Current Job Openings

If you're looking for a position in general animal care at the sanctuary, please be aware that we receive many applications from people all over the country who would like to work at Best Friends. We welcome all applications, but we cannot be certain that there is a position available.
Before filling out the application form, please read the general information about employment at the sanctuary.

To apply, please complete the application and submit it via email or fax along with your resume.

Best Friends has recently implemented a strategic planning process to expand our ability to reach people everywhere with the Best Friends message. We strive to create a positive, inclusive working environment. Current professional opportunities in beautiful southern Utah include:

• Feathered Friends - Parrot Caregiver I
• Housekeeper
• Horse Haven Volunteer Coordinator and Care Giver
• Angels Rest Assistant Caretaker
• Volunteer Coordinator
• Wild Friends Caregiver
• Network Growth & Membership Manager
• Donations-In-Kind Associate
• Groundskeeper, Dogs
• Office Coordinator
• Administrative Assistant - Floating
• Dog Trainer
• Adoption Coordinator
• Sanctuary Tour Guide
• Creative Web Developer
• Member Relations Customer Service Rep (Mail/Data Entry)
• IT Systems Administrator - Exchange
• Humane Educator
• Annual Fund Manager
• Animal Help Specialist
• Web Designer -Visual and UI
• Dog Caregiver
• Caregiver Cats
• Development Director

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Reports to: CEO
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Exempt

Position Summary: Responsible for building and leading a world class Development Division to advance the Best Friends' mission and to build the support base for new and expanding programs. The successful candidate will oversee all aspects of fundraising, including developing strategies and initiatives for increasing and diversifying Best Friends Animal Society funding sources.

Essential Duties:

• Develop and implement comprehensive annual and long term development plan.
• Identify, develop, direct, manage and oversee Development staff and activities including but not limited to individual giving, major gifts, web based, direct mail, planned giving, and grants.
• Identify and cultivate new relationships with donor community, including corporate, foundation and individual donors.
• Develop and implement metrics to analyze the donor base and project/program fundability and to provide success measures for Development activities.
• Supervise the management of the donor database, including tracking and acknowledging of all financial and in kind contributions.
• Identify, develop and implement fundraising campaigns, events, and publicity to build revenue and membership base.
• Create and manage correspondence, donor benefits roster, acknowledgement letters and other relevant materials.
• Supervise Development staff, which includes work allocation, training, and problem resolution; evaluate performance and make recommendations for personnel actions; motivate employees to achieve peak productivity and performance.
• Coordinate and produce financial, budget, and other special reports, proposals, and analyses for management including tax information requested by donors and ensure compliance with tax regulations.
• Other duties as assigned

Experience/Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or other related field.
• 5+ years' development leadership experience in a $40 million+ nonprofit organization.
• Extensive major donor, capital campaign, prospect research techniques, and donor tracking systems experience and an excellent fundraising record.
• Knowledge and expertise in principles of philanthropy and fundraising.
• Ability to professionally advocate Best Friends' positions on issues.
• Strong interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations. The ideal person for this job would be a team player, personable, professional, upbeat, and energetic, takes initiative, uses tact and diplomacy.
• Able to maintain clear communication with internal staff on all levels. Proven written and oral presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects in various stages of development, each with a unique timeline.
• Work requires continual attention to detail. Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Employee development and performance management skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and Power Point.
• Willing and able to travel.

Physical Requirements:

• Extended periods of time working on the computer.

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

CAREGIVER CATS
Reports to: Manager, Cats
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Hourly

Position Summary:Working within a team setting to oversee the health, well being, and general care of cats.

Essential Duties:

• Preparing food (special diets closely followed); feeding, watering, and medicating cats.
• Maintain records on the cats; clinic file, special diets, training performed, issues, etc.
• Socializing with cats, light grooming, watching behavioral issues, feeding patterns, and creating a positive living environment.
• Clean work areas and preserve physical appearance of cat buildings and grounds: litter box cleaning, sweeping, dusting, mopping, trash removal, scrubbing, etc.
• Working and interacting with visitors and volunteers: assigning work, answering questions, promoting Best Friends mission, and assisting with their needs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience/Requirements:

• Work with a positive outlook, upbeat, energetic, and taking initiative.
• Strong desire to work with cats. Previous experience a plus.
• Experience in interacting with the general public.
• Ability to professionally advocate Best Friends positions on issues.
• Basic computer skills helpful.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to routinely lift 40 to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to work in all weather conditions.

