Veterinary Practice Manager

Practice Manager

Position Overview

The purpose of this position is to supervise and oversee the business activities of the hospital. These duties include hiring and training hospital staff; working with the owners to prepare budgets; monitoring key performance indicators and setting fees; maintaining inventory and an inventory control system; managing the hospital software; and implementing safety and security procedures.

The Practice Manager must create and maintain a positive culture and work environment. This person is creative yet able to develop and implement practical programs. The Practice Manager exercises sound judgment and the willingness and capability to make decisions.

The Practice Manager is responsible for all accounting and financial control functions, including financial planning, budgeting, control and reporting systems, and financial analyses. The Practice Manager ensures the hospital’s management team has adequate visibility into operations so that the team members know how the hospital is performing, performance goals, and how they contribute to achieving the goals.

The successful Practice Manager changes focus and roles quickly in order to effectively interact with a variety of people, both inside the hospital and in the community. The Manager has a high degree of business acumen and is attuned to the variables that affect the hospital’s financial performance. In addition, the Practice Manager is highly motivated to contribute substantially to the hospital’s success.

Must be able to withstand unpleasant odors and noises. May be exposed to bites, scratches, animal waste, and contagious diseases.

Reporting Structure

Directly reports to the Practice Owner and VP of Business Operations.

Primary Responsibilities

Human Resources

• Plans and organizes all personnel activities.
• Develops and updates the employee handbook, job descriptions, and employee personnel files.
• Schedules biannual performance reviews for staff and veterinarians. Sets performance goals at these reviews. Helps staff and veterinarians create feasible plans for obtaining these goals. Holds staff and veterinarians accountable for failure to reach these goals.
• Assists in the resolution of staff issues. Trains staff in conflict-resolution techniques.
• Oversees the hiring process, and manages hospital staff and team leaders. Revises the hiring process as needed in concert with the management team.
• Oversees scheduling of staff and veterinarians.
• Oversees implementation of phase training and helps staff plan for continuing education.
• Establishes and maintains veterinary medicine library and publications.
• Assists in interviewing applicants for supervisory positions.
• Assists in developing and maintaining salary schedules and job evaluations for all employees.
• Maintains a work group that effectively executes assigned functions and that is highly responsive to management’s needs for control, information, and analysis.

Finance and Accounting

• Assists in establishing and maintaining sound financial control and reporting systems.
• Exercises necessary functional authority to ensure that control policies and procedures are followed.
• Maintains knowledge of current developments in accounting theory and practice and in financial techniques for measurement, analysis, and planning.
• Assists in conducting long-range financial planning.
• Works with the owners, bookkeeper, and accountant in preparing budgets.
• Provides information for tax planning and tax returns.
• Ensures the timely preparation of financial statements.
• Reviews and develops key performance indicators and discusses with owners and management team. Implements policies and programs to reverse negative trends.
• Monitors and reports on accounts payable and accounts receivable.
• Enforces policy of keeping receivables lower than 5% of gross revenue.
• Establishes and maintains an inventory control system to ensure adequate stock of supplies. Plans for periodic inventory audits. Negotiates best prices.
• Develops and maintains suitable procedures for controlling and valuing inventories.
• Assists in analyzing and interpreting financial data for management. Identifies and emphasizes problems and trends, and forecasts the financial consequences of alternative decisions.
• Ensures maintenance of appropriate accounting on all assets, liabilities, and transactions.
• Assists in developing and maintaining appropriate cash flow projections and controls. Continually reviews the hospital’s cash position to ensure that adequate funds are available to meet outstanding and planned commitments.
• Maintains an appropriate chart of accounts.
• Develops and maintains suitable procedures for handling cash and all other assets to protect the hospital against loss from negligence and theft.
• Participates in the analysis of financing requirements. Develops and recommends appropriate methods of financing.
• Acts as liaison with banks, arranging financing when required.
• Ensures that accounting practices are in accordance with the requirements of regulatory bodies and that reports required by such organizations are prepared and submitted.
• Acts as immediate contact with the hospital’s independent auditors.
• Assists in the investigation, analysis, and appraisal of hospital expansion activities.
• Prepares appropriate forms and reports related to payroll, property, and sales tax compliance.
• Performs special analytical, statistical, and financial studies as required.

