Shelter Associate Lead

Posting Date
12/23/25

Application Deadline
12/30/25

Pay Range
Anticipated Hiring Range: $ $23.50 hourly

Full Pay Range: $ $31.00 hourly

Salary offers are based on the candidate's equivalent experience and internal equity with other employees within the same job classification. This position is eligible for overtime compensation for all hours worked over 40 in the designated workweek.

Job Type
Unclassified

Department
Animal Care and Control

About The Position
Are you a passionate animal advocate with a desire to nurture and improve the lives of homeless animals? As one of the largest animal shelters in the nation, we need your support to make a difference

Maricopa County Animal Care & Control is seeking a motivated and diligent Senior Shelter Associate to provide daily care and support for our shelter animals. You will provide leadership and guidance to our team of Shelter Associates while advocating for the animals in our care and promoting the health, safety, and welfare of Maricopa County's people and animals. This position requires the employee to be in the office or customer-facing for all hours worked.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to support our shelter and your community Apply today

About Us
Maricopa County Animal Care & Control employees are committed to animal welfare and strengthening the human-animal bond in our community, and we are always looking to add talented individuals to our team, either at our West or East Valley Animal Care Centers. As one of the nation's largest open-admission shelters, we work with our community to serve the animals and people of Maricopa County. Our adoptions, shelter, clinic, and animal services officer teams learn first-hand about proper care of homeless and stray animals and work hard to help find them new homes.

Proud to Offer

• Work with a greater purpose
• Tuition reimbursement
• Exceptional work-life balance
• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County
• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents
• Child care benefits, including access to our on-site center, Maricopa County Kids Club, dedicated to serving Maricopa County families exclusively
• Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave
• Extensive wellness program, including healthcare premium discounts
• Maricopa County participates in the Arizona State Retirement System. This defined retirement benefit requires a 12% monthly contribution rate and includes a 100% employer match on Day 1
• Learn more at Work With Us | Maricopa County, AZ

We Require

• Two years of working or volunteer experience with domestic animals in an animal welfare organization, veterinary facility, humane society, or similar animal care facility
• One year of in-person customer service work experience
• High school diploma or GED

Other Requirements

• Candidates must be flexible and able to work all shifts, including starting as early as 6 am and finishing as late as 7 pm, working weekends and holidays. Shelter Associates are assigned on any shift, with any combination of days off, determined by the needs of the Department.

We Also Value

• One year of in-person customer service work experience
• Experience working in an animal shelter
• Bilingual skills in English/Spanish

Job Contributions

• Oversee, direct, guide, and coach Shelter Associates in the performance of their duties, and ensure daily tasks are completed efficiently and accurately
• Train and mentor staff on Department standards, procedures, and safety practices
• Follow established disease control protocols to clean, disinfect, and maintain shelter apartments, kennels, cages, equipment, walkways, general areas, and other job-related items daily
• Cultivate positive client, volunteer, and coworker relations through professional, courteous, and educational interactions
• Provide quality customer service to clients, volunteers, and staff while actively promoting our mission, services, programs, and events
• Ensure all shelter animals are properly housed and cared for within the guidelines of the Five Domains of Animal Welfare, and that positive reinforcement training methods are employed
• Participate in stress and disease reduction efforts through purposeful and compassionate low-stress handling and placement of animals
• Ensure adequate food and water are given to shelter animals daily
• Create and maintain necessary animal records, perform data entry
• Assist clients with the animal adoption process; facilitate client/animal interactions to ensure a safe and pleasant experience

Working Conditions

• Work is predominantly performed in an animal shelter with exposure to extreme and varying temperatures, excessive noise, dogs and cats with unknown temperaments or behaviors, animal waste and fluids, deceased animals, cleaning chemicals, and zoonotic diseases
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk on all types of surfaces, which can be slippery, uneven, and rough
• Must be able to lift up to lbs. occasionally, 10-25 lbs. frequently, or up to 10-20 lbs. constantly

Selection Procedure

• Only the most qualified candidates will be considered
• Consideration will only be given to candidates who submit online applications
• Candidates will be contacted primarily through email and their Workday online application profile
• Must pass a pre-employment background and/or fingerprint investigation as required by statute or policy, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for positions designated as safety-sensitive

Maricopa County is an equal opportunity employer.

Apply Now