Description

PASADENA HUMANE is a non-profit animal welfare organization looking for passionate professionals to join our team. 

 JOIN US & MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

THE MISSION

To lead the way toward a compassionate and caring community for all animals.

JOB TITLE: Veterinary Heath Staff Administrator
FT/PT: Full Time

JOB SUMMARY

The Veterinary Heath Staff Administrator (VHSA) works to coordinate and develop a team of support staff who provide our best care to the animals living under the auspices of Pasadena Humane. The VHSA supports all the activities undertaken at Pasadena Humane that relate to animal care in the Veterinary Health Department (wildlife and domestic).  These activities range from medical or behavioral care and/or rehabilitation of wildlife and shelter animals, to low cost primary care services for pet guardians in the community (vaccination, high volume spay/neuter), to sharing resources through the wildlife helpline, to engaging medical staff, rehabilitators, volunteers, donors or community members in animal sheltering. 

This position provides critical emergency services and may be required to work to ensure essential and emergency services are delivered to meet operational requirements. 

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The VHSA works alongside health department managers, coordinators and technicians working in the health department, regardless of the area they are assigned to; husbandry, shelter medicine, behavior or surgery.  

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Talent Management

The VHSA collaborates with the Health Department Coordinators, Managers, Directors and Chief Veterinarian to: 

• Recruit and screen candidates for positions in the Health Department and participate in candidate interviews with section leadership.
• Develop and facilitate skill assessments and training programs for onboarding, skill advancement or operational roles
• Create professional development opportunities within or outside Pasadena Humane
• Coordinate with section leadership to track, identify and address performance issues across multiple sections.  Collaborate with Human Resources as needed.  
• Deliver timely performance documentation to HR including annual performance reviews  

The VHSA supports the health department managers in the career development of health technicians and in administrative tasks related to the supervision and management of health staff (working with domestic animals).  This includes but may not be limited to: 

• Influencing individual performance through the coordination of skill training, coaching, feedback, or performance improvement plans
• Developing performance metrics that reflect the annual or long term goals of the department and ensuring that the metrics are understood by and relevant to staff
• Engaging staff in the work of the Veterinary Health Department and of Pasadena Humane to maximize talent retention 
  working with Coordinators and Managers each shift to ensure work is being prioritized appropriately and completed to protocol standards,  
• Coordinating and co-facilitating in running regular section meetings
• Working with Coordinators and Managers to ensure staff are developing skills
• Ensure staff are up to date on license and certificate requirements for job roles including but not limited to radiology safety training, DEA drug handling courses, CET training and general safety training. Work with HR on record keeping and compliance.  
• Coordinating the monthly staffing schedule and time and attendance.  Manage time off requests, schedule swaps and communicate with section managers as needed.

The VHSA promotes the integration of volunteers into the Heath Department.  This may include and is not limited to: 

• Providing operational expertise to the Volunteer Services Department leadership.  
• Working cooperatively with volunteers
• Recognizing the talent, commitment and service volunteers bring to Pasadena Humane  

Administrative Duties

The VHSA keeps the Health Department in compliance with all local, state and federal laws regarding the practice of rehabilitation, veterinary medicine, controlled substances, and animal welfare, including collaborating with HR to ensure organization’s policies and protocols are followed. 

The VHSA partners with health department leadership and the Veterinary Health Administrator to identify and monitor facility concerns with domestic and wildlife care.  This includes and is not limited to: 

• Identify and report broken or hazardous equipment to the Facilities Department or Veterinary Health Administrator as appropriate (e.g. dishwashers, rescue dispensers, floor cleaners, misters, HVAC and outdoor kennel heating), including medical equipment (e.g. anesthesia machines, radiology units)  
• Monitor housing repairs or improvements.  
• Support the work of contractors brought in by the Facilities Department.  

Program Management

The VHSA supports the department's management to develop and implement standard operating procedures that reflect the most current wildlife medicine, shelter medicine, behavioral intervention and high quality/high volume spay/neuter standards.  This may include and is not limited to assisting to: 

• Implement, support and monitor wildlife diversion and humane euthanasia protocols
• Implement support and monitor shelter medicine, behavioral treatment, high quality/high volume spay/neuter and humane euthanasia protocols as relates to the population in the wildlife center and domestic animal shelter: 
  
  • analyze and monitor capacity for care analyze and monitor length of stay, particularly time under treatment
  • develop and support pathways to live release
  • develop nursing processes
  • manage infectious disease
• Gather and report accurate data in support of diversion, humane euthanasia and live release 
   

Leadership

The VHSA collaborates with the Director of Wildlife Education and Services, Senior Director of Animal Care and the Chief Veterinarian to prepare the team for change.  This may include and is not limited to: 

• Develop relationships across the organization so as to understand the direction each department is taking and take advantage of synergies
• Model the behaviors and attitudes that exemplify the values and culture of Pasadena Humane
• Participate in developing and carrying out the vision for the Health Department
• Participate in developing and carrying out Health Department annual and long term goals
• Create the conditions needed for staff to be able to embrace changes as the vision and goals for the department evolves 
   

Requirements

Education and Experience

• BA or BS required.  An equivalent combination of experience and education will be considered.
• IAABC, CWR, RVT or VTS preferred
• Certified Euthanasia Technician training and VACSP required or within one year of hire.
• Three years of experience working in veterinary medicine, animal science, ecology, agriculture, public health, rehabilitation, laboratory animal research, biology or similar field preferred
• One year of experience in a lead role that includes staff development and training.   
   

Other requirements

• Must interact positively with supervisor, management, coworkers, volunteers, and the public to promote a team effort and maintain a positive and professional approach.
• Must come to work regularly and on time, follow directions, take criticism, get along with coworkers and supervisors, treat coworkers, supervisory staff, members and guests with respect, courtesy, and refrain from abusive, insubordinate and/or violent behavior.
• Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Must have valid driver’s license with a satisfactory driving record. 
   

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to elicit teamwork that delivers results from colleagues of diverse professional, cultural and community backgrounds
• Ability to implement a performance management system centered on coaching, rewards and an “advance or leave” philosophy focused on self-driven professional development
• Comfortable with conflict and able to work to resolve it
• Ability to cultivate varied professional relationships
• Ability to deliver specific, measurable results, on their own or working with a team
• Skilled at problem solving
• Ability to develop and implement operational processes
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing; including to comfortably speak before groups of people
• Skilled at creating and delivering innovative and engaging training
• Ability to embrace and foster change, able to see value in experimentation
• Ability to perform research and analysis, then present the results
• Comfortable with analysis that is mathematics or statistics based
• Able to acquire knowledge and learn new skills; committed to lifelong learning
• Computer literate, comfortable working in a paperless environment, able to learn to use new software in a short period of time
• Experience in shelter or wildlife medicine, herd health and/or animal welfare and shelter operations a plus 
   

WORK SCHEDULE

Must come to work regularly and on time. Must be able to work early hours according to the needs of the department schedule, including weekends and holidays.