Director of Operations

Director of Operations (Veterinarian)

East Coast, US

Heart + Paw, an innovative pet care company in the Philadelphia area, is hiring a Director of Operations. The ideal candidate will be a veterinarian who has a minimum 5 years of clinical experience (ideally 8-10 years) with 2-3 years of hospital level leadership where they were actively involved in coaching or mentoring others, and leading medical areas of focus. They will have a proven track record of achieving goals through fostering a strong positive culture of support and development. Our Operations team is veterinarian-led which has been an intentional and thoughtful approach to the oversight of our centers. Therefore, only veterinarians will be considered. The Director of Operations should be located on the east coast.

Role and Responsibilities

The Director of Operations is responsible for ensuring that all services at Heart + Paw Centers and Partner Hospitals meet the appropriate standards of care (as defined by state practice act and Heart + Paw). The Director of Operations assists with the oversight of Heart + Paw’s daily business activities at our Centers and Partner Hospitals. They are responsible for developing our partner doctors, supporting them as needed to implement an operational plan, overcome the challenges of the day, and ensuring that procedures are carried out properly, also resulting in the achievement of financial goals. They are responsible for developing a strong and positive culture of support and empathy by building strong relationships with center leaders and team members. Doing so will require a significant amount of traveling (approximately 50-60% of the time), flexibility, and coaching side-by-side in the centers.

• Serve as a role model and champion of the Heart + Paw brand.
• Serve as resource for other pet centers within the Heart + Paw community as applicable.
• Support the Center and Hospital teams, encouraging collaboration and communication across all center services (care, style, play, and stay) and championing low-stress handling philosophies and top-quality preventative care.
• In partnership with Center Leaders, ensure that team members who embrace our core values are hired and trained to deliver excellent pet care and an outstanding client experience.
• In partnership with Center Leaders, oversee proper use and maintenance of all center equipment, facility cleanliness, and adherence to brand standards.
• In partnership with the Center Leaders, create a positive and collaborative working environment for all team members.
• Partner with Center Leaders to provide support on all team member issues (scheduling, communication, development, discipline).
• Provide effective communication between Centers and Partner Hospitals and Heart + Paw Support Center and leadership.
• Participate in planning, budgeting, and review of financial performance of the centers.
• Review PowerBI and other performance assessment tools and help to empower leaders to make informed decisions about the business.
• Partner with Center Leaders to deliver outstanding financial results for each Heart + Paw location.
• Carry out operational policies and guidelines for the organization.
• Working with the Human Resources to develop and implement team training plans and team member evaluations.
• Work with departmental heads to develop financial plans and ensure company-wide compliance.
• Track Center and Partner Hospital revenue margins and conduct budget reviews to maximize profits.
• Manage procurement and resource allocation in collaboration with Center Leaders and the Operations Department.
• Support and coach Center Leaders on the development of medical, technical, and communication skills of all team members at Centers and Partner Hospitals.
• Serve as a mentor, coach, and resource to Center Leaders.
• Help Center Leaders overcome obstacles that hinder their ability to see their daily patient caseloads in a quality, positive, efficient and client-centric manner.
• Support Center Leaders in utilizing available Heart + Paw technologies available (Telemedicine, texting, emails, etc.)
• Support and assist Center Leaders in addressing client concerns arising from care provided in centers.
• Develop and maintain positive and lasting relationships with Center Leaders and their teams, vendors and partners, and the community.
• Collaborate and support peers on the Operations team (Directors of Operations, Director of Style Services, and Play Services Specialist) and Support Center.
• Represent Heart + Paw at continuing education and industry events and within industry organizations, helping to foster brand awareness that will help to foster a great reputation within the industry.
• Work with Talent Acquisition and be a brand ambassador that is actively recruiting talent and building a pipeline of talent that will help foster the growth of our teams.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• The Director of Operations must be a licensed veterinarian (DVM/VMD or equivalent) in good standing with the applicable state veterinary board. They should have a minimum 5 years of clinical experience (ideally 8-10 years) with 2-3 years of hospital level leadership (coaching or mentoring others, leading medical areas of focus) as well as a proven track record of achieving goals through fostering a strong positive culture of support and development.
• They must be able to coach on technique and efficiency with spays/neuters, mass removals, dentals, and soft tissue surgery, medical case management with minimal stress handling related to triaging cases and chronic illnesses and ability to coach Partner Doctors on how to do the same for Associate Doctors in their centers.

Core Competencies

• Compassionate and professional demeanor
• Strong ability to build rapport, nurture relationships, and establish trust with team members
• Proficient written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to champion treating pets, pet parents, and our team like family in a way no one ever has before
• Ability to demonstrate and live the Heart + Paw values in their everyday interactions with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to fairly assess situations and concerns from multiple angles and perspectives
• Ability to set clear expectations and goals and provide necessary, regular follow up on progress
• Strong business acumen
• Ability to optimize a doctor’s skillset to the benefit of the doctor’s engagement and hospital performance
• Ability to coach center leaders through challenges such as labor, COGS, team member development, employee relations issues, team engagement, revenue optimization, and well-being
• Ability to receive feedback from all angles and positions (supervisor, team members, executive team) without becoming defensive or disengaged
• Ability to connect teams with the broader company vision and core values
• Adaptable and ability to pivot as needed

Heart + Paw is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply.