Location: temporary location for training: 408 Industrial Ave, Truro, NS, with the eventual transition to permanent work location: 15 Heritage Ave, Stellarton, NS
Number of Positions: 1
Job Start Date: January 2023
Job Competition Closes: When position is filled
Job Type: Full time
Salary: $21 – $25 /hr depending on relevant experience
A Nova Scotia SPCA Animal Shelter Medical Coordinator is a key member of the Nova Scotia SPCA team. This individual is responsible to provide surgical support for veterinarians within a hospital setting and for ensuring the smooth and efficient day-to-day animal care operations of a Shelter to make certain they are compliant with the Society’s animal care protocols and procedures.
Responsibilities
The Primary duty of a Animal Shelter Medical Coordinator is to oversee a Shelter’s medical care operations to achieve the desired animal outcomes and on occasion to work with veterinarians carrying out any task as directed by the attending veterinarian. This is a supervisory position that maintains a regular presence in the shelter interacting with Animal Care staff daily. This position is responsible for the supervision of the Animal Care Team and the flow of all animal medical care needs supporting staff to ensure high-quality animal care is being provided. This position is responsible for organizing the productivity, accuracy and maintenance of a positive and professional organizational culture and overall output of the shelter and veterinary hospital. The Animal Shelter Medical Coordinator acts as the leader and reports to and is responsible for providing feedback to Provincial Director of Shelter Services. Responsibilities include ensuring excellent customer service meeting adoption and intake metrics and building & coordinating a team of volunteers.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Hospital & Animal Care Tasks
- Examination Room assistance
- Pre-Examination procedures including weighing the animal and recording the weight on the treatment records, taking the temperature of the animal, the medical history and the recent complaint.
- Animal restraint, as necessary.
- Animal injections and medical treatments.
- Admission and Discharge procedures if necessary.
- Surgical assistance.
- Cleaning, packing and autoclave of all surgical instruments after use and maintaining proper inventory in surgery.
- Taking and processing radiographs.
- Assist receptionist when necessary and assume receptionist duties when receptionist is absent or the reception area is busy. This includes answering the phone.
- Participate in Shelter’s animal care duties
- Ensure all patients are comfortable, clean, dry and fed (if permitted).
- Perform routine laboratory tests including, but not limited to, blood counts, urinalysis, blood glucose, fungal cultures and fecal examinations as ordered by attending veterinarian.
- Check in-patients and report to attending veterinarian.
- Administration of anesthetics and monitor patients during surgery and recovery.
- Properly record treatment in treatment records writing legibly.
- Maintain appropriate inventory levels of medical supplies.
- Ensure post-discharge instructions are provided to clients and telephone follow-up of patients within two days of discharge, unless otherwise directed by attending veterinarian.
- Dental cleanings, procedures and prep.
- Preparation of examination room.
- Nutritional consultations.
- Share on call and after-hour patient care responsibilities equally
- Promote a positive and productive clinic culture at all times.
- Provide excellent customer service at all times, with the goal of going above and beyond for every single client and patient, every single interaction.
- Control drug-log accuracy, must be kept up to date, accountable for keeping it locked and access controlled.
- Accurate billing for services, procedures and products.
- Inventory management, stocking shelves, stock rotation and organization.
- Accurate preparation of prescriptions and verifying that prescriptions that are filled by receptionist/assistant are accurate (initial prescription).
- Other duties as required.
Shelter Operations
- Review monthly animal care goals and results, identify and understand variances, and participate in corrective action plans.
- Works directly with shelter veterinarians and staff to implement best practices in disease control and medication protocols.
- Participate in ensuring all shelter staff are properly trained in disease control cleaning protocols, proper administration of medicine and vaccines.
- Oversee all pharmaceutical and animal care inventory control and purchasing to ensure proper controls and cost efficiencies.
- Provide oversight of behavioral assessments of animals, as well as overseeing all euthanasia related decisions or performance of at the shelter.
