Veterinary Technician Manager

Job Descripation:

Research Animal Resources (RAR) is hiring for the position of Veterinary Technician Manager. This position will be responsible for managing and directing the activities of approximately half of the department's 14-16 research veterinary technicians in collaboration with a second Veterinary Technician Manager counterpart. In addition to identical responsibilities for management and mentoring of veterinary technicians, this position will have primary management responsibility for the RAR technical services program and diagnostic lab. The position will also provide back up support for clinical supply inventory and order management, rodent health surveillance program, USDA species procurement and preventative medicine program, the controlled substance program, and pharmacy operations. The Veterinary Technician Managers will also facilitate training and cross-training of RAR technical staff in collaboration with the RAR Training Team as appropriate to ensure high quality and consistent veterinary care and service for the university research community.

The work duties for this position are complex and varied and will require the interpretation of technical and detailed guidelines, policies, and procedures. Analytical ability is needed to gather and interpret data and information to aid in making decisions regarding refining methods, processes, and techniques used to maintain high quality animal care and customer service. Innovation and critical thinking are an essential underlying part of the job duties described within this posting.

This position will report to a Senior Clinical Veterinarian

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities necessary to be successful in position:

• Possess communication and leadership skills needed to interact with veterinary technician employees, professional staff, technical and administrative staff, and animal care staff

• Ability to work collaboratively with counterpart in making consistent management decisions

• Ability to delegate appropriately as needed

• Ability to work and think independently to produce quality work and to encourage the same quality work from employees

• Interest in mentoring, teaching, and cross-training staff to promote professional growth of employees

• A thorough knowledge of animal welfare regulations as described in the Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of generally accepted laboratory animal husbandry practices and the ability to work collaboratively with operations and husbandry supervisors and animal care technicians to promote advances in animal care

• Excellent attention to details, analytical thinking skills, resourcefulness, ingenuity, project organization, and management skills

• Computer skills necessary to learn and use current RAR electronic systems and to adapt to new software programs as they are implemented

• Experience with conflict management and the ability to deescalate difficult situations

• Must be flexible, change-agile, forward-thinking, and motivated to succeed in RAR’s mission

Duties/Responsibilities:

- Direct supervision of the veterinary technician staff

• Supervise and direct the work of up to 8 veterinary technicians

● Plan training/cross-training of staff in collaboration with the RAR Training Team

● Ensure staff implement proper and consistent clinical care for all species & areas within RAR

● Create and maintain work schedules (including weekend/holidays) and work with team to cover work during call-outs

● Provides performance feedback, both immediate and at annual performance reviews.

● Mentor employees to further career goals and support continued educational and certification opportunities

• Resolve HR issues for labor represented employees

• Determine appropriate staffing levels and communicates needs with manager and counterpart

• Coordinate personnel resources in collaboration with counterpart to cover needs of the department

• Hiring manager for veterinary technician positions as needed

• Co-lead the veterinary technician team in high level customer service

• Interact and work with RAR clinical veterinarians to refine case management and provide high quality laboratory animal medicine and care

- Technical Services Program management

• Maintain and further develop the RAR technical services program

• Coordinate the veterinary technician team to fulfill all requests for technical services

• Identify appropriate individuals within RAR to perform atypical services (e.g. vets, training staff) and allow veterinary technicians opportunities to train and develop these services in the future

• Coordinate RAR Diagnostic Lab services (both internal and external) including maintaining necropsy space(s) and diagnostic equipment

- Cross-trained to provide support and backup as needed for specialized services and programs

• Rodent Health Surveillance and Quarantine programs

• USDA covered species procurement and preventative medicine program

• Supplies inventory program, ordering management, controlled substance program, and pharmacy operations

- Clinical and Technical Duties

• Expectation to be a working manager and help perform clinical case triaging, management, training and other technical duties when staffing is short

• Weekend and after hours work may be possible

- Develop and maintain cross unit communication and relationships within RAR

• Maintain effective communication with the RAR Operations and Husbandry teams

• Identify areas for improvement for communication and bring ideas to managers and senior leaders

• Provide mentorship to resolve conflict professionally without the need for escalation

- Other duties as assigned by the manager or leadership

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree plus at least 5 years of experience or a combination of related education and work experience to equal at least nine years.

• Direct managerial experience of employees, >2 year in duration

• If assigned to be a driver, must pass a department of motor vehicle record screening

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct managerial experience of bargaining unit employees

• CVT certification

• AALAS Technician Certification (any level)

• Experience with regulations, guidance documents, and accreditation programs that are part of the research field (e.g. The USDA Animal Welfare Act and Regulations, The Public Health Service Policy and PHS Assurance, OLAW, The Guide, The Ag Guide, and AAALAC International Accreditation)

• Excellent communication skills and experience working in a university setting with diverse staff, laboratory researchers and research models