Foster Manager

Title: Foster Manager

Location: Princeton MN US

Princeton, MN

$35,568 ‒ $39,520 Annually

Job Description:

As part of the Foster Support team, you will work collaboratively to ensure the success and well-being of foster animals and the families who care for them. Together, you’ll oversee the rescue process from intake through foster care and ultimately to adoption. This role focuses on building and maintaining strong, supportive relationships with foster homes to keep them engaged and aligned with Ruff Start Rescue’s mission and values. Working closely with your peers, you’ll help develop and implement strategies to boost foster engagement, increase retention, and grow the foster network. You’ll share responsibility for providing guidance, resources, and support to foster homes. This includes preparing fosters for incoming animals, addressing challenges that arise during care, and ensuring every home feels equipped and connected. As a collective, you’ll help ensure the safety, health, and overall success of all animals in Ruff Start Rescue’s care. Daily communication with fosters through phone calls, emails, and social media will be shared among the group, along with collaboration on urgent or special situations that require timely, compassionate action.

Availability:  This full-time, salaried position averages about 40 hours per week, mainly Monday through Friday. The schedule includes a mix of administrative work and team collaboration. Most administrative tasks can be completed remotely, with occasional in-person meetings or events as needed.

A regular schedule is expected, but some flexibility is encouraged to meet the changing needs of the foster program. Team members rotate on-call duties—typically one weekend per month and occasional holidays—to ensure foster families have access to support outside of regular hours.

The Foster Manager is required to work in the office at least two days each week.  

This position oversees:

• RSR foster homes (support and behavioral care only)

• Foster Coordinators (process foster applications)

• RSR Trainers (both volunteer and paid)

• Any additional volunteers who assist with your role 

• Cats to go to adoption centers (PetSmart, etc)

Essential Job Functions:

Animal Oversight: Work together to oversee each animal’s journey from intake to foster placement and eventually adoption. Collaborate across departments to make sure every animal’s transition is smooth, compassionate, and well-documented.

Relationship Building: Stay connected with our foster families through phone calls, emails, and even handwritten notes. Build genuine relationships that help fosters feel valued, supported, and invested in Ruff Start Rescue’s mission. Our goal is to keep fosters engaged and excited to continue helping animals in need.

Support and Guidance: Provide day-to-day support to foster homes. Help them navigate challenges, such as behavioral concerns, by working closely with teammates, trainers, and other resources. We’re a team that problem-solves together, always keeping the animals’ and foster’s well-being at the center.

Training and Education: Stay involved in the ongoing education of our foster families. Encourage participation and seek out opportunities for training and learning, such as workshops, webinars, or other resources that cover topics like animal care, behavior management, and rescue procedures. Make sure fosters always have the tools and confidence they need to succeed.

Foster Home Recognition: Celebrate our fosters! Plan and participate in appreciation events, create recognition programs, and share shout-outs to show gratitude for the time, effort, and love they give. 

Recruitment and Onboarding: Work as a team to grow our foster network. Reach out through social media, community events, and partnerships to recruit new foster families. Support recruitment, training, and onboarding so every new foster feels welcomed and prepared from day one.

Data Management: Keep accurate and up-to-date records in our systems. Track foster availability, preferences, and outcomes to help us understand what’s working well and where we can improve. Share updates and insights with the team to guide future decisions and celebrate progress.

Qualifications: 

• Must be 18+ 
• Reliable access to the internet 

 Proficiency using Gmail is preferred 

• Ability to work courteously and cooperatively with all members of RSR and the public 
• Ability to take initiative and work with minimal supervision and direction at times
• 2 years plus direct customer service experience
• 2 years of management experience
• Animal welfare experience preferred 
• Willingness to learn how to utilize new software

Physical Demands 

The physical requirements listed here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• The position involves sitting for extended periods of time while working at a computer terminal. Employee must be able to communicate effectively in a typical office environment with a standard level of office noise. Occasional standing, bending, walking and lifting (30 lbs) is also required. 

• Employee will be required to be a part of animal transport, which will expose the employee to animals (primarily dogs/cats), dirt, dust, uneven surfaces, and outdoor weather conditions. Noise will typically be moderate.

Personal Characteristics:

• Flexibility, resourcefulness, resilience, and the ability to manage stress and change.

• Creativity and a drive for innovation and excellence.

• Integrity, maturity, and sound judgment.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to communicate and work with a wide range of people in a participatory and respectful manner.

• Approachable and responsive to people’s needs, and therefore able to enhance effective work relationships.

• Good problem-solving skills, an openness to learning, and down-to-earth.

• An ability to inspire, motivate, and influence.

• An ability to accept responsibility and lead by example.

• Possibility-driven, proactive, personable, energetic, collaborative, and tactful.

• Work as a team player, supporting the overall goals of the organization.

Benefits:

• Health insurance is available for employees on the first of the month following 30 days. RSR will pay 50% of the employee's monthly premium.

• Retirement plan with up to a 3% employer contribution available after 90 days.

• Additional Insurance options are available after 90 days.  You pay 100% premium at a discounted group rate.

  • Short term disability

  • Life Insurance

  • Dental Insurance

  • Accident Insurance

  • Hospital Indemnity Insurance

  • Critical Illness Insurance

  • Cancer Insurance

  • Vision Insurance

• PTO 

  • First-year 10 days

  • Years 1 and 2 15 days (3 Weeks)

  • Year 3 and 4 20 Days (4 Weeks)

  • Year 5 and 6 25 Days (5 Weeks)

  • Year 7 + 30 Days (6 Weeks)

  • When an employee rolls over to a new year bracket, we prorate from their anniversary day.

    • Ruff Start Rescue recognizes seven paid holidays each year. If a holiday falls on a weekend, it will be observed on the workday closest to the holiday.

• Employee Discount

• Professional Development courses cover up to $200 annually. 

• Paid parental leave

Reports To: Senior Placement Manager

Salary:  $35,568 - $39,520

Applicants, please note: to be considered for this position, you must submit a cover letter in addition to a resume