About Oregon Humane
Founded in 1868, Oregon Humane is the Northwest's oldest and largest animal welfare organization with one of the highest adoption rates in the nation. We are working toward our vision of a world where all animals are treated with compassion, kindness and respect. With campuses in Portland and Salem, Oregon Humane is an Oregon-based nonprofit that relies on donor support for its adoption, education, medical and humane law enforcement programs. Visit oregonhumane.org to learn more about how we’re creating an ecosystem where all of us – animals and humans – feel safe, valued and part of something bigger.
The Team
The Facilities team plays a crucial role in supporting all aspects of Oregon Humane. Through cross departmental communications and interactions, we ensure a safe and healthy environment for staff, volunteers, donors, the general public, and any and all vendors who find themselves on our ever-expanding campus.
The Position
The Facilities Maintenance Specialist is a hands-on, service-oriented role responsible for maintaining and improving Oregon Humane’s facilities and grounds through routine maintenance, minor repairs, landscaping, inspections, and coordination with external vendors. This position serves as a responsive point of contact for building-related needs, assesses and triages requests, communicates status and risks proactively, and works with the Facilities Manager and organizational leaders to identify practical solutions. The role requires sound technical judgment, strong customer service and relationship-building skills, and the ability to balance direct hands-on work with vendor coordination and follow-through. This position does not supervise employees.
Eligible Benefits
We are committed to creating a better future for pets, and we work hard to achieve our goals while offering a rewarding workplace including competitive benefit packages to our employees.
Full-time
• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Paid Time Off + Sick Time + Holidays
• 401(k) with employer match
• Professional Development Opportunities
• One free Oregon Humane adoption / year
• Perks & Discounts
Essential Responsibilities
PERSONAL LEADERSHIP
• Consistently strives to exceed expectations; demonstrates flexibility, resilience, and the ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.
• Maintains high ethical standards, including exhibiting behaviors and actions that embrace and align to our organization and customer service values, while treating all people with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrates an awareness of your individual personal strengths and development needs, modeling non-defensive behavior and openness to feedback; builds a culture of feedback and learning.
LEARNING
• Contributes to regular dialogue and accountability with the leadership team and across the organization to review progress and course correct if necessary.
• Utilizes data and insights to identify, understand and articulate the key inputs and metrics that tell the story of the organization/team strategy and its progress.
• Builds appropriate feedback loops to measure if we are meeting key milestones and if the impact planned is being felt across the organization.
INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION
• Communicate effectively to executive and other stakeholder groups to ensure they are informed and able to actively engage.
• Liaise with and maintain productive relationships with all stakeholders, including other departments, and donors; build mutually rewarding professional relationships inside Oregon Humane at all levels.
• Leverage our best practices externally and grow Oregon Humane’ reputation as a leader in the animal welfare space.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Perform hands-on maintenance, troubleshooting, and minor repairs across buildings, fixtures, furnishings, equipment, and grounds
• Complete routine building repairs and upkeep, including basic carpentry, patching and painting, hardware and fixture replacement, door and lock adjustments, minor plumbing repairs, and other general handyman tasks.
• Perform routine landscaping and grounds maintenance, including seasonal cleanup, weeding, pruning, irrigation checks, debris removal, and identifying hazards or conditions requiring specialized service.
• Conduct regular campus and building walk-throughs to proactively identify maintenance needs, damage, safety concerns, accessibility issues, weather-related risks, and opportunities for preventive maintenance.
• Receive and assess facilities requests; triage based on urgency, safety, operational impact, animal and public welfare, and available resources. Take immediate appropriate action and escalate urgent, complex, or high-risk issues.
• Coordinate and track repairs and service requests from initial report through completion, confirming the requester is informed and that work has been completed to an acceptable standard.
• Engage vendors and contractors for work outside the position’s scope or expertise; obtain or coordinate estimates as directed, schedule services, communicate site requirements, facilitate access, monitor work, confirm completion, and maintain related records.
• Develop and maintain professional working relationships with service providers and vendors, helping ensure work is timely, cost-conscious, safe, and aligned with Oregon Humane’s needs.
• Proactively communicate building issues and anticipated impacts to the Facilities Manager, leadership, and affected teams, presenting relevant facts, potential solutions, estimated urgency, and recommended next steps.
• Coordinate with staff across Oregon Humane to understand operational needs, schedule work with minimal disruption, provide status updates, and set realistic expectations about timing and outcomes.
