Head of Animal Care at ASPCA

Summary:

Who we are:

Have you ever wondered what happens to cats and dogs whose owners are unable to afford veterinary care? We did. The ASPCA’s Community Medicine (CM) team provides expert veterinary care to support the welfare of animals and their people through our stationary and mobile veterinary clinics, serving the most underserved communities in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. We help pet owners overcome barriers to care, bringing quality services directly to the communities that need us most and partially or fully subsidizing the cost of basic and preventive care. CM treats people and pets with dignity and respect, assisting pet owners in making informed decisions about their pets’ health and wellbeing regardless of their financial circumstances. When you come to work at the ASPCA, you join a team of over 1,000 dedicated colleagues with deep knowledge, skills, and passion for the animals we serve.

What you’ll do:

Support new and experienced veterinarians in reaching their potential at a job they are proud of, where animal well-being, teamwork and serving the community are at the core of our work. As a member of the management team, you will deliver key CM objectives: lead a happy, high-functioning team, ensure patients receive the highest-quality care with minimal fear and stress, and deliver outstanding client experiences to maximize the ASPCA’s impact in the community. As both a player and a coach, you will work as a CM veterinarian as needed – seeing appointments, treating cats and dogs in our Primary Pet Care (PPC) program or performing high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) for shelter/rescue animals and beloved pets.

What you’ll get:

• Work/life balance:
  • five-day work week with two days off to recharge – regular day shifts with no on-call or after-hours
  • paid vacation time to relax
  • paid sick time to heal
  • three paid continuing education days and a CE stipend to keep your skills sharp
  • ten paid holidays to observe
  • plus – paid personal time to celebrate what and when you like
• Terrific benefits package:
  • medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • pre-tax dependent care and health flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
  • 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions beginning after one year of service
  • employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance
  • veterinary state license fee reimbursement
  • and more - note that benefits are subject to change annually
• Room to grow: the ASPCA has robust professional development programs to help you grow as a veterinarian and a leader
• Support: structured mentorship from experienced veterinarians - we are one of the largest and most impactful animal welfare organizations in the world, so you will always have a strong team to lean on and cheer you on

Work Schedule:

This is typically a Monday – Friday, 8 hour schedule with flexibility to work occasionally beyond the scheduled work day and Saturdays approximately once per quarter may be required. This is an on-site position at the CVC and requires occasional flexibility in reporting location.

Reporting Structure:

You will report to the Community Veterinary Clinic (CVC) Director (solid line) for all nonmedical job functions and will take direction from the Senior Medical Director (dotted line) for all duties related to veterinary medicine.

Responsibilities:

Job Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

People Leadership (35%)

• Support a culture of respect, belonging and teamwork through regular 1:1s, recognition, supervision, developmental coaching, performance evaluation and feedback; seek counsel with CM’s People Partner as needed
• Oversee and monitor medicine and surgery provided at the ASPCA’s CVC according to CM’s standard operating procedures and guidelines
• Coach veterinarians in high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) techniques and other medical protocols.
• Ensure that all team members have received training and mastered the skills to handle patients in a low stress manner, and that they implement these handling techniques consistently in all their interactions with animals
• Instill the guiding principle that everyone can – and should – actively support the animals’ behavioral and mental health in everything they do
• Teach and train veterinarians about their role in the ASPCA’s commitment to improving access to care for all animals
• Coach veterinarians and others to communicate effectively with clients, including difficult end-of-life conversations
• Be a consistent and visible presence on the floor to answer questions, make timely adjustments, offer support, receive/give feedback, lend a hand, and foster understanding and commitment to ASPCA’s mission
• In coordination with your management team peers (Medical and Client Operations Managers) and under the guidance of the CVC Director, deliver cohesive messaging and address root causes of location problems and deliver corrective action plans as needed
• Partner with the ASPCA’s Talent Acquisition Team to recruit and hire staff and per diem veterinarians; onboard and train new staff on CM medical processes and procedures
• Mentor and train Residents, Fellows and Interns and Externs. Coach your staff to do the same

Medical (50%)

