Veterinary Jobs in West Des Moines, IA

Grand Avenue Veterinary Hospital is proud to have served the West Des Moines area for over 50 years. Our veterinary hospital is fortunate to be staffed with two experienced, licensed veterinarians – Dr. Christy Wauhob and Dr. Emily Gearig.

The veterinarians and staff of Grand Avenue Veterinary Hospital work hard to stay up-to-date on the latest advances in veterinary medicine and technology. Our team is committed to educating our clients on how to keep their pets healthy year-round by providing education about nutrition, wellness care, and parasites. Above all, we strive to show compassion and loving care to all pets and their families with every exam, procedure, and surgery. We love our clients and treat them as our own!

More about the Role

Reporting to the Regional Director of Operations, the Practice Manager manages all essential business functions in veterinary practice and supports the practice teams. The Practice Manger works in partnership with the Managing Doctor (MDVM) to ensure successful practice operations, high client satisfaction, and to manage practice teams. In collaboration with the MDVM, the Practice Manager is responsible for ensuring profitability of the practice, growing the business and all the while protecting the practice legacy. The critical focus areas to drive the desired success fall under the following umbrellas: Practice Operations, HR, Marketing, Strategic Planning, and IT Management. The Practice Manager must be a strong people manager, possess great business acumen and enjoy leading and developing a team. Additionally, ensure the practice has engaged and productive teams that are driving high-quality patient care and exceptional client service. Vet med experience preferred.

Hours of operation: Monday – Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm

Pay range: $45,000 – $55,000

Competencies

• Business Acumen: Understands commercial and economic business matters; how the business works, how we make money, and how strategies and decisions impact financial and operational results.
• Client Service and Customer: Serving and supporting clients with their needs or issues; Ensuring all practice activities result in the highest level of client satisfaction.  Keeping the client and patients at the center of everything you do.
• Organizing and Planning: Making plans, organizing, and structuring the work of self and others; Setting priorities and establishing plans with clear goals and timeframes.
• Learning and Self-Development: Developing one’s knowledge, skills, and capabilities; Curiosity for learning, seeking out new methods and approaches, continuously seeking feedback from others and incorporating it for growth.
• Motivating and Inspiring: Motivating and inspiring others; Mobilizing the team to collectively achieve practice goals, modeling leadership behaviors that make team members want to run towards them and creating a culture where team members are fully engaged and bring their whole selves to work.
• Investigating, Analyzing, and Evaluating: Critically evaluating and analyzing information or data; Continually reviewing practice performance and opportunities to drive better results; Analyzing relevant data around practice performance, evaluating results, and decisively choosing a course of action based on alternatives.
• Solving and Improving: Making improvements and solving problems or issues; Approaching problem solving creatively; Effectively navigating conflict; Demonstrating resiliency when faced with challenges or adversity.
• Managing Complexity and Ambiguity: Working effectively in unfamiliar or ambiguous situations; Remaining calm under pressure and demonstrating learning agility to apply lessons learned from prior situations.
• Change Management: Managing change and supporting others through change; creating a vision for change; effectively communicating change; inspiring others to engage in the change; and evaluating change effectiveness.
• Developing and Coaching: Building others’ knowledge, skills, and capabilities; regularly coaching and providing feedback; creating stretch assignments and/or delegating; being intentional about development plans and discussions.
• Cooperation and Collaboration: Cooperating with others and working as part of a team; building and nurturing relationships with key stakeholders (including veterinarians, support staff, distributor representatives, and support center partners) to drive the practice’s success; leverage strategic partnerships to enhance practice performance.

