Salary is based on years of experience
Bonus
Sign on bonus: $5,000 after successful completion of the first 90 days
Relocation bonus up to $1,500
Benefits include but not limited to:
Health Insurance, Life Insurance, 401K match
Qualification and assistance for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
168 hours PTO and 10 paid holidays
Supportive team environment
Required Education:
DVM or equivalent
Chief Veterinarian
The Chief Veterinarian serves as a clinical veterinarian and leader of our community and shelter medicine programs. The LASPCA’s Community Clinic serves as a fee for service and donor subsidized primary care facility, seeking to increase access to high quality veterinary care for underserved communities through incremental medicine, a high quality/high volume spay neuter clinic and a shelter clinic for animals in both the New Orleans and Belle Chase locations. Services include primary and preventative care, high-quality high-volume spay/neuter (HQHV SN) services, community vaccine clinics and well as herd health in the companion animal shelters.
The Chief Veterinarian is responsible for working in partnership with the LASPCA’s leadership team in implementing and maximizing the impact of the clinic program, providing mentorship to the veterinarians and managers, creating a unified set of practices, cultivating a culture of learning, and promoting a positive and healthy environment for team members, animals and community members that we serve.
Responsibilities
Empowers staff veterinarians to provide exceptional and accessible veterinary care through an incremental approach and spectrum of care in a primary and preventative care setting.
Leads a team of veterinarians to have the greatest impact on underserved families and their pets while supporting the wellbeing of the veterinary team.
Performs and provides oversight of the duties of staff veterinarians, including but not limited to:
Perform comprehensive patient exams, diagnostics and/or treatment plan options, providing prescriptions and discharge instructions using an incremental care approach to patient care within the scope of care at the LASPCA.
Performs HQHV spay/neuter surgery and non-elective surgical procedures such as abdominal exploratory surgeries, cystotomies, mass removals, and surgical dentistry for shelter animals and, based on capacity, for clinic clients.
Documents, updates, and maintains thorough and accurate medical records. Adheres to all regulations and LASPCA’s SOPs regarding veterinary medical recordkeeping.
Assists with continued refinement of as well as development of new medical protocols as needed
Effectively and compassionately communicates with clients.
Maintains appropriate State and DEA licensing and completes required continuing education courses. Adheres to all applicable regulations, including the State Veterinary Practice Act, and all LASPCA policies & protocols.
Supports the maintenance of drug and supply inventory while meeting and maintaining DEA requirements.
Ensures the medical purchasing recommendations meet both the medical needs and financial parameters set by the CFO in the budgeting process.
Works in close partnership with the Wellness Clinic Manager and Shelter/Surgery Manager to ensure the smooth functioning and delivery of veterinary services to the community and animals in our shelters.
Serves as a member of the LASPCA leadership team plans and strategy development, formulates department objectives, practices, plans, and decisions to ensure efficient and impactful operations.
Works collaboratively with the CFO in the development of the annual budget.
Monitors and assesses clinic’s performance against benchmarks, proactively discussing related opportunities and challenges with LASPCA’s Leadership.
Maintains a culture of collaboration and teamwork within Clinic team and LASPCA broadly. Serves as a role model for the culture. Maintains a positive and professional attitude.
Assists in case review for complaints that are medical in nature and works towards resolution in a timely manner.
Coaches and empowers LASPCA’s veterinarians on a day-to-day basis, specifically in their provision of veterinary medicine. Leads the ongoing assessment and development of veterinarian performance.
Directly supervises, teaches, and mentors veterinary interns and externs, particularly in meeting their curriculum requirements and personal learning goals.
Provides performance feedback, directly and/or via the respective program managers and veterinarians, as well as interns and externs as needed.
Partners with HR to recruit veterinarians and actively supports the orientation and onboarding of veterinarians new to the department.
Collaborates with the Shelter leadership team to ensure the shelter medicine program is integrated into the shelter operations as needed.
Serves as a veterinary ambassador, promoting the LASPCA’s mission, goals and strategic initiatives to veterinarians, vendors, the public, and other animal welfare related organizations.
Develops KPI’s and aligns all medical practices throughout the Shelter Clinic, Community Clinic and Spay/Neuter Clinic
Why Choose New Orleans?
Undeniably the most unique city in the United States, New Orleans boasts both a legendary and innovative culinary scene; historic architecture that reveals French, Spanish and Caribbean influences; and a music scene that is not only the birthplace of jazz but a musical mecca that draws musicians of all genres from the Foo Fighters recording at Preservation Jazz Hall to the most celebrated annual music festival in the world – the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
But beyond the expressions of amazing food, music and celebrations, every personality, whether an extrovert or introvert, can find their place and spirit in this culturally diverse city. Many new residents are surprised to learn that New Orleans has one of the largest urban parks in the United States with 1,500 acres of walking paths. New Orleans City Park – which is home to the largest collection of mature live oaks in the world – some trees over 800 years old -- is also home to the New Orleans Sculpture Garden, which has a world-class collection of modern and contemporary sculpture set amid eleven landscaped acres.
From book festivals to music festivals to food festivals to cultural festivals, to coffee shops and restaurants that welcome people and their pets, there is something for everyone in New Orleans.
In short, New Orleans is a great city to explore where you’ll have your evenings and 3 days off each week (our clinic team works typically works four 10 schedule).
Requirements:
Doctoral degree in veterinary medicine
Five years of clinical experience post-graduation focusing on practicing companion animal veterinary medicine and/or shelter medicine
3 or more years of managing 3 or more reports
Current or able to obtain a Louisiana Veterinary License and CDS License
Current or able to obtain DEA license
Works at designated LASPCA facilities or event locations with some weekend hours
Preferred
Experience practicing incremental veterinary medicine
Experience providing veterinary care for underserved/under resourced communities
Current USDA License
Surgical skills: HVHQ SN, surgical dentals, mass removals, enucleations, amputations
Bilingual skills
Physical Requirements:
Should not be allergic to animals or have nut allergies; must be able to work with all animals.
Must be able to work with industrial strength cleaners and disinfectants.
Must be able to lift at least 50 pounds; push and pull heavy objects; bend, twist, reach; perform strenuous physical activities including frequent walking and running, standing, bending and stooping.
The Louisiana SPCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promote, protect and advance the well-being of Louisiana’s companion animals. As the oldest and most comprehensive animal welfare organization in the state, we impact more than 73,000 homeless and companion animals each year. For more than 130 years we have been committed to service the needs of the people and animals in the Greater New Orleans community and across the region as a 4-star Charity Navigator rated nonprofit ranking in the top 1% nationally.
The Louisiana SPCA's Clinic has three focus areas: shelter medicine for the populations of the two municipal sheltering programs (about 6,000 companion animals), community medicine (preventative and primary care), and high volume spay/neuter.
