Veterinary Nurse Director

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Job Category:
Academic Staff

Employment Type:
Regular

Job Profile:
Nursing Manager

Job Summary:

The Director of Nursing serves as an integral member of the UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) leadership team and provides strategic and operational leadership for veterinary nursing teams across the hospital. Working in partnership with the Associate Hospital Director, clinical service leaders, and supervisors, the Director of Nursing ensures that nursing operations support UWVC's mission of exceptional patient care, outstanding client and referring veterinarian service, education, research, and the development of the veterinary nursing profession.

The Director of Nursing provides leadership and oversight for nursing operations across UWVC's clinical services and facilities, with a focus on quality and safety, staffing and workforce planning, recruitment and retention, staff development, operational efficiency, service excellence, and the consistent delivery of high-quality patient care. This position will help establish sustainable nursing practices and systems that support UWVC's continued growth while fostering a positive, collaborative, and inclusive work environment.

Position Responsibilities

The Director of Nursing provides strategic and operational leadership for veterinary nursing teams across UW Veterinary Care. The position directly supervises and mentors veterinary nurse supervisors, providing leadership oversight to ensure effective staffing, operations, and service delivery. The Director may assume direct oversight of services during periods without formal leadership or when supervisor positions are vacant. This role leads a diverse workforce that includes university staff and student hourly employees.

Leadership & Operations

• Lead, mentor, and develop veterinary nursing/technician supervisors and service leads, promoting accountability, collaboration, and an exceptional employee experience.
• Provide guidance on staffing, scheduling, workflows, performance management, and operational priorities across clinical services.
• Partner with Hospital leadership, Human Resources, and clinical leaders on employee relations, performance management, organizational change, and workforce needs.
• Serve as a member of the UWVC leadership team and collaborate across clinical and administrative efforts.
• Support consistent nursing standards, policies, procedures, and workflows across UWVC.

Workforce, Recruitment & Retention

• Develop and implement workforce strategies to recruit, retain, and develop a highly skilled veterinary nursing workforce.
• Establish career development, mentorship, continuing education, internship, externship, and talent pipeline programs and work with outreach coordinator.
• Evaluate staffing models and deployment of nursing resources to support patient care, staff well-being, and operational sustainability.

Patient Care, Quality & Professional Development

• Promote high-quality, consistent, and compassionate patient and client care through nursing standards, training, protocols, and continuous improvement.
• Identify opportunities to improve patient care, team performance, and operational efficiency through education, technology, equipment, and standardized processes.
• Support professional development and continuing education for veterinary nurses, technicians, and assistants.
• Promote cross-training and professional growth opportunities across services.

Strategic Planning, Technology & Financial Stewardship

• Participate in strategic planning and organizational initiatives that support UWVC's missions of patient care, teaching, research, and service.
• Use operational and financial data to evaluate staffing, resource utilization, budgets, and opportunities for sustainable operations.
• Partner with leadership on technology, equipment, space utilization, that support nursing operations and patient care.
• Support implementation and optimization of hospital systems and technology, including the EMR and communication platforms.

Safety, Compliance & Communication

• Promote compliance with UW, School of Veterinary Medicine, and UWVC policies, safety requirements, and applicable regulatory standards.
• Partner with hospital leadership on patient safety, workplace safety, and risk management initiatives.
• Serve as a key liaison between nursing staff and hospital leadership, ensuring clear, timely, and consistent communication.
• Represent UWVC on relevant School, University, and professional committees and initiatives

This is a 100% FTE (40 hours per week), fully on-site position. The anticipated schedule for this position is Monday through Friday. On-call and holiday hours are required based on hospital needs. The schedule is subject to change based on departmental needs.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Develops, implements, monitors and evaluates operating policies and procedures and trains staff to ensure compliance with regulations, institutional policies, and unit objectives (45%)

• May provide expertise, training, and guidance to the community, peers, and/or students (10%)

• Evaluates current care plans, completes assessments, develops specialized treatment plans, documents medical activity, analyzes patient data and results to help diagnosis and treat illnesses and diseases (5%)

• Provides nursing care to individuals within a specialized area of medicine and/or unit to ensure physical and mental well-being (10%)

• May exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 FTE or equivalent employees (25%)

• Educates clients and their support systems on how to manage conditions and to promote the health and well-being of patients and those around them (5%)

Department:

School of Veterinary Medicine

UW Veterinary Care

Compensation:

The starting salary for the position is $85,000 (but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications).

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in clinical healthcare, veterinary nursing, or a closely related clinical healthcare environment.
• A minimum of three years of progressive leadership or supervisory experience, with responsibility for staff, operations, or clinical services.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing teams in a complex, fast-paced healthcare or veterinary environment.
• Experience with workforce planning, staffing, recruitment, retention, employee development, and performance management.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and evaluate policies, procedures, and operational processes.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with veterinarians, veterinary nursing staff, students, faculty, hospital leadership, and administrative partners.
• Commitment to fostering a respectful, inclusive, collaborative, and supportive workplace culture.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading nursing or veterinary technician operations within a veterinary teaching hospital, academic medical center, specialty hospital, or other complex healthcare organization.
• Experience overseeing multiple clinical services, large teams, or operations across multiple facilities.
• Experience with continuous improvement, quality improvement, patient safety, or implementation of standardized clinical and operational processes.
• Experience with strategic workforce planning, succession planning, leadership development, and organizational change.
• Experience with budget development, financial analysis, space utilization, equipment planning, or other resource-management responsibilities.
• Experience supporting teaching, research, and/or clinical training within an academic or teaching environment.
• Experience partnering with Human Resources on employee relations, recruitment, performance management, accommodations, and other workforce matters.
• Experience developing and implementing professional development, mentorship, continuing education, or career advancement programs for nursing/technical staff.
• Experience using data and financial information to support operational decision-making, resource allocation, and sustainable staffing models.
• Strong understanding of veterinary nursing/technician practice, patient care operations, and the role of veterinary nursing in a teaching hospital environment.

Physical Demands:

This position requires the ability to work in a clinical veterinary environment and may involve prolonged standing or walking, bending, stooping, reaching, and working around patients and clinical equipment. The position may occasionally require lifting or carrying up to 50 pounds and the use of appropriate personal protective equipment.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in veterinary technology, nursing, health sciences, life sciences, healthcare administration, or a closely related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience. (Required)
• Certified Veterinary Technician credential or equivalent professional credential. (Preferred)
• Master's degree in veterinary technology, nursing, healthcare administration, business administration, leadership, or a related field. (Preferred)

How to Apply:

Click the "Apply" button to start the application process.

You will be prompted to upload the following documents:

-Resume

-Letter of Qualifications

Applicants should attach a letter of qualifications and resume detailing their training and experience relating to the required and preferred qualifications referenced above. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine which qualified applicants will advance in the recruitment process.

The deadline for assuring full consideration is November 25, 2026; however, the position will remain open and applications may be considered until the position is filled.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Contact Information:


Human Resources Support: Anne Kaldunski, HR Coordinator, akaldunski@wisc.edu