Hybrid Veterinary Technician Supervisor at Foothills Animal Shelter

Description

Foothills Animal Shelter seeks a veterinary technician supervisor who is passionate about training and developing veterinary professionals and excited to lead daily operations that deliver excellent medical care to the thousands of animals we serve each year. 

Who We Are 

As an open admissions shelter, we are committed to being here for families and their pets in Jefferson County, Colorado. We identify as a socially conscious shelter, caring for over 9,000 dogs, cats, and small animals every year with a compassionate team of staff and volunteers who are committed to the physical and emotional wellbeing of every pet we serve. 

What You Bring 

• You are an experienced veterinary technician with a passion for teaching and developing others. You find genuine satisfaction in watching team members grow their technical skills and confidence through your mentorship.  

• You are a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. You enjoy being on the floor with your team, providing real-time coaching, and ensuring excellent patient care delivery throughout every shift. 

• You are an excellent trainer who can adapt your teaching style to accommodate different learning preferences and experience levels. You excel at breaking down complex technical skills into manageable steps and providing supportive feedback.  

• You are organized and detail-oriented with strong operational skills. You can manage schedules, coordinate workflows, prioritize patient care, and keep operations running smoothly while maintaining high standards. 

• You are a skilled communicator who builds positive relationships with team members across all experience levels. You know how to provide constructive feedback, recognize achievements, and maintain team morale during challenging situations.  

• You have clinical expertise in shelter medicine and understand the unique demands of high-volume, high-quality veterinary care. You're comfortable with surgical support, medical treatments, and end-of-life services. 

• You are flexible and adaptable. You can step into strategic oversight responsibilities when needed while maintaining your focus on daily operations and staff development.  

• You understand the emotional aspects of shelter medicine and can support your team through difficult situations while maintaining a positive, solution-focused approach. 

• You believe in our mission. You recognize the significance of the human-animal bond, and you are committed to developing the skills and capabilities that support these powerful relationships. 

What You'll Do 

• Serve as the primary trainer for all veterinary support staff, delivering comprehensive onboarding programs and ongoing skills development in both technical and interpersonal competencies.  

• Provide day-to-day supervision and leadership for veterinary technicians and assistants, ensuring excellent patient care and efficient operations across all shifts. 

• Manage daily operations including staff scheduling, workflow coordination, patient care priorities, and resource allocation to maintain smooth departmental function.  

• Conduct skills assessments, provide targeted training, and mentor team members to help them achieve their professional goals and enhance their contributions to animal care. 

• Coordinate patient care workflows, working with veterinarians to implement treatment protocols and ensure timely, high-quality medical care delivery.  

• Manage inventory, supply ordering, and equipment maintenance to support uninterrupted veterinary services. 

• Perform end-of-life services with compassion and professionalism while providing emotional support to team members during difficult situations. 

What We Offer 

• Let's start with the obvious: we offer truly meaningful work that positively impacts the lives of thousands of animals each year.  

• You will work with a team of veterinary and behavior support professionals who work hard, care deeply, and are 100% dedicated to the well-being of our shelter animals. 

• We strive for a healthy work-life balance, and we offer a compressed workweek (four ten-hour shifts) alongside generous time off including six paid holidays, additional floating holidays (awarded annually on your employment anniversary), three weeks of accrued vacation, and paid sick leave.  

• We offer a full spectrum of employee benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, and a retirement plan with 4% employer match and immediate vesting. Currently, two of our medical plans and our dental and vision plans are offered at no cost for employee-only coverage. 

• Additional benefits for this position include a continuing education stipend of $600 annually, paid time to attend CE, and reimbursement of job-specific licensing, certification, and/or renewal fees.  

• The pay rate for this position will be $27.00 - $34.00 per hour, depending on education, certification, and the depth and breadth of relevant experience. 

• Foothills Animal Shelter is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer. 

Schedule 

• 10-hour shifts, one weekend day required 

View full job description here.

Qualifications

Education and Experience 

• Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) in the State of Colorado.  

• Five years of experience as a veterinary technician. 

• Prior experience in a supervisory or lead role with a focus on employee training and development preferred.  

• Previous experience in a shelter setting that includes high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter preferred. 

• Fear Free Shelter certified or become Fear Free Shelter certified within 60 days of employment.  

• Euthanasia certification or ability to become certified within 60 days of employment. 

Skills and Abilities 

• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills with the ability to respond to personnel concerns or unexpected situations both calmly and effectively.   

• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 

• Ability to cultivate a supportive team and environment by demonstrating resilience and optimism while undertaking challenging tasks to accomplish our mission.   

• Ability to maintain the highest levels of confidentiality when dealing with proprietary information and sensitive situations.   

• Ability to work cooperatively with volunteers within an animal care environment and communicate in a respectful, appreciative manner.    

• Demonstrated expertise in animal care, treatments, disease, and fear-free restraint techniques.    

• Basic understanding of animal learning theory with emphasis on positive reinforcement and force-free training.    

• Working knowledge of animal sheltering practices; highly supportive of open admissions practices.   

• Ability to maintain composure and professional courtesy when interfacing with Shelter patrons, volunteers, animal control officers, and members of the public.   

• Aptitude for proactively identifying problems and offering potential solutions.  

• Ability to be compassionate while also having uncomfortable conversations or making difficult decisions.  

• Must be able to manage the emotional aspect of end-of-life services and humane euthanasia, and support employees in high-emotion circumstances.  

• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office including word processing, spreadsheets, meeting software, and email.  

WORKING CONDITIONS 

• Ability to work 8 to 10-hour shifts.  

• Availability to work Saturdays and/or Sundays. 

• Must maintain flexibility in work schedule to respond to staffing needs.  

• Noise, odors, chemical fumes, animal hair/dander are encountered due to equipment and animals. 

• Subject to animal bites and scratches.  

• Daily lifting of up to 50 pounds.  

• Frequent standing on concrete floors, walking, bending, kneeling, squatting, and stooping.  

• Frequent management of animals of all sizes on leash.  

EQUIPMENT USED 

• Animal handling equipment and assessment tools: slip leads, catch poles, nets, etc.  

• Basic office equipment: telephone, computer, projector, printer, copier 

• Cloud-based data management software  

• Chemicals and cleaning tools to provide care for the animals. 

About Foothills Animal Shelter: Foothills Animal Shelter is an open admission shelter serving the Jefferson County community. We are a Fear Free Certified Shelter, adhering to force free and positive reinforcement philosophies, and are a Socially Conscious Animal Shelter, seeking the best possible outcomes for the animals at our shelter and our community. Each year, we shelter almost 9,000 dogs, cats, and small animals with the help of our skilled and experienced teams of staff and volunteers. In addition to adoptions, we offer a wide range of services including lost and found pet reunification, pet licensing for Jefferson County, and supportive programs like Better Together, which helps keep pets and families together during times of hardship. Foothills Animal Shelter operates under an intergovernmental agreement between Jefferson County and the cities of Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Westminster, and Wheat Ridge. 

Benefits: Foothills Animal Shelter offers a competitive total compensation package. Full-time employees become eligible for medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, and an array of supplemental benefits after 60 days of employment. Foothills offers coverage of the premiums for employee-only medical, dental, vision, and long-term disability plans. Full-time employees earn sick and vacation time each pay period, plus six recognized holidays. After six months of employment, employees who complete eligibility requirements may enroll in a 401K retirement plan that we will match up to 4%. Additional benefits for this position include a continuing education stipend of $600 annually, paid time to attend CE, and reimbursement of job-specific licensing, certification, and/or renewal fees. Foothills Animal Shelter is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer.