Ready to Establish the Core Team

As we finalize all the documents for VEFM with the appropriate state and federal agencies, it is necessary to establish a core team. If you are interested in helping VEFM's cause, and want to work closely with Don and me and a few key people, now is the time to speak up. We are looking for volunteers with excellent leadership and administrative skills, for the following positions. Additional qualifications for specific functions are described at the end of the list. Those that must be local to southeastern Massachusetts are indicated.

1) Coordinator of volunteers
2) Fund raising coordinator
3) Veterinary liason
4) Chief client advocate
5) Financial coordinator (local)
6) Prayer team leader
7) Research assistant
8) Administrative assistant (local)
9) Director of promotions and advertising
10) Director of pet owner educational programs
11) Coordinator for future Board of Directors (local)

At present, none of these important roles is a paid position, although we certainly hope that VEFM will grow so much that paid positions can be offered in the future.

Qualifications for Core Team Members:

1) Coordinator of volunteers: Primary role will be to schedule, motivate, and organize the volunteers, to make the best use of their time and abilities.
----Able to lead and to motivate people of varying abilities.
----Skilled at setting up and arranging schedules.
----Organized and even-tempered.

2) Fund raising coordinator: Primary role will be to develop a comprehensive fund raising plan, and to carry out fund raising events and projects, working closely with volunteers and other core team members.
----Background in fund raising, or similar experience.
----Able to plan and to carry out fund raising events.
----Knowledgeable about fund raising options for non-profit organizations.
----Able to work closely with team members in a team-oriented approach.
----Organized and even-tempered.
----Comfortable with public speaking and conversation with news teams or celebrities.

3) Veterinary liason: Primary role will be to be VEFM's main communicator with the veterinary community, either locally, or nationally, including written, phone, and in-person correspondence.
----Previous experience in a veterinary office setting, including direct experience dealing with both clients and veterinarians (i.e., not just kennel or treatment experience).
----Working knowledge of veterinary terminology.
----Pleasant, respectful, confident demeanor.

4) Chief client advocate: Primary role is to ensure that everything possible is being done to assist the pet owners that need our assistance, including coordinating other client advocates and case workers, assisting in the paperwork required for invidual cases, and being support and comfort to clients who are understandable stressed by their circumstances.
----Organized, and even-tempered.
----Excellent problem-solving and administrative skills.
----Able to maintain enough emotional space from the clients and the pets to be able to function well in high-stress situations.
----Compassionate and empathetic with varying financial and personal situations in which owners find themselves.
----Compassionate and empathetic with the animal in the the midst of the crisis.

5) Financial coordinator: Primary role is to process applications for financial aid, to record and deposit revenue taken in, to disburse funds for various purposes, and to maintain detailed financial records for various government requirements.
----Must have background in banking or financial services.
----Organized, precise, and detail-oriented.
----Excellent mathmatical and book-keeping skills.
----Familiar with basic accounting principles.

6) Prayer team leader: Primary role is to develop and facilitate a prayer team, who will pray daily for all aspects of VEFM.
----Comfortable leading either individuals or a group in prayer, whether in person, or on the internet, or on the phone.
----Sets an example of faithful Christian living, as suggested by the Statement of Faith that is available for examination on the VEFM web site or blog: http://www.vefm.org/ or http://vefm.blogspot.com/.
----Dedicated to providing a continual "prayer covering" for the mission, goals, people, animals, and functions of VEFM.
----Respectful of the spiritual views of others, without diminishing the fact that VEFM is founded on fundamental Christian beliefs.

7) Research Assistant: Primary role is to do research about numerous topics, using various resources, including the internet, books, magazines, and personal interviews.
----Organized, focused, and goal oriented--able to stay on-task.
----Able to read quickly and with good comprehension.
----Familiar with internet search engines and search methods.
----Familiar with library literature search methods.
----Comfortable with personal interview techniques.

8) Administrative Assistant: Primary role is to oversee and maintain day-to-day VEFM operations.
----Experienced at information technology and project management, especially relating to the internet and non-profit organizations.
----Articulate, with good spelling and grammar.
----Organized and even-tempered.
----Able to juggle multiple projects.
----Able to prepare written materials.

9) Director of promotions and advertising: Primary role is to plan, develop, and execute projects for promotions and advertising.
----Background in marketing, advertising, or promotions
----Creative and articulate.
----Familiar with at least one graphic arts editing programs, such as Adobe Photoshop, that will save files in jpeg, pdf, and gif formats.
----Skilled at project management.

10) Director of pet owner educational programs: Primary role is to find existing programs or to develop and establish new programs, that will educate pet owners about managing finances and preventing pet emergencies.
----Keenly interested in owner education.
----Able to put together information from diverse sources.
----Skilled at internet and library research.

11) Coordinator for future Board of Directors: Primary role is to plan for a future Board of Directors, including establishing by-laws and policies, and assisting the VEFM corporation secretary in documenting meetings and decisions.
----Experience with boards of directors.
----Familiar with legal and accounting terminology.
----Familiar with requirements for 501(C)(3) organizations.
----Committed to maintaining "arms length" decisions, in order to prevent any potential conflict of interest in transactions and agreements.

**All positions report directly to the president and vice-president of VEFM. This may not be a complete list of available volunteer positions and is subject to change without notice.