Manager, Veterinary Services (Surgery)

Love animals? Want to spend your day surrounded by wagging tails and soft purrs?

Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV), a privately funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit, has been serving people and pets in Silicon Valley since 1929. Having facilitated more than half a million animal adoptions, HSSV is a leader in animal welfare through our lifesaving efforts, community programs, and the many ways we are working to move the animal welfare industry forward. Our mission is to save lives, keep families together, and create a better future for pets and their people.

We are a passionate, high-performing team who believes that collaboration is key to our success. Our best work is achieved by leveraging each other’s strengths and creating opportunities for professional growth. Together, we make a difference “one paw” at a time.

Overview

Want to make an impact in animal welfare? The Manager, Veterinary Services (Surgery) plays a key role that delivers world class medical services and programs encompassing animals in our shelter and community. This individual will manage a team of medical support staff, including RVTs, veterinary assistants, students, and volunteers, in our state-of-the-art facility providing the highest standard of care. With a focus on delivering new programs, driving productivity improvements, and identifying areas of opportunity and resource investments, the ideal candidate is passionate about operational excellence, takes a creative and innovative look towards challenges, and excels in day-to-day operations.

HSSV performs over 8,000 spays and neuters per year, along with hundreds of orthopedic, soft tissue and oral surgeries. The focus for this core service area is managing the functions of HSSV’s high quality/high volume spay/neuter surgery program for the main Peter Detkin and Michelle Oates Detkin Animal Care Center and the Wellness Wagon mobile program.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Promote a work environment that encourages high-quality service, accountability, employee empowerment, innovation, and teamwork.
• Focus on employee relations and performance management, including goal development and communications about day-to-day and ongoing performance and WAGS (goals) management.
• Develop a culture of learning and feedback by implementing on-going skill-building for staff and volunteers to meet appropriate training targets and maintain safe working conditions.
• Partner with Medical Management team in a collaborative and cohesive stewardship of the Medical team’s daily workflow and essential needs.
• Work with Sr. Director and Medical Management team to develop and deliver on department strategic goals, budgets, and owned outcomes.
• Partner with the Volunteer Department to ensure volunteer recruitment needs are met and supervise volunteers assigned to the department.
• Build innovative and scalable onsite and mobile surgical programs and manage surgical capacity.
• Partner with Lead Veterinarian to identify and implement best practices.
• Work collaboratively with other HSSV departments to establish strong lines of communication and ensure cross-functional efficiencies.
• Ensure medical software systems are fully utilized and drive department efficiencies. • Establish metrics and reports to analyze activities and programs; proactively monitor and share critical data in conjunction with capacity management and animal flow efforts.
• Handle all animals safely and humanely using proper restraint and low-stress handling techniques; model best practices and hold staff and volunteers accountable for the same.
• Create monthly staff schedule, approve payroll, and manage time off requests.
• Respond to client surgical inquiries and post-surgical complications.
• Other job duties may be assigned as needed.

Requirements

• Experience working in a highly collaborative environment in an animal shelter or veterinary clinic leadership role, managing staff and/or volunteers.
• Knowledge and experience in high quality/high volume spay/neuter surgery techniques, workflow, and pre/post-op processes and demands.
• Understanding of the value of active population management, capacity for care, herd health, and data-driven decision making.
• Proven ability to plan, lead, and execute projects successfully.
• Excellent animal handling skills including fearful or aggressive animals; Fear Free training and/or certification a plus.
• Forward looking perspective with strong initiative to strive for results and growth.
• Effective problem-solving and decision-making ability and self-motivated with demonstrated ability to work well independently and collaboratively.
• Outstanding interpersonal and relationship building skills (with internal and external audiences), including excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with the use of spreadsheets, MS Office and Outlook, shelter management databases, and veterinary practice management systems (Shelter Buddy and/or Vetter a plus).
• RVT certification ideal but not required.
• Ability to lift and carry weights of up to 50lbs, with assistance, from floor to waist level. Ability to kneel on the floor, bend at the waist, reach forward and rotate the upper body. Sit/stand for sustained periods of time. Walk on wet or dry surfaces. Work both indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions during both daylight and after dark. Frequent exposure to loud noise, odors, and chemicals. Exposure to animals with unknown history and behaviors.

Work Days and Hours

Hours are flexible and based on organizational needs. 5 day/week schedule will include at least one weekend day. This position requires rotating after-hours emergency on-call phone shifts and rotating coverage of holidays.

Candidate Tip

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