Administration or Reception Volunteer

The RSPCA Darwin team at the shelter is seeking volunteers with exceptional customer service or administration experience, who have a passion for helping animals but from inside the office. Volunteers will be assisting with a variety of different tasks to support the small team in the office, from filing, data entry, running reports, and making sales. If you are confident with people, we would also train you in helping to process adoptions and help customers searching for their new best friend. This role is best suited to volunteers who enjoy being around people and are comfortable with administration tasks in an indoor setting.

This role requires that applicants have visited the shelter prior to application. If you have visited the Darwin shelter before, that is great. If not you will need to visit before submitting an application.

Please visit the shelter during opening hours (no need to make an appointment) as it will give you an opportunity to familiarise yourself with the environment, meet some of the shelter animals and give you an opportunity to reflect upon the travel time, options and time commitment involved in volunteering (particularly if you are coming via public transport, as there are limit public transport options). Visiting may also help you to decide which role you want to apply for.

What’s Involved

Because we need to make sure we have even support across the week, this is a rostered role that requires a minimum commitment of a three hour shift once a fortnight for three months.

Shift times: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m or 1 p.m – 4 p.m. Monday to Friday (subject to shift availability).

There are some tasks which may be suited to working from home at times that suit you, once you have attended site to receive training in the allocated task, and provided you have good access to email and internet.

Note that this role has minimal animal contact, and your contribution to animal welfare is by helping the team with tasks they couldn’t normally attend to. Having said that, there are always plenty of kittens to cuddle in break times!

Tasks

• Filing, both in hard copy and digital settings.
• Helping customers with questions and adoptions if comfortable
• Cleaning reception and office, helping to keep stock of stationary and supplies up to date
• Assist with admin tasks such as data entry, mailouts, printing and collating donation and thank you packages
• Answering calls and taking messages
• Assisting with other tasks as requested by the CEO or Senior Team

Requirements

• Applicants must be over the age of 18 years
• Have confidence and are comfortable with animals being in the office at times
• Be comfortable with processes and filing tasks
• Have visited the Darwin shelter
• Ability to follow instructions, work independently & as part of a team
• Be able and willing to engage in tasks which include repetitive lifting, sitting, walking & standing
• Good communication skills and/or good skills with basic technology such as Excel, Word, Outlook
• Proven ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions
• Professional phone manner
• Include a professional reference in your application

What you get in return:

– Contact with a variety of domestic animals including dogs, cats, puppies, kittens and occasionally more exotic pets

• Great opportunity to learn about the care and health requirements of domestic animals
• Time to play and interact with the animals in your care
• Opportunity to gain new skills and learn about the animal care industry
• Helping animals in a way that the people with animal skills aren’t as good at!
• Be part of a fun, engaged, passionate team
• When it gets hot and you need a break, unlimited kitten cuddles to make the hard work worth it!