Job Description

About us:

At The Lost Dogs’ Home, we are a foundation in Victoria's animal welfare landscape, celebrated for our compassionate care of around 18,000 lost and abandoned dogs and cats every year. Beyond caring for animals, we are dedicated to providing diverse animal welfare and community programs, all aimed at giving animals the best chance of a happy and healthy life. Our mission is upheld by passionate individuals who embody a profound affinity for animals, community, and advocacy.

About the role:

We have an exciting opportunity for a Full-time Shelter Veterinary Nurse Team Leader to lead, support and coordinate our dedicated North Melbourne Shelter Veterinary Nurses. Reporting to the newly appointed Shelter Veterinary Services Manager, this role plays a key leadership function within the Shelter Veterinary Medicine team, fostering collaboration and best practice to ensure the delivery of high-quality, efficient and compassionate veterinary care for the animals in our care. You will also have the support of job sharing this role with another Shelter Veterinary Nurse Team Leader, and this role is full time across four days, with one RDO per week.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and managing the Shelter Veterinary Nurses,
• Developing a positive team ethos within the immediate team through positive participation and communication,
• Work collaboratively with other department team leaders and managers to achieve organisational goals
• Training staff in appropriate safe and stress-free nursing and animal handling techniques,
• Overseeing preparation of rosters within budget ensuring leave coverage,
• Managing staff including regular performance appraisals, goal setting
• Reviewing, developing and implementing team and organisation protocols,
• Ensuring quality animal care by liaising with the Lead Veterinarian,
• Ensuring comprehensive records of admissions, care, treatments, rehabilitations and outcomes are maintained, and,
• Carrying out veterinary related tasks under the guidance of the veterinarian.

About you:

We are looking for an experienced Veterinary Nurse to lead and manage a team of dedicated veterinary nurses - a natural leader to cultivate a good working environment. We are looking for someone who understands and promotes our values and is passionate about patient care and maintaining high standards of care. You will thrive in working in a fast paced environment and enjoy the challenges that working in a shelter brings, alongside the rewarding aspects of helping animals find their forever homes.

The successful applicant will also:

• Have significant experience working as a Veterinary Nurse
• Possess a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (essential)
• Experience in a shelter environment (desired)
• Experience in a leadership capacity (desired)
• Be a strong communicator with leadership and people-management skills
• Be a proven team player, with the ability to show initiative in a fast-paced environment
• Have excellent time management and organisational skills
• The ability to motivate and lead a team to high standards
• Sound emotional maturity, resilience, and animal welfare ethics

What we can offer:

A purposeful animal welfare career, fantastic career development and opportunities to develop skills not only shelter medicine but also in the animal welfare industry. You will have the opportunity to be mentored by experienced and knowledgeable leaders in shelter medicine and gain skills in leadership and coaching.

If you have the skills, experience and enthusiasm to be successful in this role, please click on the “Apply” button, ensuring you have attached your cover letter and current resume in Word or PDF format. If you have any further questions or queries regarding the role, please email recruitment@dogshome.com.

The successful applicant will be required to satisfactorily complete reference checks.

  
The Lost Dogs’ Home is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. Only candidates with the right to work in Australia may apply for this position.