Managing Veterinarian

Description

To learn more about this exciting opportunity and what we have to offer, please click here to view the Managing Veterinarian brochure.

The Position

Reporting directly to the Animal Services Director, the Managing Veterinarian is fully accountable for overseeing veterinary facilities, personnel, and operations at Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS). This role is responsible for developing written protocols for the medical care of sheltered and public animals while directly supervising staff veterinarians and paraprofessional veterinary staff. It also provides indirect supervision to animal care technicians, animal control officers, and other assigned staff. Acting as a liaison between the public, outside agencies, and the local veterinary community, the Managing Veterinarian addresses matters related to public and animal health. As a key member of the executive leadership team, this position plays a vital role in agency decision-making and policy development, ensuring alignment with VCAS’s mission, vision, and values.

The Agency

VCAS has adopted the Socially Conscious Sheltering (SCS) framework, which aligns with our core values of encouraging cooperation and collaboration with all stakeholders (elected officials, community members, private veterinarians, transfer/rescue partners, law enforcement, non-profit organizations, local businesses, volunteers, and other animal welfare agencies). Our goal is to foster a positive culture of mutual respect and support.

VCAS offers a wide array of programs and services to the residents and animals of Ventura County. These services include animal sheltering, pet adoptions, lost & found, field services, cruelty investigations, pet licensing, TNR surgical services, low-cost vaccination clinics, volunteer/foster opportunities, and emergency disaster response. Each year, Ventura County Animal Services cares for more than 10,000 stray and surrendered animals. VCAS operates two amazing, life-saving shelters within the county: the main shelter in Camarillo has a 400-animal capacity, which can increase to over 900 during declared natural disasters and the Simi Valley Animal Shelter, which is a smaller facility offering many of the same services as the Camarillo Shelter.

Benefits and Compensation:

• Annual Leave Redemption: The option to cash out up to 100 hours out of 208 total accrued Annual Leave hours per year.
• Deferred Compensation: Section 457 Plan and/or 401(k) Shared Savings Plan with up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions.
• Health Plans: You are afforded a flexible credit allowance of up to $19,162 annually for purchasing medical, dental, and/ or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.
• Bilingual Incentive: Proficiency levels by exam are $.65 per hour (Level I), $.80 per hour (Level II), or $1.10 per hour (Level III).
• Holidays: 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
• Pension Plan: Both the County and you contribute to the County’s Retirement Plan and to Social Security. If you are eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems, such as PERS.
• Accreditation pay: An accredited Veterinarian is eligible to receive specialty pay for maintaining accreditation.
• Student Loan Forgiveness: The County currently qualifies as an eligible employer for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information you are encouraged to speak with your student loan servicer or visit: http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation .

The Managing Veterinarian is an at-will classification and exempt from the provisions of the Civil Service Ordinance.

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Directly supervise veterinarians and paraprofessional staff, including recruitment, hiring, payroll, probation/annual performance review, and progressive discipline.
• Supervise the professional development of veterinarians and keep abreast of veterinary and shelter medicine trends.
• Adhere to the highest ethical standards and ensure that veterinary care is provided in a safe, competent, professional, compassionate and humane manner with the goal of meeting the 5 freedoms and animal sheltering best practices.
• Provide professional oversight regarding the development and implementation of shelter programs to the executive leadership team.
• Analyze animal healthcare trends and make recommendations as appropriate for herd health management and individual animal care.
• Develop policies and procedures for the veterinary premises ensuring that all veterinary drugs, supplies and equipment are used and maintained in accordance with the Veterinary Practice Act and all relevant local/state law/ordinances.
• Develop hospital protocols for medical and surgical care of public and sheltered animals, including but not limited to spay/neuter efforts, VCAS shelter hospital, and community-facing programs.
• Provide oversight and perform animal forensic examinations, including the development of legal templates for physical examinations/necropsies, and treatment protocols. Provide legal testimony and written legal reports when requested by humane law enforcement. Act as a liaison with humane law enforcement agencies as requested for animal cruelty cases.
• Oversee, review, and train staff on the Certified Euthanasia Technician training materials. Develop curriculum and train staff in medical care and protocols. Evaluate, create, and coordinate the training and development needs of staff and volunteers to assure professional standards of performance.
• Provide oversight for veterinary-related internship and outreach programs
• Promote a positive relationship with the public, volunteers, and staff. Address customer complaints related to the Veterinary department in a positive and professional manner.
• Act as professional liaison, speaker, and spokesperson and represent VCAS at outside meetings, including meetings for staff, volunteers, transfer partners/contracts and/or the veterinary community, as directed.
• Perform direct veterinary care including, but not limited to, spay/neuter, general surgery, wellness and emergency care for public and shelter animals, as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Typical Qualifications

