Santa Rosa and Healdsburg
We are open to flexible or part-time schedules, with salary prorated based on weekly
hours and scope of responsibility.
Salary $145,000–$160,000 DOE
Senior Director of Veterinary Medicine
Committed to kindness in service to the community since 1931, the Humane Society of Sonoma County is a donor-supported safe haven for animals. Our mission is to save lives and benefit the wellbeing of pets and their people with kindness, innovation, and leadership.
Shelter medicine today isn’t the “back-up plan” - it’s the leading edge of animal health, public health, and equitable access to veterinary care. At the Humane Society of Sonoma County (HSSC), we are building a regional resource hub; scaling big impact in spaces that stay personal, grounded, and community connected.
We are looking for a veterinarian who believes that:
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The human-animal bond deserves protection and creative solutions.
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Population health and individual care go hand-in-hand.
Families facing financial barriers deserve respect and access to care. High-quality medicine can (and should) exist outside traditional models.
THE IMPACT:
Every day, you will:
Work with a dynamic mission-forward team that is building a regional resource hub. Improve outcomes for individual animals and whole populations. Shape the next era of shelter medicine in Sonoma County.
The Staff Veterinarian is tasked with delivering comprehensive, high-quality medical care to animals in a clinical and shelter environment at the Humane Society of Sonoma County. This role involves diagnosing illnesses, administering treatment, performing surgeries, and educating pet owners about animal health, while also implementing standards of animal care and managing treatment plans.
This position reflects a values-driven professional who leads with humility, collaboration, and a deep care for both animals and humans. As a Veterinarian, you thrive in a team environment, excel in clinical medicine as well as people leadership, and believe in the transformative power of accessible veterinary care and shelter medicine to improve lives.
You’ll collaborate daily with DVMs, skilled RVTs and a multidisciplinary team who practice at the top of their licenses and training. Help us expand to a 7 day-per-week procedures and medical clinic, integrating clinical excellence with access, compassion, and smart resource use.
Join a strong local veterinary and animal welfare community and collaborate with forward-thinking partners across the Bay Area and California to advance the future of shelter and community medicine.
- Oversee all medical care provided to shelter and public animals, ensuring best practices in shelter and clinical medicine.
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Shelter medicine: chronic & urgent care, behavior support, population health, flow-through decision-making
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Develop, implement, and evaluate medical protocols in alignment with organizational goals and community needs.
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Ensure compliance with CA Veterinary Medical Board, DEA, OSHA, USDA, and all applicable regulations.
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Surgery: Perform surgeries including-high quality spay/neuter, dentistry, and soft tissue and direct high-quality medical treatments and diagnostics. (emergency and elective).
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Community medicine: incremental care plans that keep pets with families and out of the shelter
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Collaborate with shelter, foster, and client services teams to support animal wellness and flow through the system.
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Maintain accurate medical records and participate in medical rounds and case reviews.
? Describe leadership responsibilities, oversight, and support
? Model compassionate, trauma-informed leadership and communication at all levels.
? Describe and Leadership or organizational support responsibilities
Supervises: RVT`S, Vet Assistants, CVC staff, and any Vet Med volunteers
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
DVM/VMD + CA Veterinary license.
Proficient surgical skills with HVHQSN training; experience in shelter and/or community medicine.
Strong communicator and integrator: you see the whole system.
Curiosity, adaptability, and shared leadership mindset.
Spanish language skills are valued but not required.
- Ability to interact with staff and clients in a professional manner. Able to direct the work of others, train/develop employees, evaluate performance, and provide feedback.
? Ability to communicate orally and in writing with staff and the general public.
? Ability to work well under pressure and handle multiple tasks at one time.
? Knowledge of the principles and practices of veterinary medicine.
? Effective decision making and diagnostic skills and interest in pursuing treatment options with limited funding.
? Ability to exercise independent judgment, decisiveness and creativity to problem solve.
?Desire to implement efficiencies on an on-going basis. Commitment to practicing excellent medicine.
? Team-oriented attitude; serve as a leader for staff.
- Provide strategic leadership across the organization, contributing to long-term planning and goal setting.
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Collaborate with department heads to align veterinary services with broader organizational objectives.
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Participate in cross-functional initiatives to improve operational efficiency and service delivery.
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Represent the organization in external forums, conferences, and stakeholder meetings to promote its mission and veterinary programs.
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Support fundraising and development efforts by providing expert insight into veterinary services and program impact.
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Advocate for animal welfare and shelter medicine at the regional and national levels, serving as a spokesperson when appropriate.
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Must be able to interact with animals.
- Ability to operate, maneuver and/or provide simple but continuous adjustments on equipment such a surgical instrument, syringes, microscopes, diagnostic equipment, computer terminal, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
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Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing movements requiring skill and training, such as performing surgery and giving injections.
- Tasks involve the ability to exert moderate but not constant physical effort, typically involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching, and lifting, carrying objects and animals of moderate weight. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
The employee is generally working in a shelter environment with a shared office space and will be exposed to moderately loud noise levels (such as barking dogs, ringing phones), cleaning agents, bites, scratches, and animal waste. There is possible exposure to zoonotic diseases.
HSSC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable team. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities, especially those historically underrepresented in animal welfare and veterinary medicine.
