The Dean’s Office is the central administrative unit that provides leadership to Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Cummings School provides DVM, master’s and PhD degrees, and advanced clinical training programs. The Cummings School Veterinary Group (CSVG) is comprised of 7 teaching hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic laboratories. The CVSG supports the education and research missions of the school, as well as providing excellent patient care. The Foster Hospital for Small Animals (FHSA) is the largest hospital in the CSVG. Located in North Grafton, MA on the Grafton campus of Tufts University, the FHSA serves approximately 35,000 cases annually and generates approximately $35 M in revenue through provision of state-of-the-art, 24-hour, emergency and multi-specialty, referral care for small animals. With approximately 60 veterinary specialists, over 50 residents, 30 interns, 250 staff, and 120 veterinary students, the FHSA is the primary teaching and clinical research hospital for small animals.

Reporting to the dean, the FHSA Hospital Director has over-all responsibility for the medical care, operational management, and the over-all business operations of the FHSA. As the CEO, the Director is responsible and accountable for the operational excellence of the FHSA, and is responsible for deploying available human, financial, and operational resources of the FHSA. Working closely with the dean, the CVSG chief administrative officer, the department chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences, faculty clinicians, and hospital staff, the Director ensures that the FHSA supports the clinical care, teaching, and research missions of Cummings School. The Director works with a six-person management group to lead the FHSA. The Hospital Director is responsible for ensuring that all staff receive regular evaluations and feedback, for providing feedback and evaluation of resident and intern performance to the program supervisors, and for working collaboratively with the relevant department chair to provide leadership, mentorship, and regularly performance review for faculty members. providing feedback on faculty performance to the relevant department head. The Hospital Director also serves as the Chief Medical Officer, ultimately being responsible for the over-all clinical care in the hospital. The Hospital Director is supported by two Medical Officers. The Hospital Director will draw support from the dean and the department chair(s) as required to ensure the full support and engagement of clinical faculty in the mission of the FHSA. For the appropriate candidate, an academic appointment, with relevant academic expectations will be available.

Strategic Planning and Hospital Leadership

• Strategic, systems, and tactical planning and implementation, including business development and professional relations with the referring veterinarian community.
• Creation and pursuit of benchmarks, goals, and values that align with the School vision, mission, and values.
• Leads and creates change where and when needed.
• Promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
• Creates a positive work environment that enhances personal and institutional wellbeing; and increases recruitment and retention of faculty and staff.
• Work collaboratively as a member of the School’s senior leadership team and the other hospital, clinic, and diagnostic directors of Cummings School to help achieve academic and operational excellence in pursuit of the vis

Business Management

• Working collaboratively with the Chief Administrative Officer of the CSVG, provides detailed analysis, review, and innovation in the areas of clinical accounting, appropriate financial analysis and reporting, billing, accounts receivable management, cost management, fee setting based on cost analysis, equipment, infrastructure, and capital planning.
• Analyzes trends and makes suggestions for operational improvements.
• Leadership in operational and capital decisions that have a direct financial and operational impact in the FHSA.

Oversight of operation

• Effective leadership of the Hospital Management Group. Provides oversight of hospital operations through effective collaborative working relationships with the Chief Operating Officer, Medical Directors, Nursing Directors, Section Heads, and the dean.
• Helps to set and direct operational, infrastructure, and facilities goals.
• Ensures effective communications are in place internally and externally.

Supervisory responsibility

• Directly supervises the Medical Directors, Nursing Directors, Chief Operating Officer, and the clinical activity of faculty members working in the FHSA.
• Through the hospital management team and in collaboration with the department chair, oversees approximately 60 faculty and 80 house officers in the clinical responsibilities, and 300 support staff (client services, veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, animal care attendants, etc.).
• The Hospital Director is expected to work collaboratively and in partnership with the relevant department chair to provide leadership, mentorship, regular feedback, and other typical supervisory responsibilities for faculty with clinical responsibilities in the FHSA. The Hospital Director has primary responsibility for oversight and assessment of clinical activity in the hospital.
• Responsible for all HR supervisory functions associated with direct reports.

Minimum Required Experience, Education, Background, And Certifications/Licenses

• DVM (or equivalent) degree, with eligibility to hold a veterinary license in Massachusetts as an individual license or a Tufts Practitioner license.
• Ten or more years of experience in leadership roles in a small animal specialty and emergency referral hospital or a large, complex primary care or mixed function small animal hospital.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a complex organization towards successful outcomes, with an emphasis on excellence.
• Able to communicate a vision, motivate, prioritize, and delegate effectively. Goal- and action-oriented, with an ability to identify areas requiring improvement and effect change.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully supervise veterinary, technical, and office staff in a collaborative environment.
• Excellent, professional communication skills (oral and written) and an ability to connect with faculty, staff, referring veterinarians, and clients. This includes timely responses.
• An understanding of the academic work environment, an appreciation for teaching, and an understanding of the importance of research in the clinical environment.
• Committed to transparent, collaborative leadership. An effective leader in a matrix management model where shared norms, values, attitudes, and practices are essential to success. The ability to lead through indirect as well as direct means.
• Functional understanding of budget management and fiscal planning.
• Basic proficiency in MS Office & email; experience with electronic medical records.

Preferred Qualifications

• Board certification in an American veterinary specialty college or equivalent.

• Experience in an academic veterinary environment or in collaborating with academia. This includes an understanding of collegial leadership and governance.
• Experience in strategic planning and setting directions and expectations for an organization or unit.