Chief of Veterinary Services

About the role

The Chief Veterinarian serves as the senior clinical leader for a complex, high-volume animal welfare system spanning Pima County's 9,200 square miles. This role directs the full veterinary operation within an open-admissions shelter environment, where compassionate, high-quality care must be delivered across a wide spectrum of medical and behavioral conditions.

Responsibilities

• Directs all veterinary, pharmaceutical and clinical operations in the PACC facility;
• Performs daily observations and examinations of impounded animals or directs other staff veterinarians or veterinary service providers to conduct such observations and examinations of impounded animals, including evaluating the activities of staff veterinarians or veterinarians providing veterinary services to the animal care activity/facilities;
• Examines/assesses impounded and found animals that have bitten humans for symptoms of rabies and directs quarantine and/or euthanasia and post-mortem analyses to determine presence/absence of rabies;
• Documents animal welfare medical investigations and the identification of rabies in impounded or found animals, and assures proper notification of local/state health agencies, individuals who have been in contact with rabies-infected animals and their physicians, health-care and public health agencies;
• Conducts animal alteration surgeries, or oversees those conducted by staff veterinarians or veterinary service providers;
• Manages the control, security, record keeping and use of controlled drugs by staff and veterinary service contractors in the PACC and ensures conformance with local, state and federal laws, rules and regulations to maintain the facility and personal Drug Enforcement Agency licenses and permits;
• Advises PACC, Public Health management and the Board of Health on all veterinary issues or aspects impacting County operations, public health and welfare;
• Develops and provides outreach briefings and presentations to boards, commissions and the public on veterinary issues, veterinary services in response to identified/requested needs, which may include grant-writing and the PACC;
• May testify in court as an expert witness relative to veterinary issues related to PACC operations.

Requirements

• Current Arizona license to practice veterinary medicine (per A.R.S. 32-2215 et seq)
• Four years of experience in administration or supervision in veterinary care or medicine, animal care/control or a closely related field as determined by the appointing authority at the time of recruitment.

Qualifications

• Minimum five (5) years experience as a Veterinarian.
• Minimum three (3) years experience in high volume or emergency veterinary setting.
• Minimum five (5) years experience overseeing a team in a veterinary setting.