About us

Lort Smith is a Melbourne icon, serving its people and their animals for 87 years. Our North Melbourne hospital and clinic provides a broad range of veterinary and emergency services to the community of Melbourne and its surrounds, and our Campbellfield Adoption Centre is a vet clinic and shelter, rehoming surrendered animals.

Our Pet Therapy Program has been running for more than 35 years as part of our community outreach services. Volunteers take their specially assessed dogs to hospitals, justice settings, residential care and other services across Melbourne, providing comfort and relief to people experiencing illness, adversity, loneliness and the long-term impacts of trauma.

About You

You’ll be an excellent communicator, both in person and on the phone, and able to connect with a diverse range of people using compassion and warmth. You’re solutions-oriented and resilient, you roll up your sleeves and take action, committed to finding a way forward. You are open-minded and flexible, self-motivated and accountable and understand the ripples your actions make. You solve problems through collaboration and critical thinking, a team player who uses initiative when needed.

About the role

In this part-time administrator role (30.4 hours p/f), you’ll provide key support to the delivery of Lort Smith’s Pet Therapy program. Your primary role will involve supporting the Pet Therapy team to assess, screen, refer and support Pet Therapy volunteer-dog teams, and support in the delivery of the program’s fundraising activities to ensure the sustainable delivery of the program.

You will continue to foster a supportive, motivating and rewarding working environment for volunteers. You will support the Pet Therapy team to develop efficiencies in systems and processes and coordinate facility, volunteer check-ins and support meetings. You will also be a key support to the Community Programs Manager, helping to prepare grant applications and write program and acquittal reports.

You will have:

• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Advanced computer skills including Microsoft products and database software
• Understanding or knowledge of animal-assisted interventions
• Experience working, or volunteering with, animals and/or in the health or human services sectors (desirable but not essential)

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• Opportunity to make a difference every day
• Great discounts on veterinary treatment, products and pet insurance
• Pet friendly policies
• Confidential, solutions-focused employee counselling with a highly regarded EAP
• In-house chaplaincy support for clients in distress
• A supportive and inclusive team environment

To learn more about Lort Smith and the work Pet Therapy do, please click here or look us up on Instagram. If you’d like to see what we do, check out our YouTube video.

Contact us via [email protected] using the subject line: Pet Therapy Administrator enquiry via EthicalJobs if you'd like us to send you a position description.

If you are excited about the prospect of joining our team and making a difference, please apply directly via this ad.

Lort Smith is a great place to work. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively support workplace diversity, equity and inclusion.

Preferred applicants will be asked to consent in writing for Lort Smith Animal Hospital to conduct a police check and each application will be individually considered on its merits. Please contact [email protected] if you would like further information.