Director of Operations - Veterinary Services

Director of Operations – Veterinary Services The Welcome Waggin’ In-Home & Veterinary Care Center Location: Plainfield, IL Job Type: Full-Time | On-Site Salary: $110,000–$140,000 annually + Performance-Based Bonus Reports To: Owner & CEO Career Growth: Potential advancement to Chief Operating Officer (COO) Build the Systems. Lead the Team. Scale the Business. The Welcome Waggin’ is seeking an experienced, hands‑on Director of Operations to help scale our growing veterinary organization toward $5 million in annual revenue and beyond. We need a proven service‑business operator who can build scalable systems, improve profitability, develop leaders, and successfully partner with an entrepreneurial founder. Veterinary experience is a plus, but not required. We welcome experienced leaders from healthcare, home services, field‑service operations, and other growing service businesses. About The Welcome Waggin’ Vet Care That Feels Like Home. Founded in 2007 and under current ownership since 2020, The Welcome Waggin’ has evolved from a mobile veterinary practice into a unique organization combining personalized in‑home veterinary care with a modern, full‑service Veterinary Care Center in Plainfield, Illinois. With approximately 20 employees, a newly expanded facility, and recent weekly revenue exceeding $65,000 (an annualized pace above $3 million), we’re entering an exciting stage of growth. Our next chapter focuses on profitable expansion, operational excellence, strong leadership, and building a business that operates successfully without relying on the owner's daily involvement. Our culture is grounded in four HOME values: Hospitality, Openness, Meaningful Work, and Energy. The Opportunity We’re looking for a builder, not just a manager. We have talented medical professionals, an established brand, existing procedures, and an ambitious growth vision. We need someone who can translate those strengths into consistent execution, accountability, and measurable business performance. You’ll partner directly with our Owner/CEO, Medical Director, and department supervisors to lead daily operations, improve profitability, strengthen systems, and develop our leadership team. This is a hands‑on role requiring both strategic thinking and practical execution. You’ll analyze financial performance, coach supervisors, improve workflows, and solve operational challenges. The owner will remain focused on financial strategy, clinical medicine, culture, brand development, community relationships, and long‑term growth. Your responsibility is to build and lead operational systems that allow the organization to thrive independently of the owner's daily presence. Key Responsibilities Operational Performance & Profitability Own the operating P&L within agreed financial parameters, including labor efficiency, scheduling, COGS, operating expenses, vendor costs, and departmental performance. Manage operational budgets, payroll productivity, and controllable expenses. Establish weekly KPI scorecards tracking revenue, labor, capacity, utilization, and adjusted operating profit. Identify and implement measurable improvements in profitability without sacrificing patient care or client experience. Lead weekly operating reviews and partner with the owner on financial planning. The owner retains responsibility for capital allocation, debt strategy, taxes, owner compensation, and major financial decisions. Systems, Processes & Accountability Strengthen existing SOPs and ensure consistent daily execution. Build practical departmental playbooks, checklists, training tools, and quality‑control systems. Identify recurring problems, eliminate bottlenecks, and reduce reliance on individual employees' knowledge. Establish reliable systems for fleet maintenance, medical equipment, facilities, inventory, and vendor management. Create accountability through clear expectations, measurable outcomes, and consistent follow‑through. Scheduling, Logistics & Client Experience Optimize mobile veterinary routing, dispatching, staffing, and appointment scheduling. Improve doctor and technician utilization, Care Center workflows, and operational capacity. Develop effective staffing coverage and contingency plans. Partner with client-service leadership to improve call handling, booking conversion, scheduling efficiency, and client satisfaction. Balance operational efficiency with exceptional patient care. Leadership & Team Development Lead, coach, and develop operational department supervisors. Partner with the Medical Director to align clinical and business priorities. Implement structured onboarding, competency standards, training, and performance reviews. Improve delegation, communication, accountability, and sustainable workload management. Build a leadership team capable of independently managing daily operations. Protect and strengthen our HOME culture as we grow. Founder Partnership & Business Growth Translate the founder's vision into clear operational priorities and execution plans. Make independent operational decisions within established authority. Communicate candidly, challenge ideas constructively, and bring solutions. Build the infrastructure necessary to scale toward $5 million in annual revenue and beyond. Reduce operational dependence on the owner through strong systems and empowered leadership. Qualifications Required: Proven operations leadership experience in a growing service‑based organization. Experience in healthcare, home services, veterinary operations, field services, or similarly complex businesses. Experience working directly with a founder, entrepreneur, or owner‑operator. Operating P&L responsibility and strong financial literacy. Demonstrated success building and implementing operational systems. Experience developing supervisors, managers, and frontline teams. Strong understanding of staffing efficiency, scheduling, logistics, and operational KPIs. Excellent communication, organization, problem‑solving, and leadership skills. A hands‑on leadership style with confidence to make independent decisions. Highly Preferred: Experience scaling a service business from approximately $2–3 million toward $5 million or more. Experience with mobile operations, dispatching, field services, or fleet management. Demonstrated improvements in EBITDA, operating margins, or labor productivity. Experience implementing onboarding, training, and accountability systems. Familiarity with KPI‑driven management and entrepreneurial operating frameworks. Founder Fit Matters You thrive in a founder‑led environment where ideas move quickly, priorities evolve, and entrepreneurial energy drives growth. You know how to create structure without slowing momentum, distinguish urgent from important, and turn changing priorities into clear execution plans. You're neither passive nor overly rigid. You know when to execute, when to ask questions, and when to respectfully challenge an idea. We’re seeking someone who can lead operations—not someone who needs the owner to make every decision. What Success Looks Like First 90 Days Establish weekly operational scorecards and leadership meeting routines. Assess payroll efficiency, scheduling, capacity, and profitability opportunities. Implement organized fleet, equipment, and facility‑maintenance tracking. Clarify decision‑making authority and departmental accountability. Identify critical SOP gaps and begin implementing practical improvements. First 12 Months Demonstrate measurable progress toward our longer‑term 20% adjusted operating profit target. Establish reliable labor, capacity, and productivity reporting. Reduce avoidable overtime and payroll inefficiencies. Improve scheduling, routing, and SOP execution. Implement structured onboarding and leadership‑development programs. Maintain excellent patient‑care and client‑service standards. Build a leadership team capable of successfully operating the business during a planned 30‑day owner absence, with clear reporting and escalation procedures. Our 20% profitability goal is a longer‑term direction, not a guaranteed first‑year requirement. Compensation & Career Growth Base Salary: $110,000–$140,000 annually, based on demonstrated experience and qualifications. Performance-Based Bonus: Opportunities tied to measurable improvements in adjusted operating profit, labor efficiency, operational systems, leadership development, client-service quality, and reduced owner dependence. Bonuses reward profitable growth—not revenue growth alone. Benefits Include: Health, dental, and vision insurance Retirement plan Paid time off Continuing education opportunities Employee discounts Referral program The right candidate will have significant operational autonomy, clear decision‑making authority, and the opportunity to advance into a Chief Operating Officer (COO) role as the organization grows. #J-18808-Ljbffr