Equipment and Facility Maintenance

• Oversees the schedule for hospital maintenance.
• Contracts for and supervises all maintenance activities to ensure that hospital medical standards are met.
• Orders and supervises storage of non-medical supplies.
• Maintains a facility that is visually appealing to clients and staff.

Client Relations

• Promotes a client-centered environment and facilitates programs and processes that meet clients’ needs.
• Follows the hospital’s stated goals and methods for attracting new clients and retaining existing clients.
• Resolves client problems that veterinarians or other staff members cannot resolve. Oversees the client complaint–resolution process.
• Resolves financial problems with clients, and collects on delinquent accounts and returned checks. Determines when special financial agreements are appropriate.

Marketing

• Initiates new programs, and markets services through public-relations campaigns. Tracks these programs to determine effectiveness and return on investment.
• Promotes internal marketing programs to increase client/patient visitation rate and engagement.
• Maintains effective advertising in yellow pages and other appropriate venues. Tracks effectiveness and return on investment for these advertising campaigns.

Administrative

• Ensures that the hospital team receives the information needed to successfully contribute to the hospital’s one-year, three-year, and five-year goals.
• Administers all insurance activities, including recommendations regarding the determination of risk and the placement of coverage.
• Assists in contract negotiations, ensuring financially sound agreements.
• Acts as liaison with the hospital attorney, and informs management of the legal ramifications of contracts and agreements. Recommends or advises on policies where appropriate.
• Supervises usage of practice management software to ensure that client records meet the standards of care and service established by the practice management team.

Culture and Work Environment

• Communicates the practice’s objectives to the team. Motivates staff, and helps build and maintain morale. Maintains core values and standards.
• Holds regular staff meetings, including a component of mandatory training on standards of service and care.
• Promotes a cooperative working environment among staff members; understands the value of teamwork.
• Enthusiastically performs as necessary to help the hospital function as a unit.
• Promotes continuous quality improvement (CQI) to ensure the practice’s success and achieve the vision.

Personal Conduct

• Adheres to all hospital policies, standards, and procedures, including but not limited to uniforms, grooming, smoking, and personal calls, as stated in the hospital procedures manual.
• Serves as a representative of the hospital, displaying courtesy, tact, consideration, and a positive attitude in all interactions with clients, patients, and other staff members.
• Demonstrates initiative in everyday duties by seeking other work during down times, assisting other employees, and filling in for other employees as needed.
• Adheres to the posted work schedule. Arrives for work promptly and begins work at the start time. Follows hospital policies for reporting lateness or absences.
• Organizes work area and exercises time-management skills to maximize personal efficiency.
• Prioritizes tasks and handles multiple tasks in a calm, organized manner.

Additional Duties

• Attends departmental and staff meetings.

Requirements

• Certified Veterinary Practice Manager designation.
• Three years’ supervisory experience.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Ability to complete assigned tasks in the time allotted without direct supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to show empathy toward clients and treat animals with respect and compassion.
• Competence in problem-solving and conflict resolution.
• Sound judgment in decision-making, selecting methods to complete tasks, establishing priorities, and drawing conclusions.
• Ability to adapt to and operate effectively in different roles with a variety of people, inside and outside the hospital.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• A commitment to outstanding client service.
• Ability to lift objects weighing 40 pounds without assistance and objects weighing more than 40 pounds with assistance.
• Ability to tactfully demonstrate “take-charge” capabilities.
• Availability to occasionally work uncommon hours and overtime, and to be subject to recall for business emergencies.
• Demonstrated competence in budgeting and financial reporting.
• Demonstrated competence in all aspects of staff management.
• Preferred: three years or more of experience managing a Veterinary Practice.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $45,288.00 - $70,028.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• No nights
• Weekends as needed

Ability to Relocate:

• Houston, TX 77057: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person