• Assist with preventive maintenance schedules for buildings, grounds, tools, and equipment; identify when specialized inspections, licensed trades, or additional resources are required.
• Maintain organized documentation, including maintenance logs, inspection checklists, vendor contact information, service records, receipts, work orders, and outstanding action items.
• Monitor supplies and materials needed for routine maintenance; communicate inventory needs and follow established purchasing and approval processes.
• Use hand tools, power tools, ladders, grounds equipment, and other assigned equipment safely and according to manufacturer instructions; maintain tools and report damaged or unsafe equipment.
• Follow Oregon Humane safety procedures, applicable OSHA requirements, building codes, and relevant protocols. Outsource work that requires a license, certification, or authorization the employee does not hold.
• Respond to urgent maintenance requests and participate in after-hours, weekend, or on-call coverage as assigned.
• Travel between Oregon Humane campuses as needed and perform other related duties as assigned.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Reports Directly To: Facilities Operations Manager, Salem Campus
Often Engages Directly With: All Teams within Oregon Humane
Qualifications
Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills
We are interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We welcome applicants who bring a diversity of identity, culture, experience, perspective and thought. We encourage you to apply, even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications described. You are also encouraged to address how your professional and lived experience, scholarship, mentorship and/or service will contribute to Oregon Humane.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience.
• Three or more years of hands-on experience in facilities maintenance, building repair, landscaping, general handyman work, or a related skilled-trades environment.
• Demonstrated ability to safely select and use common hand tools, power tools, and maintenance or landscaping equipment.
• Ability to operate tools, power tools, grounds equipment, UTV, and facility and rented equipment.
• Working knowledge of routine building systems and repair practices, with the judgment to recognize when work requires a licensed trade or specialized vendor.
• Ability to troubleshoot problems, assess urgency and risk, prioritize competing requests, and follow tasks through to completion.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain facilities issues and options clearly to staff, vendors, and leadership.
• Demonstrated customer service and relationship-building skills; able to work respectfully with people across roles and levels of the organization.
• Experience coordinating vendors or contractors, scheduling service, communicating expectations, monitoring work quality, and documenting outcomes.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while exercising sound judgment and seeking guidance when appropriate.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and use basic computer tools, email, calendars, and work-order or tracking systems.
• Ability to read and follow product specifications, instructions, basic plans, and safety procedures; ability to document maintenance activities clearly.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel between campuses as required.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, or on-call shifts as assigned.
• Ability to successfully complete any required background check and maintain any required safety training or certifications.
• Able to exercise sound judgment and maintain a professional demeanor during all interactions with the public, partner agencies, donors, staff and volunteers.
• Proficiency using the Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills - able to communicate with a diverse population in a consistently informative, respectful and professional manner.
Work Environment Conditions & Physical Requirements
This position interacts and collaborates will all levels of the organization, including Oregon Humane staff, executive team members, donors, general public, external vendors, volunteers, and supporters. Contact and communication is carried out through face-to-face, telephone and digital interactions. Excellent customer service skills are essential to success. Communication must be clear, understandable, professional and respectful in all circumstances.
WORKING CONDITIONS
• Work is performed in an office and medical center/animal shelter environment.
• Travel between the two campuses may be required.
• Working at both campuses may be required.
• Weekend and evening work may is required.
• Animal contact and related injuries may occur.
• Noise exposure varies and sometimes includes uncontrolled barking and other animal vocalizations.
• Pace of work is active and demanding, requiring a high degree of multitasking and ability to adapt to changing priorities while managing concurrent projects/tasks to completion.
• Contact with angry or emotional people may occur.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Ability to lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds occasionally, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, climb ladders, and work with hands and arms at or above shoulder level as job tasks require.
• Ability to push or pull carts and maintenance equipment and to operate tools and grounds equipment safely.
• Ability to work outdoors and in varied environmental conditions, including temperature extremes, as needed.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment and follow applicable safety procedures.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and address and overcome complex challenges and barriers. We strive for a culture of integrity, respect and compassion where every member of our community contributes their perspectives and authentic selves and where everyone reaches their potential as individuals and teams. We recognize that striving for diversity, equity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Oregon Humane is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained impact.
We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group.
At-Will Employment
This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related duties required by their supervisor. This document does not create an employment contract implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship.