Client and Community Relations Manager

Job Description Position Overview:Are you a compassionate and motivated professional, ready to make a meaningful impact on the lives of animals and the people who care for them? Houston Humane Society is seeking an experienced and motivated Client and Community Relations Manager. Join us and help shape the future of animal care in our community. The Client and Community Relations Manager is responsible for driving growth by increasing clinic census through strategic outreach, relationship building, and referral network expansion. This role focuses on developing partnerships, maintaining strong community presence, and implementing initiatives that generate consistent, high-quality referrals. This includes, building mutually beneficial relationships with referral sources and community partners; overseeing the operations of the call center and veterinary clinic front desk; and ensuring high-quality customer service and efficient workflows. This role involves representing the organization in the community, supervising staff, streamlining processes, handling escalated client concerns, and fostering a customer-focused culture. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in cultivating relationships, customer service, team building, supervision, and animal welfare.Community Relations: Develop and execute strategies to increase client census and meet growth targets. Build and maintain relationships with referral sources such as animal rescues and shelters, veterinary care providers, community organizations and local partners. Facilitate visits, tours, presentations, and networking activities to promote services.Leadership and Supervision: Supervise and manage the performance of call center and front desk staff, including scheduling, training, and development. Set clear goals and expectations, and provide ongoing feedback and coaching. Conduct regular team meetings to align on objectives, updates, and best practices. Operations Management: Ensure smooth daily operations of the call center and front desk, including appointment scheduling, client check-ins/outs, and handling payments. Monitor and optimize workflows to improve efficiency and client satisfaction. Customer Service Excellence: Serve as the point of escalation for complex client concerns and complaints, resolving issues promptly and professionally. Maintain and promote a client-first approach, ensuring all interactions are courteous, empathetic, and solution-focused. Develop and implement customer service policies and procedures to standardize quality across both departments. Staff Development Training: Provide initial and ongoing training for staff to ensure proficiency in customer service, scheduling systems, and clinic protocols. Identify skill gaps and create development plans for team members. Foster a positive and collaborative work environment to maintain high staff morale. Performance Metrics and Reporting: Track and analyze referral data and key performance indicators (KPIs) for call center and front desk operations (e.g., appointment scheduling rates, client wait times, resolution times). Prepare reports for management, highlighting successes, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Implement corrective actions to address performance gaps. Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with the leadership team to align scheduling and client communication with clinic needs. Serve as a liaison between departments to ensure seamless operations and clear communication. Partner with leadership on strategies to enhance client retention and satisfaction. Assist with coordinating the annual Fix Felix event. Perform any other duties as needed to support the mission of the Houston Humane Society. Supervision Received: Chief Medical AdministratorSupervision ExercisedFront Desk and Call Center Client Relations RepsQualifications & Skills: Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a related field preferred; equivalent work experience may be considered. Experience: Minimum of 3-5 years of customer service experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory/management role. Experience in a veterinary, healthcare, or service-oriented industry preferred. Skills: Strong leadership and team-building skills. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving abilities. Proficiency in scheduling software and customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Ability to multitask and perform well under pressure. Attributes: Empathy, professionalism, and a passion for client care.