Client Service Specialist - Animal Services

Description


THE POSITION
Under general supervision, provides quality client service at the reception desk at the Ventura County Animal Services Shelters. Services may include educating clients about the application of current animal welfare practices and resources, directing client interaction to process the receiving and releasing of animals brought to the Shelter, case management to assess individual animal needs to promote positive outcomes, performing in-person and remote animal licensing procedures, conducting client communication in-person, by phone, and electronic or postal correspondence to provide excellent customer service, communicating with other work units and internal clients to coordinate workflow.

The ideal candidate will have experience working in an animal shelter that practices socially conscious sheltering, and be familiar with addressing pet issues of a sensitive nature such as animal relinquishment, animal euthanasia, and aftercare services injuries, lost animals, behavior and training concerns, illnesses, foster/adoption; state law and county ordinance compliance and violations; animal services policies and procedures and will have the ability to offer compassionate service to the public.

PAYROLL TITLE: Office Assistant III

DEPARTMENT/AGENCY: Animal Services Agency

EDUCATIONAL/BILINGUAL INCENTIVE: Possible educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on completion of Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree. Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational need and certification of skill.

Office Assistant III is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and is eligible for overtime compensation.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent, and Extra Help vacancies for this position only. There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
OPENING DATE: September 25, 2025
CLOSING DATE: October 01, 2025

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Engages in client interactions to convey and promote methods for community involvement in animal welfare;
• Counsels clients on and directs clients to appropriate animal services available through the Shelter, community organizations, and businesses;
• Educates clients on responsible animal guardianship, animal care, local ordinances, and state laws;
• Provides professional and courteous client service, in-person, on the phone, and through postal and electronic mail, to process services, request and receive current information for records, and resolve complaints and issues that do not require a supervisor;
• Collects payment for services from customers, follows all payment handling processes and accurately completes daily payment reconciliations;
• Performs animal licensing procedures, violation processing, and regulation compliance services;
• Enters accurate information into the animal database when receiving animals into and releasing animals from Shelter care;
• Produces, explains, and delivers Agency specific documentation such as medical records, contracts, and license certificates;
• Provides adoption counseling and performs adoption processing that includes thoroughly reviewing release documents, medical records, and contracts with clients;
• Compassionately assists the public with the processing of deceased animals and/or animals in need of humane euthanasia;
• Completes deployment duties such as opening and closing the office for normal business hours; receiving, entering, and researching lost and found reports;
• Understands Agency operations, including the duties of other departments, provides support for and communicates with other departments to coordinate workflow;
• Solicits donations from clients and assists with in-kind donations;
• Engages in disaster services activities that may require extended hours of operations; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE:
Considerable clerical experience which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills and abilities. The required knowledge, skills and abilities also can be obtained by:

Any combination of education, training, or experience equivalent to three (3) years that includes office clerical work and/or experience in a veterinary medical or animal welfare setting.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Customer service experience in a fast-paced environment with a variety of client needs
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel
• Must be willing and able to work in close proximity to animals
• Must be proficient with Chameleon Animal Shelter Software within six months of hire date
• Must be able and willing to work evenings, weekends, and some holidays
• Must possess and maintain a valid California driver license
• Must be able to work out of Simi Valley Animal Shelter and/or Camarillo Animal Shelter

DESIRED

• Knowledge of animal shelter software
• Experience working in a kennel
• Bilingual (English/Spanish)
• Knowledge of current animal welfare practices
• Knowledge of animal types, breeds and colors
• Knowledge of animal health, disease and care

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Thorough knowledge of: modern office methods and practices; record maintenance systems; Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; letter writing; report compilation; and client contact techniques.

Considerable knowledge of: operations, procedures and practices used in support of Ventura County Animal Services; client services processes; techniques to expedite or improve clerical tasks and record processing; correct English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Working skills: depending on assignment, incumbents may be required to demonstrate a certain prescribed proficiency in typing or equivalent word processing/data entry and/or taking/transcribing dictation.

Thorough ability to: present and maintain a polite and courteous demeanor in stressful and complicated situations; initiate investigative techniques to address client issues by extracting information from a variety of sources, and seek or present resolution for such issues, prioritize duties and perform multiple tasks; perform and coordinate moderately difficult and responsible clerical work with little or no direct supervision; set up and maintain records and filing systems; extract information from a variety of sources; operate a variety of automated office equipment; accurately perform and proof the transfer of information from one document to another; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships; promote cooperation and respect with internal and external customers to accomplish thorough completion of objectives; understand, follow and convey written and verbal directions.

Working Conditions:
The position involves moderate to heavy public contact depending on the assignment. Exposure to dangerous and/or diseased animals. Incumbents must be patient and tolerant of loud environments (barking), animal waste, odor, and hair.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 01, 2025.

To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at hr.venturacounty.gov. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 677-5184 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 646 County Square Drive, Ventura, CA 93003.

NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here for additional information.

Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the exam process to assist in determining each applicant’s qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related written exam will be conducted to test applicants' knowledge of customer service/ office practices, comparisons, vocabulary, arithmetic, reading comprehension, filing, records management, and interpersonal relations. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

Applicants successfully completing the exam process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information and driving record may be required for this position.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Brett Ramirez via email at Brett.Ramirez@venturacounty.gov .

Service Employees International Union (LOCAL 721)
(SEIU)

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
• Retirement FAQ's
• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Code: UPP

Closing Date/Time: 10/1/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

• 

• County of Ventura

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