Essential Responsibilities

• Manages practice financial performance, putting plans in place and engaging teams around activities that drive revenue for growth.
• Manages practice expenses including pharmacy, supplies, labor, and facility.
• Ensures appropriate inventory management including an appropriate balance of regular stock and sales.
• Manages and partners with MDVM to ensure accurate pricing is applied.
• Provides input during annual budget planning.
• Creates new or analyzes existing performance reports and generates insights to improve performance.
• Applies knowledge and understanding of veterinary practice management in directing successful daily operations, thereby allowing the doctors and technicians the time to successfully manage workload.
• Ensures that all practice technology is appropriately working.
• Ensures compliance with appropriate regulatory agencies, including monitoring practice violations and dangerous situations; documenting and reporting incidents, filling reports, and partnering with RDO when appropriate.
• Ensures the cleanliness of the practice; ensures the environment contributes to an excellent client experience.
• Responsible for all staff scheduling and ensures patient scheduling is done to satisfy clients and team members.
• Manages necessary vendor and supplier relationships to ensure quality support for practice supplies, tools, equipment, and resources.
• Responsible for timely and accurate tracking of employee payroll; maintaining payroll records; ensuring compliance with all applicable payroll regulations; addressing employee payroll inquiries; and resolving discrepancies.
• Responsible for accounts payable duties including, processing invoices, verifying purchases, and reconciling discrepancies, and maintaining accurate records.
• Partners with MDVM to maintain an appropriate medical record system that complies with legal standards.
• Regularly reviews client feedback and identifies opportunities for practice improvement.  Actively engages with clients to ensure satisfaction and resolve problems.
• Collaborates with Heartland Marketing to develop and implement a marketing strategy aligned with practice goals. Additional responsibilities include overseeing social media, fostering community relationships, and supporting local initiatives.
• Ensures that team is appropriately staffed and partners with Heartland’s Recruiting team to fill open requisitions.
• Effectively builds and nurtures relationships with key stakeholders—including veterinarians, support staff, distributor representatives, and support center partners—to drive the practice’s success. Actively seeks opportunities to enhance operational efficiency, elevate the client experience, and support sustainable practice growth through strategic partnerships.
• Supports practice, when necessary, by working in the client reception area or if technically skilled may support Veterinarians.
• Partners with Heartland Support Center as needed.
• Partners with MDVM to ensure all team members adhere to practice operating procedures; ensures the accuracy and completeness of veterinary records; ensures that reports comply with accepted practice guidelines.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory agencies and laws including OSHA, DEA, EEOC, ADA, and the Department of Labor; Develops and maintains procedures necessary to meet regulatory requirements.
• Ensures all team members complete annual compliance related activities including review and sign off on policies, compliance training, and safety training.
• Maintains a high degree of confidentiality; secure all employee records, ensure team member performance is discussed only with individual team members, etc.
• Executes annual performance evaluations and salary increases.
• Conducts regular staff meetings, trainings, and team activities.
• Partners with RDO and Heartland’s Human Resources team to navigate employee relations situations, company policy, or other labor law issues.
• Conducts regular check-ins with team members to ensure they have the tools and support they need to successfully complete their jobs and deliver a great client experience.
• Ensures all team members are engaged and have the support they need to stay balanced and productive.
• Monitors that the performance of each team member is on track.  Rewards and recognizes successful performance and manages corrective action activities if performance is off track (partners with RDO/DVM on clinical performance improvement needs).
• Appropriate seeks support from RDO, Heartland Human Resources, or other Heartland team members to ensure team success.
• Ensures professional development and regular feedback are provided to all team members.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Full-time, on-site, ability to work on weekends when needed
• High school diploma or equivalent; Associate degree in applied science, veterinary technology, or business a plus; Practice Manager Certification a plus
• Ability to lift patients and carry equipment up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients or carry equipment over 25 pounds with assistance
• Knowledge of OSHA safety techniques including use of proper PPE
• Excellent computer skills including MS office applications, office technology, etc.
• Basic math and ability to calculate medication dosages
• Strong communication skills
• Client service experience

Benefits Offered

• Paid time off
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Retirement benefits
• Bonus incentive
• Career and professional development
• Employee Assistance Program
• DVM Referral Program

Pay Range

USD $45,000.00 – USD $55,000.00 /Yr.

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