanitary and healthy environment by following our standards of cleaning and disinfecting rooms.
- Monitor guest’s health by daily charting of eating and elimination habits. Dispose of and clean up any stool and urine.
- Monitor guest’s reaction to playtimes and general demeanor by charting playtime interactions.
- Follow all standards of safety with regards to handling guests, particularly aggressive guests and escape artists.
- Pay specific attention to special handling notes, (Meds Person to Feed, Aggressive, Separate for Feeding, etc.)
- Immediately alert front staff and MOD when a guest is ill or exhibiting odd behavior - follow-up by filling out a Health Concern form and turning it into a shift lead/manager.
- Operate washer and dryer to clean pet belongings, towels, etc. Ensure belongings are returned to the appropriate pet.
- Ensure the facility meets or exceeds our expectations with regards to cleanliness and safety. Clean and sanitize all pet enclosures, exercise yards, and common areas. Mix and use disinfectants and other chemicals safely as instructed by the supervisor.
- Ensure that the property is maintained (lawn care, snow removal, tree maintenance)
- Alert manager when levels of inventory are low in the following areas:
- Pet foods
- Products for boarding and lobby areas
- Help maintain the cleanliness of the property by picking up and disposing of trash or debris. Keep aisles, drains, carts, shelves, sinks, floors, furniture, counters and glass clean, sanitary and free of clutter/debris. Empty and sanitize trash cans and receptacles.
- Alert manager of any safety or operational issues ie: broken guillotine doors, burnt-out lights, not enough salt for snowy areas, etc.
- Consult with other departments
Work with a team who all exemplify these qualities:
- A passion for animals and animal care, especially dogs and cats. Willing to learn animal behavior to ensure their safety.
- Focuses on safe and gentle handling. Forceful, aversive, aggressive handling, vocalizing or treatment will not be tolerated.
- Customer Service Oriented - Ability to take care of the customers’ needs while following company procedures. Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Responds to request for service and assistance. Build trust with customers.
- Willing and able to communicate directly with clients, both written and orally, about their dog. Works to make these “lifetime clients”.
- Must be able to work under conditions that require sitting, standing, walking, bending, reaching, pulling, pushing and grasping.
- Conflict Resolution - Ability to handle conflict with tact and diplomacy
- Good team work and willingness to assist other departments as necessary
- Cheerful, friendly, positive team-oriented attitude
- Strong attention to detail, especially where documentation is concerned. Ability to work in computer systems such as Microsoft Office.
- Reliable, punctual, and dependable
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including holidays and weekends
- Ability to take direction well and apply it independently
- Ability to work in temperature extremes, work outside, or in distracting work environments such as loud noise/sound
- Ability to tolerate being in close contact with various bodily fluids and to get dirty frequently
- Must be comfortable being around dogs of all sizes and physically able to handle dogs of all sizes and to lift up to 60 lbs.
- Other duties as assigned.
Equal Employment Opportunity
- NVA Pet Resorts is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
PetSuites is the leader of the pack in pet resorts offering exceptional services for both dogs and cats, ranging from boarding and daycare to grooming and training. Our trusted team of professionals delivers memorable experiences with personalized service in fun, convenient, and modern spaces.