Area Chief of Staff

Banfield Pet Hospital•San Antonio, TX

About The Position

The Chief of Staff manages a veterinary hospital to support high-quality veterinary care, exceptional client service, associate engagement, and productive veterinary teams. The role advocates for pets and their quality of life, builds lasting relationships with clients, and educates clients and associates about pet health. In partnership with the Practice Manager, when applicable, the Chief of Staff helps operate an effective veterinary medical team, maintain a safe and engaging hospital environment, and improve medical quality and business performance. The role combines leadership responsibilities, generally about 20–30% of the time, with Associate Veterinarian responsibilities, generally about 70–80%. The precise balance depends on hospital needs and requires sound judgment to maintain productivity. Leadership work includes developing and supporting hospital associates, coordinating operations and schedules, communicating with hospital and field teams, and contributing to hospital planning and performance. Veterinary work includes preventive and diagnostic care, treatment planning, surgery as appropriate, client education, and oversight of safe and effective clinical operations. The position may require more than 40 hours per week, including evenings and weekends. It involves working around a variety of pets and exposure to potential bites or scratches, and occasionally anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards, and medications or controlled substances. Some travel is required to support other area hospitals, attend vendor visits, and participate in associate education. The associate must obtain required state-controlled-substance and federal DEA licenses within three months of employment, unless state requirements differ, and obtain USDA accreditation within three months of employment.

Requirements

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM/VMD) or equivalent degree.
Veterinary license in good standing or eligibility for licensure with the applicable state veterinary board.
At least two years of clinical experience.
One to three years of experience coaching and developing associate doctors.
Meet all required clinical competencies.
Obtain state-controlled-substance and federal DEA licenses within three months of employment, unless otherwise required by the state of employment.
Obtain USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service National Veterinary Accreditation Program accreditation within three months of employment.
Ability to perform basic surgeries using standard medical instruments and equipment.
Ability to multitask accurately under distracting conditions and shift attention among tasks.
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify issues and develop practical solutions.
Ability to understand and follow oral, written, or diagrammed instructions and provide directions.
Commitment to continual learning; mathematical ability to perform basic arithmetic, calculate rates, ratios, and percentages, and convert units of measurement.
Comfort and confidence using computers and specialized software.
Initiative, integrity, cooperativeness, flexibility, independence, and resilience under stress.
Ability to be confident around pets, including dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles.
Ability to work more than 40 hours per week when client needs and work volume require it, including evenings and weekends.
Ability to carry out instructions and solve problems involving several variables; sufficient ambulatory ability to perform hospital duties.
Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb, and to lift, carry, or move up to 50 pounds.
Good hand-eye coordination, finger-hand-arm dexterity, ability to reach and grasp, and visual acuity for keyboard and medical-equipment use; close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth vision and ability to adjust focus.
Willingness to travel to support other area hospitals, attend vendor visits, and participate in associate education.

Responsibilities

Model the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. and Banfield’s values in work with the hospital team.
Partner with the Practice Manager, when applicable, to operate the hospital, deliver consistent high-quality care and service, and improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
Train and supervise associates on Banfield guidelines, practices, policies, and professional client service; ensure compliance and address client issues.
Identify operational bottlenecks and develop solutions that enable doctors to provide high-quality care.
Partner with the Medical Director, Field Director, and Practice Manager, when applicable, to interview, select, train, develop, coach, mentor, and, when necessary, discipline or terminate hospital associates.
Lead and mentor Associate Veterinarians, support their professional development, and work with the Medical Director on development plans and practice priorities.
Create and maintain veterinarian schedules and coordinate associate scheduling, time off, and continuing education to meet client needs and Banfield guidelines.
Communicate effectively with associates, clients, field leadership, and Central Team Support; hold routine hospital meetings and share business information and opportunities for feedback.
Build a collaborative, productive hospital team and maintain positive working relationships with the Practice Manager, PetSmart associates, adoption agencies, clients, field leadership, and Central Team Support.
Develop annual hospital plans, budgets, and productivity levels with relevant hospital and field leaders; execute market objectives and participate in market-level initiatives.
Partner with the Practice Manager to deliver financial results and develop veterinary assistants’ and technicians’ technical and medical skills.
Ensure associates follow dress and grooming guidelines and that the hospital complies with practice policies and applicable local, state, and federal laws.
Establish client trust and compliance through preventive care, complete diagnostic workups, treatment plans, home-care instructions, and follow-up planning.
Gather and evaluate patient histories, examinations, and diagnostic information to make appropriate clinical decisions; practice evidence-based medicine and preventive care when applicable.
Practice in accordance with the State Veterinary Practice Act, controlled-substance laws, Banfield’s Code of Ethics, and medical-record requirements; ensure complete medical records.
Lead the veterinary team through daily schedules and caseloads, delegate tasks to paraprofessionals, and improve hospital efficiency.
Provide veterinary services, including prescribing and administering preventive care, diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries, prescribing drugs and vaccines, and performing surgery as needed within Banfield protocols.
Communicate diagnoses and treatment plans to clients and the veterinary medical team, advocate for preventive care and wellness plans, and build lasting client relationships.
Promote safety by ensuring appropriate restraint techniques and maintaining clean, sterile, and organized treatment, examination, and laboratory areas.
Strive to meet performance metrics, demonstrate integrity and ethics, and address client concerns about medical care.
Provide leadership to other area hospitals as needed and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
401(k) and Roth retirement plans with a company match.
Student debt relief program for full-time DVMs.
Paid time off and holidays.
Mental health and wellbeing resources, including free coaching and counseling sessions.
Company-paid associate life insurance and optional supplemental life insurance.
Company-paid short- and long-term disability coverage.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for healthcare and dependent-care expenses.
Health Savings Account (HSA).
Paid parental leave for birth and adoption.
Continuing education allowance for eligible positions.
Backup child and elder care and family support resources.
Fertility and family-building support.
Digital exercise therapy program.
Voluntary protection benefits for hospital stays, critical illness, and accidents.
Legal plan.
Identity protection.
Commuter benefits.
Three free Optimum Wellness Plans for pets.
Exclusive discounts on products and services.