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: Graduation from an accredited school of veterinary medicine recognized by the Board of Examiners in Veterinary Medicine of the State of California, and experience in the delivery of high quality spay/neuter and animal medical services which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

The required skills, knowledge and abilities also can be obtained by a degree in veterinary medicine and two years of full-time professional experience in the practice of veterinary medicine. One year of graduate study in veterinary medicine or a closely related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Possession and maintenance of a valid license to practice Veterinary Medicine issued by the California Board of Examiners in Veterinary Medicine.
• Must possess and maintain
  • Valid driver license (Must be licensed in California within 30 days of hire)
  • License to practice Veterinary Medicine issued by the California Board of Examiners in Veterinary Medicine
  • Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) license
  • National Accreditation Number (NAN) issued by the National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP) within 60 days of hire
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and other computer skills (databases, computerized records, etc.) and Department's shelter software program(within 6 months of hire).
• Must be willing and able to:
  • Lift up to 50 lbs
  • Work in Camarillo and Simi Valley as required.
  • Work nights, weekends, holidays, and share on-call responsibilities as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Thorough knowledge of: the most current veterinary practices relating to the treatment and cure of injured and sick animals; State, Federal and local laws and ordinances pertaining to the humane treatment of animals; principles and practices of current veterinary medicine, including disease identification, prevention, control and eradication.

Thorough skills to: perform proper diagnosis and postmortem procedures; prepare clear, complete, and technical reports; analyze critical situations accurately and take decisive and effective action: and utilize various computer software and systems.

Ability to: Work under minimal supervision; provide surgical and medical services and care for a variety of well, sick, and injured animals, including a high volume of spay and neutering operations; prepare written reports, correspondence and other documents using a personal computer; train and develop personnel on a variety of medical techniques common to animal care; keep informed of the latest developments methods, techniques, equipment, and facilities in veterinary medicine; serve as liaison to advise and/or resolve differences with other public agencies, community organizations, and the general public; establish and maintain effective working relationships with management, co-workers, and the general public; and communicate effectively orally and in writing.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
Duties are performed primarily indoors and involve moderate to heavy physical activities. Frequent exposure to dangerous and diseased animals. Staff of approximately ten (10) employees with a budget exceeding $1,950,000.

Recruitment Process

To APPLY for this exceptional career opportunity, please sendyour current curriculum vitae/CV and cover letter illustrating your veterinarian experience and leadership experience in one of the following ways:

• Submit a resume/CV and cover letter at www.ventura.org/jobs
• E-mail resume/CV and cover letter to Sabrina.Anderson@ventura.org

FIRST REVIEW OF RESUMES will be the week of April 21, 2025.

INTERVIEW PROCESS: Following a structured evaluation of the curriculum vitae/CVs, and cover letters, the most qualified candidates will be invited to a panel interview. The interviews may be consolidated into one process or expanded into multiple interviews contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post-offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, and driving record may be required for this position.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Sabrina Anderson by phone at (805) 654-2642 or by email at Sabrina.Anderson@ventura.org .

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

MANAGEMENT

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
• Retirement FAQ's
• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Codes: MB3, MB4, MS, MT, MCC, MU

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

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• County of Ventura

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