Animal Cruelty Case Specialist

Description

Term of Employment: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports To: Criminal Justice Program Managing Attorney

Union: Bargaining Unit Position, Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU)

Location: Remote (U.S. Based)

Who We Are

The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission is to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. The Animal Legal Defense Fund accomplishes this mission by filing high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm, providing free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are held accountable for their crimes, supporting tough animal protection legislation and fighting legislation harmful to animals, gathering data about and advocating for effective regulation of animal exploitative industries and providing resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law.

Role Description

The Criminal Justice Program (CJP) Animal Cruelty Case Specialist position furthers the mission of the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system, by providing prosecutors, law enforcement, animal control, veterinarians, and animal rescues with essential operational and forensic support on criminal animal cruelty cases and encouraging the investigation and prosecution of animal crimes to ensure justice for animal victims. The CJP Animal Cruelty Case Specialist triages all incoming reports of animal cruelty and maintains the active case database. The Animal Cruelty Case Specialist applies their experience and expertise to in-depth case-related research and to the training of key stakeholders. This position acts as a liaison across ALDF’s programs to disseminate approved case response information in a timely and responsible manner. The Animal Cruelty Case Specialist is accountable for the day-to-day management of their assigned cases and projects.

How You Will Make a Difference

Case Support

• Receive reports of animal cruelty and requests for case assistance from professional stakeholders, the Administrative Manager, and other sources. Provide initial responses and triage via phone or email.
• Exercise discretion in analyzing and recommending which cases CJP chooses to pursue, including communicating efficiently with complainants and advocates by phone and email; gathering relevant facts (through eyewitness accounts, media reports, and other sources as needed) for potential criminal cruelty cases; and identifying, after thorough independent analysis, those cases warranting further investigation and/or veterinary forensics.
• Generate and categorize cases, and work with Managing Attorneys to assign cases to CJP staff according to department protocols. Ensure that complete and accurate case information is relayed in a timely fashion to the appropriate team members.
• Input and access information using automated systems, make entries into automated record files, seek to maximize use of automated systems available to CJP to further efficiency and accuracy in case response and record keeping.
• Maintain and organize all case-related records and documentation in a timely, logical, and confidential manner. Ensure that electronic logs of all legal cases are accurate and current. Review case notes to maintain consistent and timely response in all cases.
• Conduct internet research on potential/active cases (i.e. Facebook, social media, news sources, and company websites). Provide basic assistance in research projects, special reports, and case information gathering. Prepare materials for meetings, court proceedings, and case discovery.
• Follow up with professional stakeholders on case outcomes/resolutions where possible. Create and maintain a system for tracking date and time of upcoming court proceedings related to CJP-assisted cases.
• Manage CJP grant processing for expert witnesses, forensic testing, and costs of care in criminal cases, coordinating with internal and external individuals as needed.
• Inform and assist law enforcement, animal control, veterinarians, and animal rescues on animal cruelty case investigations and case strategies, including reviewing and advising on interview tactics, department policies and procedures, veterinary exams and reports, protective custody foster care programs and related agreements, and large-scale animal rescue implementation.
• Participate in deployment to crime scenes and rescues as needed, exercising discretion in both the decision to travel on-site and the orchestration of such activities.
• Assist with hands-on scene processing for animal cruelty cases, including identifying, collecting and packaging evidence; assisting with logistics and operational expertise; and assisting with other aspects of search and seizure operations and animal rescue support.
• Provide support as requested to CJP Case Response Unit.

External Relationship Building and Outreach

• Build strategic relationships with prosecutors, law enforcement, animal control, veterinarians, and animal rescues to facilitate agency assistance in forensics, crime scene processing, and veterinary medicine.
• Schedule and conduct outreach and training presentations for various disciplines, including but not limited to law enforcement agencies, veterinarians, prosecutors, animal shelters and rescues, and social service agencies.

Internal Relationship Building

• Proactively maintain intradepartmental relationships and act as a liaison to other programs.
• Create and maintain system for sharing information about CJP case work and outcomes across departments and facilitate the sharing of information approved for public-facing materials.
• Provide in-house expertise for staff on questions concerning Criminal Justice Program cases, animal cruelty cases in general, criminal investigation, veterinary forensics, animal rescue and sheltering.

Please note, this job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties and responsibilities of the position, which are subject to change in order to best advance ALDF’s strategic objectives and mission.

Requirements

We Are Looking for Candidates With:

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field desired; or 5 years equivalent work experience accepted in lieu of.
• At least 3 years of experience in enforcement fieldwork operations, animal cruelty response, dispatch, and/or criminal case management.
• Demonstrated veterinary forensics or animal cruelty enforcement expertise, including but not limited to, retaining related certifications in the field (such as Certificate in Veterinary Forensics, NACA certifications, FEMA certification, Property and Evidence Certifications, Police or Humane Officer certification).
• The ability to handle sensitive and confidential information and materials according to the highest standards of confidentiality, chain of custody, and ethical conduct and exercise discretion in the use of related materials and information.
• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills, with the ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, organizational members and supporters, members of the public, and others. A positive attitude, ability to work cooperatively with others, and ability to function well in a team-oriented work environment.
• Comfort speaking in public to audiences of various sizes and demographics.
• The ability to maintain composure and lead others in times of heightened urgency or stress.
• An understanding of and full commitment to the vision, mission, and core values of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
• The ability to travel frequently to conferences, trainings, meetings, and other events as required; estimated 5-7 events per year.

We Offer Competitive Compensation With Excellent Benefits, Including

• Starting annual salary of $71,509 for most geographic locations.
• For candidates located within 25 miles of Washington D.C., Cotati, CA, and Los Angeles, starting pay is $75,273.
• For candidates located within 25 miles of New York City and San Francisco, starting pay is $79,036.

To ensure salary equity, we do not negotiate salary outside of the published starting rate. Rate is determined by role, using set geographical factors.

• Comprehensive health care, dental, life and vision benefits (100% employer paid); Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care Account (DCA) are also available
• 192 hours of PTO
• 19 paid holidays
• 1-month paid sabbatical after 5 years of continuous employment
• 16 weeks paid parental leave
• 401k plan with a maximum 5% employer contribution match after one year of employment
• Alternative work schedules (at manager’s discretion)
• One-time remote work allowance of $750
• Annual professional development reimbursement of up to $1,000.

Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is a core value for the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Additional Information

This role is included in a collective bargaining unit that is represented by the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU). Certain terms and conditions of your employment, including wages and benefits, have been negotiated with the Union and are included in a collective bargaining agreement between ALDF and the Union.

This is a U.S. based position. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is an equal opportunity employer and committed to providing an employment environment which is welcoming of persons from diverse backgrounds and free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, and in which all legal rights of our employees are recognized and protected. ALDF conducts all internal and external operations, programs, and employment-related decision making (including hiring decisions) without regard to actual or perceived race, ancestry, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, political affiliation, disability or medical condition (including physical, intellectual, or psychiatric), sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, age, or other protected category, and in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws.

Consistent with the organization’s mission, our offices and events are free of animal products and byproducts.

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