Medical Director - Shelter Medicine

The Humane Society for Southwest Washington (HSSW) is a leader in animal welfare across Southwest Washington, serving more than 10,000 animals annually through shelter campuses in Vancouver and Longview, WA. With an annual operating budget of $15 million, HSSW provides high-quality care, medical services, and community-based programs, including the Nierenberg Community Veterinary Clinic, Sandra Richardson Miller Mobile Veterinary Clinic, and the Swigert Family Behavior & Training Center. The organization also operates ReTails Thrift Store, a top shopping destination supporting its mission.

About the role

The Medical Director - Shelter Medicine serves as the clinical and strategic leader of HSSW's shelter medicine program, combining direct clinical care (60%) with administrative leadership and program oversight (40%). This role establishes and maintains high standards of veterinary care, animal welfare, population health management, and medical operations, ensuring alignment with the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV) Guidelines. The Medical Director collaborates with organizational leadership to advance lifesaving outcomes and operational excellence while serving as the primary shelter medicine subject matter expert.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Medical Leadership
  • Develop, implement, and maintain shelter medicine standards, policies, and protocols.
  • Serve as the organization's primary authority on shelter medicine and population health.
  • Collaborate with executive leadership to establish strategic medical priorities and goals.
  • Evaluate emerging shelter medicine practices and recommend operational improvements.
  • Partner with the Director of Clinical Operations to align medical protocols, workflows, and administrative systems.
  • Collaborate with operations program directors to support shelter operations, animal flow, foster care, adoptions, behavior services, and community-based programs.
  • Support long-term planning for veterinary services, medical infrastructure, staffing, and program growth.
  • Represent HSSW within the shelter medicine and veterinary communities.
• Shelter Population Health Management
  • Oversee the health and welfare of all animals entering HSSW care.
  • Monitor shelter population metrics and implement strategies to optimize welfare and outcomes.
  • Develop and maintain disease prevention, surveillance, and outbreak response protocols.
  • Lead decision-making regarding treatment plans, housing strategies, quarantine practices, and population management.
  • Monitor and improve animal welfare indicators, including stress reduction and quality-of-life measures.
  • Collaborate with shelter operations to manage capacity and ensure humane care standards.
• Clinical and Surgical Services
  • Provide high-quality veterinary care for shelter animals, foster animals, and other program participants.
  • Perform high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter surgeries and other surgical procedures as needed.
  • Provide diagnostics, treatment planning, case management, and humane euthanasia when appropriate.
  • Practice evidence-based medicine consistent with organizational resources and goals.
  • Maintain timely and accurate medical records in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Quality Assurance and Medical Oversight
  • Establish quality assurance systems for medical and surgical programs.
  • Conduct regular medical record audits and monitor surgical outcomes.
  • Review and update medical protocols to ensure alignment with current standards.
  • Analyze organizational medical outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Oversee controlled substance management, DEA compliance, and pharmacy operations.
• Team Leadership and Staff Development
  • Recruit, mentor, supervise, and support shelter veterinarians.
  • Foster a positive, collaborative, and psychologically safe medical culture.
  • Lead veterinarian onboarding and professional development initiatives.
  • Coordinate continuing education opportunities and mentorship activities.
  • Support development of veterinary technicians, assistants, interns, externs, and volunteers.
  • Participate in leadership meetings and organizational planning initiatives.
• Community and Partner Relations
  • Develop and maintain relationships with local veterinary practices, shelters, rescues, specialists, universities, and animal welfare organizations.
  • Serve as a professional ambassador for HSSW.
  • Participate in professional conferences, educational initiatives, and community outreach activities.
  • Support partnerships that improve access to veterinary care and lifesaving resources.
• Data Management and Reporting
  • Monitor and report on key medical and operational performance indicators.
  • Analyze trends related to length of stay, disease prevalence, surgical outcomes, live release rates, transfer outcomes, euthanasia rates, return-to-owner outcomes, and community medicine outcomes.
  • Provide recommendations to leadership based on outcome data and performance trends.

Requirements

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree from an accredited institution.
• Current Washington State veterinary license or ability to obtain licensure prior to employment.
• Current DEA registration or ability to obtain registration.
• Minimum five years of experience practicing veterinary medicine.
• Minimum three years of shelter medicine experience in a leadership or senior-level role.
• Demonstrated experience managing population health, disease prevention, and shelter operations.
• Experience performing high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter surgery.

Preferred Qualifications

• Board certification in Shelter Medicine Practice (DABVP-SMP) or progress toward certification.
• Leadership experience within a nonprofit animal welfare organization.
• Experience managing multiple veterinary teams or facilities.
• Experience in community medicine and access-to-care programming.
• Experience with forensic examinations and animal cruelty investigations.
• Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) credential.

Skills

• Comprehensive knowledge of shelter medicine principles and animal welfare science.
• Strong understanding of ASV Guidelines and contemporary shelter medicine practices.
• Knowledge of infectious disease management, epidemiology, and population medicine.
• Excellent communication, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to interpret data and drive operational improvements.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
• Proficiency with veterinary software systems and Microsoft Office products.
• Ability to maintain professionalism and sound judgment in stressful situations.

Pay

Anticipated salary range: $145,000–$165,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Flexible Spending Account options.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Continuing education allowance.
• Professional dues and license reimbursement.
• Paid time off (4 weeks per year) and floating holidays.
• Bereavement leave and pet bereavement leave.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer.
• Employee discounts and wellness benefits.

Schedule

Full-time, flexible schedule including occasional weekends, evenings, and on-call responsibilities as needed.

Work Environment

Work is performed within animal shelter, clinic, and community-based environments. Responsibilities include working with animals of varying behavior and medical conditions and may involve exposure to high noise levels, animal bites and scratches, zoonotic diseases, cleaning chemicals, animal allergens, controlled substances, and radiographic equipment. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.