- This position supports provincial animal care initiatives and ensures that the shelter is
collaborating and has the resources required to achieve the Society’s goals
- Required to work directly with the public and local veterinarian clinics to ensure the success of our adoption program.
- Work with Provincial leadership team on various initiatives including the continued enhancement of revenue streams that align with our mission and improve our ability to support a greater number of animals in need.
- Understand the impact of financial and operational changes, and demonstrate strong problem-solving skills on behalf of the animals, community, stakeholders and the Provincial leadership team.
- Facilitates the preparation of shelter provincial reports.
- Works directly with those responsible for maintaining the shelter volunteer and foster based programs to ensure proper training in disease control protocols and the administration of medicine.
- Expand and increase live release rates through creative adoption strategies; supportive of solutions put forward by Nova Scotia’s No Kill Model and the Society’s strategic imperatives.
- Understand and oversee operational compliance with current federal, provincial, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines that affect operations and budgets of non-profit organizations and animal shelters.
- Ensure policy compliance operationally and accurate and transparent reporting of statistical animal care data.
- Assist in developing and providing input into policies and procedures with approval and support from the CEO, Provincial Animal Care Director and Board of Directors.
Required Skills
In addition to having the ability to travel and a valid Driver’s license, the following are some of the skills required of a Nova Scotia SPCA Animal Shelter Medical Coordinator.
- Leadership Skills: Shelter Medical Coordinators have to keep staff motivated, resolve conflicts and make hard decisions. Good leadership qualities and administrative abilities are essential.
Time Management: Shelter Medical Coordinators work with multiple staff, managers and volunteers across the province, assist in crisis situations and perform reviews. Shelter Medical Coordinators must to have the ability to create schedules, order supplies and write reports. Ability to work under tight deadlines and pressure situations is essential.
Math and Budgeting: Shelter Medical Coordinators are expected to keep and maintain budgets, and make sure Shelters are staying on budget. It is essential that the Shelter Medical Coordinator is good at computers and has extensive knowledge of marketing and sales.
Decision-Making Skills: Whether it is dealing with staff, management, government agents, veterinarians or suppliers, the Shelter Medical Coordinator will have to make decisions that affect the Society. Having the ability to make hard decisions under pressure is crucial to success.
- Speaking and Writing: Shelter Medical Coordinators are required to have strong written and oral communication skills.
Qualifications
- Education; A Registered Veterinary Technician and a member in good standing with EVTA and NSVMA or equivalent work experience
- Animal welfare knowledge, donor and volunteer relations, special event experience, marketing and computer skills are necessary.
Additional Information
- This position requires a flexible schedule. Evenings and weekends may be required, must be willing to work a flexible schedule.
- Driver’s license is required
Physical Requirements
- Physical ability to walk and/or stand on your feet throughout a normal workday required.
- Physical ability to lift and carry 40 pounds regularly.
- Working conditions include working alone, working outside in varying weather conditions, frequent interruptions, and some evening meetings.
Hours of Work
Work responsibilities require a standard 40 hours per week plus additional overtime as required fulfilling the duties associated with the position.
. Some on call duties may be required.
Nova Scotia SPCA is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified applicants, regardless of gender, race, age, sexuality, or disability. SPCA provides a competitive salary and a rewarding work environment. Preference will be given to candidates who self-identify as African Nova Scotians, racially visible persons, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal persons and persons of the LGBTQ+ community. We encourage applicants to self-identify.
Interested applicants are asked to submit their resume and cover letter indicating salary expectations to resumes@spcans.ca. As long as this job description remains posted it is an indication that the position has not been filled and we are still accepting resumes.
Please quote “SPCA North Nova” in the subject heading in your email reply.
As a part of our hiring process, we require applicants to complete behavioural and cognitive assessments. You will be sent the links along with screening questions after submitting your resume.
Evidence of full vaccination for COVID-19 is required prior to an interview being scheduled.
We thank all applicants for their interest in a career at the Nova Scotia SPCA, however, only those selected for screening will be contacted.