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

DOG CAREGIVER
Reports to: Team Leader
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Hourly

Position Summary: Working within a team setting to oversee the health, well being, and general care of dogs.

Essential Duties:

• Prepare food (special diets closely followed); feeding, watering, and medicating dogs.
• Maintain records on the dogs: clinic file, special diets, training performed, behavior issues, etc.
• Socialize dogs; walking, watching behavioral issues, light grooming , feeding patterns, and creating a positive living environment
• Clean work areas and preserve physical appearance of dog buildings and grounds: raking, sweeping, dusting, mopping, poop scooping, trash removal, scrubbing, weeding, etc.
• Work and interact with visitors, volunteers, and various groups who come to Dog Town
• Include Volunteers in daily tasks; interact with them, treat them with respect, and take adequate safety precautions to protect them from injury
• Other duties as assigned

Experience/Requirements:

• Strong desire to work with dogs. Previous experience a plus.
• Flexibility to work with all types of dogs.
• Physically able to perform strenuous manual labor and work outdoors.
• Must be able to lift up to 100 lbs.
• Outgoing, positive, upbeat personality and communication skills.
• Basic computer skills including knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
• Ability to multi-task and take initiative.
• Experience in interacting with the general public.
• Ability to professionally advocate Best Friends positions on issues.

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

ANIMAL HELP SPECIALIST
Reports to: Animal Help Team Leader
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Non-Exempt (Hourly)

Position Summary: To empower, educate and counsel individuals or organizations that make requests for animal assistance. Responses are made in a timely manner and are informative and personalized to meet the needs of the individuals or organizations making the request.

Essential Duties:

• Analyze and prioritize initial requests for help with an animal situation prior to contact.
• Counsel individuals and organizations so that they can resolve their animal situations.
• Create individual responses that are personal and that empower and motivate the individual receiving the response.
• Provide information on a wide variety of animal related subjects and issues: dog and cat health and behavior, adoption techniques, animal rescue and animal welfare movement.
• Determine which animals should be presented for sanctuary admission consideration and serve as the animal's advocate in the admissions process.
• Manage correspondence (letters, e-mail) and phone calls on a timely basis while still maintaining personalized communications.
• Write creative adoption blurbs in the Best Friend's style.
• Explore alternatives and provide support when needed actions are beyond the individual's psychological scope or physical ability to act
• Introduce and invite individuals to be part of the kindness revolution when taking action in their personal situations.
• Be able to effectively communicate Best Friends' philosophy and positions that are asked about by the public.

Experience/Requirements:

• The ideal person would be a team player, personable, patient, flexible and able to interact well with a variety of people  including people who are at times emotionally upset and hostile. Counseling or customer service background very helpful.
• Well developed coping skills with ability to lessen emotional distress for yourself and others.
• Able to routinely respond to animal situations which may be graphic in nature or deal with life and death scenarios.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to communicate in the Best Friends' style and work collaboratively.
• Experience/knowledge in the areas of cat and dog behavior, general animal health care and animal rescue.
• Proficient in Microsoft Windows and Office applications and comfortable learning and using new information systems.
• Ability to work independently and use judgment within established guidelines.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills, particularly in relation to case documentation and case management.
• Able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit and view computer screen for long periods of time.
• Comfortable working around a variety of animals within the office environment.

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

HUMANE EDUCATOR
Reports to: Humane Education Manager
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Hourly

Position Summary: Promote "a better world through kindness to animals" by supporting the Best Friends humane education program in a mindful and professional manner.

Essential Duties:

• Supervising and coordinating activities with youth groups, interns, student and adult visitors and volunteer groups. This may include designing and assisting with service projects, conducting sanctuary tours, answering questions and promoting Best Friends' mission.
• Answering correspondence from youth and teens.
• Manage relevant Best Friends Network communities.
• Assisting with on and off site Humane Education programs, events, informational booths and workshops.
• Designing and presenting lessons on animal welfare issues to all age groups.
• Other duties as assigned by the Humane Education Manager.

