Animal Shelter Marketing Internship (Remote)

Animal Shelter Marketing Internship

Location: Brownsville, Texas

Compensation: $15.00 per hour

Time Commitment: minimum of 20 hours per week for 6 months (flexible dates between July and December 2023)

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:

Best Friends Animal Society is a national non-profit focused on ending the killing of cats and dogs in America's shelters by 2025. Best Friends is leading the no-kill movement by running lifesaving community programs for dogs and cats, providing support and training for animal shelters and rescue groups, and mobilizing community members on behalf of pets in need across the country.

The communities we collaborate with are diverse and multicultural – and we want that to be reflected within our organization. We welcome our employees’ unique wisdom, special skills, passion, and whole self to the workplace. We believe that our differences are pivotal to uniting the movement and achieving our mission. Our hiring practices are based on kindness and treating all living things – people, animals, and the planet – as we would like to be treated. We encourage candidates who can add to our culture by bringing their fresh perspectives and unique lived experiences to apply.

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL SHELTER EMBED PROGRAM?

Generally, “no-kill” means that shelters, private organizations, SPCAs, and humane societies are saving all healthy or treatable animals in their care. We believe that every community can reach the no-kill goal, but we know that no single organization can do it alone, which is why Best Friends works with agencies all over the country to share our resources and expertise and help communities achieve no-kill. One way we do this is through the National Shelter Embed Program.

The Best Friends National Shelter Embed Program, in partnership with Maddie’s Fund, places Best Friends staff members in animal sheltering agencies across the country.

These staff members work alongside agency staff to help implement strategies that can take their community to no-kill. With the support and knowledge of the embedded staff, we help partner organizations accomplish goals that would normally take years in a matter of months.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Embed Marketing Intern works alongside the Best Friends Multicultural Marketing Team and the Brownsville Animal Regulation and Care Center (B.A.R.C.C.) staff to create and implement various marketing strategies that promote the no-kill movement. As part of this internship, you will be integrated into the larger Best Friends National Multicultural Team and Embed Program Team and attend their weekly meetings. You will receive coaching and support from your supervisor and be able to also infuse your own ideas into the marketing plans you will be responsible for delivering. This is a great opportunity to learn from a national organization while serving your local community.

The Embed Marketing Intern reports to Yoselin Marshall, Multicultural Marketing Strategist for Best Friends Animal Society. This is a remote position that supports the Brownsville Animal Regulation and Care Center in Olmito, Texas. Only candidates residing in Brownsville, Olmito, and surrounding areas will be considered. This position may require visits to the shelter and travel within the Olmito/Brownsville area. The minimum time commitment for this position is 20 hours per week at $15.00 per hour for 6 months. More hours may become available based on the intern’s availability and team needs. Students seeking college credit are welcome to apply.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work collaboratively with Multicultural Team, B.A.R.C.C staff, and Brownsville Marketing Team to maximize marketing opportunities (grassroots, social media, events) with the goal of supporting the achievement of no-kill in the community.
• Lead grassroots marketing strategies and events in Brownsville (with support from Multicultural Team) to increase awareness of adoption, fostering and volunteer opportunities as well as important lifesaving topics such as kitten season, re-homing and low cost spay/neuter resources.
• Attend Brownsville Hispanic Chamber meetings (a membership will be provided) and connect with local leaders to build relationships and invite them into collaboration to support shelter marketing initiatives.
• Treat people around you with Kindness and Compassion, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, prioritize your well-being, and work to build strong inclusive relationships with your colleagues by participating in communication loops to share and receive honest feedback.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• Develop and implement a monthly marketing plan to support a decrease in intake and an increase in adoptions
• Learn and deploy grassroots marketing best practices
• Develop an in-depth understanding of animal shelter marketing
• Hone networking skills
• Gain a well-rounded knowledge of multicultural marketing, the no-kill movement, and Best Friends’ mission
• Make an impact by helping to save the lives of pets in your community

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be bilingual (fluency) in English and Spanish.
• Must have reliable transportation to travel within the Brownsville area (includes public transportation).
  1. If using a personal vehicle for transportation; must have held a valid driver's license for at least three years, possess a clean driving record, and pass a motor vehicle record check.
• Previous experience/education in marketing is a plus.
• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to people and ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong interpersonal skills, a team player, upbeat, energetic, and diplomatic.
• Demonstrate tact with confidential and sensitive information.
• Comfortable working with, and in the presence of, dogs and cats of various temperaments.
• Ability to work in a shelter environment, which can be loud, stressful, and/or emotionally distressing, and where cats and dogs are currently being killed.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products – specifically Outlook, Teams.
  1. Best Friends issued laptop will be provided for intern use.
• Must be able to work for extended periods of time at events or on the computer with repetitive typing, arm, and hand motion, ability to bend, stoop, reach, climb, twist, crawl, stand and walk for an extended period.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the US must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the US by Best Friends Animal Society.

Best Friends employees may only hold one compensated position at any time. Current employees are not allowed to hold another position and this internship position at the same time. If a current employee would like to apply for this internship, the employee would be required to resign from their primary position, with no guarantee of re-employment, if the employee wanted to accept this position.