• Provide compassionate, quality preventive and basic care to patients in underserved areas, overseeing all aspects of veterinary care during a clinic day including physical examination, diagnostics, treatment recommendations and delivery, prescribing of medications and discharge information
• Work side by side with staff veterinarians as a PPC doctor or HQHVSN surgeon treating cats and dogs
• Perform pre-surgery physical examinations on all surgical candidates; perform approximately 30-40 high quality, high volume spay/neuter surgical procedures per spay/neuter clinic day
• Diagnose and treat post-surgical complications of outpatient animals
• Triage and refer cases that do not fall within the Community Medicine parameters of care as appropriate
• Fill in as needed to cover surgery or PPC shifts
• Support internal ASPCA departments, such as the Adoption Center, Animal Hospital, Kitten Nursery, ARC/CARE, CMS and Community Engagement, with medical consultations and support
• Provide a safe and compassionate environment for animals in our care, our staff, and for our clients by using low-stress handling techniques

Administrative (15%)

• Schedule CM staff veterinarians and per diems for optimal coverage to keep the program running smoothly
• Meet regularly with the Senior Medical Director and Senior Director of Operations; provide open and honest and communication and feedback when things aren’t working as they should
• Participate in monthly CM Veterinary Medicine Rounds and Morbidity and Mortality Meetings with the Vice President of Medicine; present on interesting cases or current topics in veterinary medicine as needed
• Support the ASPCA’s commitment to research and development to benefit animals across the country by participating in studies designed to improve access to care
• Attend workshops or meetings as needed

Exemplifies the ASPCA’s Core Values:

• Has Commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals
• Demonstrates Ownership and feels responsible for outcomes
• Believes in Team – that we are stronger together
• Seeks to Elevate others and reimagine what is possible

• Focuses on Impact, specifically making change for animals

Compensation and Benefits:

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future.

The target hiring range for this role is $169,500 - $179,500

For more information on our benefits offerings, can be found here.

Stay Connected – Join Our Talent Community

If you are interested in joining our team but do not see a position listed that fits your experience or interests, please click this link and join our Talent Community to stay connected to future opportunities with the ASPCA.

Qualifications:

Current New York State Department of Education Veterinary License, Demonstrate true leadership abilities in challenging situations, Excellent work attendance records, Fear Free Veterinary certification is required within 60 days of hire, Maintain open mind regarding changes and be willing to learn, implement, and teach new protocols, Must have Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree or equivalent, Must possess ability to work in high-volume, fast-paced clinic environmentVeterinarian License - Other

Language:

English (Required)

Education and Work Experience:

Doctorate: Veterinary Medicine (Required), DVM (Required)Minimum one year of experience in high quality, high volume spay/neuter, Minimum three years veterinary experience in small animal medicine and surgery, Previous people management experience strongly preferred

Our EEO Policy:

The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA. Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).

About Us:
The ASPCA was founded in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment by humans and must be protected under the law. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States.

The ASPCA is headquartered in New York City, where we maintain a full-service animal hospital, spay/neuter clinic, mobile spay/neuter and primary pet care clinics, a rehabilitation center for canine victims of cruelty, kitten nursery, adoption center, and two community veterinary centers.

The ASPCA also operates programs and services that extend nationwide. We assist animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources.

At the ASPCA, we are committed to fostering a collaborative and compassionate culture and we welcome all voices to contribute to our lifesaving mission. Our staff represent a vast array of backgrounds and diversity dimensions, bringing with them valuable experiences and perspectives. They join the ASPCA to learn, grow, and continually do their best work on behalf of animals. We are inspired by our staff, partners, and the communities we support across the country who work to improve animal lives. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the ASPCA because it elevates our organizational culture, aligns with our Core Values, and enables us to move further and faster toward the ASPCA’s vision – that all animals live good lives; valued by society, protected by its laws, and free from cruelty, pain and suffering.

Applicants that are residents of Colorado: Per CO Senate Bill 23-058, we cannot generally request or require any age-related information (i.e., age, DOB, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution) on an initial employment application; this includes any age-related inquiries in the initial interview. We are permitted to require/request additional application materials; if those materials contain any age-related information, an applicant may redact the information before submitting an initial employment application.