Experience/Requirements:

• The ideal person for this position needs to be a team player with a positive outlook. They should be professional, upbeat and energetic, and have strong interpersonal skills that include tact and diplomacy. They should also be comfortable speaking in public.
• Work requires continual attention to detail, establishing priorities and meeting deadlines. Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Work is often outdoors in variable weather conditions and frequently requires the physical ability to perform strenuous manual labor.
• Must be able to assess situations in the field and make appropriate decisions.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule and often work unsupervised.
• Must be able to professionally advocate Best Friends positions on animal welfare issues.
• Associates or Bachelors degree in Education or related field (or equivalent experience) required.
• Written and verbal correspondence is of a professional standard.
• One or more years of experience working with youth (preferably 10  18 year olds) required.
• Must have a working knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Word, Outlook and the Internet. A basic understanding of other Microsoft Office software applications (Excel and PowerPoint) is helpful.
• Must be able to travel.

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

CREATIVE WEB DEVELOPER
Reports to: Software Development Manager
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Exempt Salaried

Position Summary: : Supports web department by providing expert creative and technical assistance. Liaison between design and development teams. Responsible for design cut-up work, html and CSS style production, light ASP.NET and JavaScript coding, and some Flash development. Secondary responsibilities include code maintenance, archiving of digital assets, and creative consultation.

Essential Duties:

• Apply styles to ASP.NET controls and standard html tags using CSS best-practices.
• Apply styles to 3rd party applications.
• Produce html and well thought-out CSS style sheets given design specs.
• Use graphics applications to cut up designs and make web ready images for use within layouts and modules.
• Create simple custom Flash applications.
• Share responsibility for quality assurance process for the department.
• Oversee short-term tasks for Best Friends' websites.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience/Requirements:

• Requires excellent communication and problem solving skills.
• Advanced knowledge of web design and graphics applications such as PhotoShop, Dreamweaver, and Flash.
• Comprehensive understanding of image and video compression technologies.
• Programming and development knowledge.
• Ability to maintain and improve work done by others.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Knowledge of code repository operations (check-in, check-out, get-latest, diff) is a plus.
• Must have a core understanding of Flash development; Silverlight is a plus.
• Ability to make sound judgments and work independently in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Proven attention to detail with advanced organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to foster a cooperative work environment.
• Must have advanced knowledge of Internet technologies; streaming media is a plus.
• Must be able to sit, type, and look at a computer screen for extended periods of time.
• Must be a willing learner.

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

SANCTUARY TOUR GUIDE
Reports to: Welcome Center Manager
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Hourly

Position Summary: Welcoming visitors to the Sanctuary and providing them with a quality experience through an informative and engaging tour of the Sanctuary and providing them with available information and support to enrich their future actions on behalf of animals.

Essential Duties:

• Greet each visitor in a personable manner to create a feeling of inclusion and to show interest.
• Respond to visitors interests, concerns and needs by providing information or support made available through Best Friends Animal Society staff, Best Friends web site, written material, or referring them to information sources. Enable them to move forward or further commit themselves in any effort to help animals.
• Conduct an informative, engaging, educational, entertaining and safe tour of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
• Host the Welcome Center reception area which includes arranging visitors tours and meetings with the volunteer coordinator or with other staff members.
• Book cottage reservations and help guests check in and out of the cottages.
• Assist with managing the switchboard when needed. In a warm, kind and calm manner, provide information to the callers and direct the calls to the appropriate staff or department.
• Operate the cash register, stock and take catalog orders at the gift shop.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience/Requirements:

• Genuine passion for the mission of Best Friends Animal Society. An effective representative of Best Friends message of compassion and respect for all living creatures.
• Self-motivated to keep informed of, and clearly and accurately relay facts about, Best Friends news, events and informational material.
• Ability to communicate with people in a professional and personable way. Attentive and active listener with a positive and outgoing approach to engagement with visitors. A positive relationship building perspective about serving the public.
• A "can do", team player attitude and willingness to go the extra mile.
• Flexibility with job, schedules and the needs of the team. Enjoy handling a variety of tasks.
• Written and verbal communications are of a professional standard.
• Attention to detail.
• Must have a valid drivers license and a clean driving record.
• Ability to drive a 13-passenger van safely through varied weather and road conditions.
• PC computer skills using Microsoft Office.

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - FLOATING
Reports to: Executive Coordinator
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Non-Exempt

Position Summary: Provide "floating" administrative assistance to various departments throughout Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Support strategic developmental initiatives and special projects. Provide temporary coverage for other administrative employee absences.

Essential Duties:

• Serve as a vital member of the administrative support team to meet overall goals and objectives.
• Act as an administrative liaison with various departments to facilitate their administrative and special project requests.
• Transcribe interviews performed by the President/CEO.
• Oversee and manage file maintenance for media relations, to include scanning and maintaining electronic file system.
• Other projects as assigned.
• Provide Executive Coordinator with bi-weekly reports of projects and accomplishments.

Experience/Requirements:

• Ability to interact effectively and confidently with senior and middle management and all levels of staff.
• Strong interpersonal skills to handle sensitive and confidential situations. The ideal person for this job would be a team player, personable, professional, upbeat, and energetic, takes initiative, uses tact and diplomacy.
• Capable of simultaneously managing multiple highly detailed projects without compromising quality.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to apply effective independent judgment.
• Superior situational assessment/recommendation abilities.
• Self directed and capable of working independently and within a team environment.
• Excellent attention to detail and follow-through skills.
• Ability to professionally advocate Best Friends position on issues.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Some travel may be required.

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

GROUNDSKEEPER, DOGS
Reports to: DogTown Management
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Hourly

Position Summary: Performs maintenance in DogTown to ensure safety, cleanliness and consistency with the overall look of Best Friends' grounds.

Essential Duties:

• Scoop poop and clean all walking trails and common areas in Dog Town and Dog Town Heights daily. Pick up and properly dispose of litter
• Maintain all walking trails; trim/prune low-hanging branches, replace rocks, remove sticks and stones, etc. daily
• Maintain supply of water bowls, water jugs and brushes at all benches on trails in warmer weather
• Prepare new trails or re-route existing trails as instructed by DogTown Management
• Replace/straighten diamond blocks in parking area and drives
• Weed (by hand or with weed-eater or hula hoe) and clear heavy overgrowth from all common areas
• Rake and/or shovel out dog run gates to assure that gates open freely
• Clean/refill hummingbird feeder behind clinic. Make hummingbird nectar
• Replace garbage bags in recycling trash cans once per week/keep area neat
• Assist with laundry as needed
• Assist/run errands for receptionist and adoption staff
• Assemble/clean/retrieve crates for adoption staff and dogs going on transports
• Check on understaffed areas and offer any assistance needed working under caregiver supervision
• Other duties as assigned

Experience/Requirements:

• Take initiative and work with a positive, upbeat, energetic outlook
• Ability to work with dogs
• Experience in interacting with the general public
• Ability to professionally advocate Best Friends' positions on issues
• Must have a valid driver's license with ability to drive on behalf of the organization

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to lift 50 pounds
• Must be able to carry 15-20 lbs on trails for (+/-) 100 yards
• Must be able to work out of doors in all weather conditions, with temperatures ranging from below freezing to 100 degrees
• Able to walk dogs that pull on leash
• Must be able to work on feet all day with frequent bending, stooping and walking trails

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).

WILD FRIENDS CAREGIVER
Reports to: Manager
Location: Kanab, UT
FLSA status: Hourly

Position Summary: Working within a team setting to provide for the well-being, care, and quality of life for all of the birds and mammals in the state and federally permitted educational wildlife program, and all domestic birds and mammals.

Essential Duties:

• Daily Care - provide food and water, clean habitats, and provide enrichment
• Assess health of all birds and mammals daily - observe behaviors, feeding patterns, and safety of enclosures.
• Clean work areas and preserve physical appearance of buildings and grounds - raking, sweeping, dusting, mopping, poop scooping, trash removal, scrubbing, weeding, etc.
• Working and interacting with visitors and volunteers
• Stock, inventory, and report needed supplies
• Conduct tours
• Other duties as assigned

Experience/Requirements:

• Strong desire to work with wild and domestic animals. Previous experience a plus
• Outgoing, positive, upbeat personality and communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and take initiative
• Experience in interacting with the general public
• Ability to professionally advocate Best Friends' positions on issues.
• Basic computer skills helpful
• Must be 18 years of age (per state and federal requirements)
• Must have a valid driver's license with 3 years clean driving record
• Ability to work weekends

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to lift up to 70 lbs.
• Physically able to perform strenuous manual labor and work outdoors

Along with your application please include your resume and three professional references. Click here to fill out an application (.pdf).