Exotic Vet Practice Operations Leader in Brisbane

Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Services – Greenslopes QLD

Looking for something genuinely different? BBEVS is a family-owned veterinary practice working exclusively with birds and exotic pets. We do unusually good work on unusual patients, with good people, interesting problems to solve, and the freedom to change things when they aren't working.

Our patients have feathers, scales, shells, fur, fins and very strong opinions about their human minions! We take what we do very seriously, but ourselves considerably less so.

We're looking for a Practice Manager to help us run the place: someone who's very good at people, systems, follow-through and making a busy practice work well. We don't need someone standing on the sidelines with a clipboard, and we're not particularly interested in management for management's sake. We need someone who can continue to promote order in a complicated small business, help good people do their jobs well. If you get a certain amount of satisfaction from finally fixing the thing that's been mildly annoying everyone for the past three years, apply now!

The role includes:

• Keeping the day-to-day functions of the practice running properly
• Maintaining oversight of workflows, systems and processes
• Supporting portfolio holders, the staff who each own different areas of responsibility within the practice
• Managing higher level client complaints and difficult client interactions, while supporting the growth of front line staff in dealing with lower level complaints and difficulties
• Supporting rostering, leave and operational coordination
• Spotting and replacing systems that are clunky, fragile, duplicated or held together by goodwill and an Excel spreadsheet
• Holding people kindly, clearly and consistently accountable
• Occasionally helping Front of House when another capable human is simply what the situation requires

This is a proper management role. You'll deal with the normal conversations, feedback, coordination and people management that are part of running a team. However, when something gets genuinely curly, you won't be left holding it on your own. The Practice Principal will retain responsibility for the practice financials, and complex HR and employment matters.

You might fit in here if...

• You like people, but you aren't frightened of accountability.
• You're organised, but don't require everyone around you to organise themselves exactly as you do, and you're reasonably good at telling the difference between urgent, important and simply very noisy.
• You notice when the same problem keeps happening and start wondering whether the system, rather than the person, might be the problem.
• You can have an awkward conversation without avoiding it for three weeks, turning it into a six-page policy, or setting the building on fire.
• You communicate clearly, finish things and ask questions when you don't know.
• You're reasonably unflappable when the day develops a mind of its own, can be warm without being vague and firm without becoming terrifying.
• Liking small, very opinionated creatures is non-negotiable, as is a belief that a good veterinary practice should work well for the people who work there, the clients who come through the door and the patients who may prefer not to be there at all.

What we offer:

• Five weeks annual leave
• One week CPD leave, pro rata
• CPD support and opportunities for ongoing professional development
• Remuneration scaled to your experience and the level of responsibility you're ready to take on
• A family-owned workplace where decisions are made by people who actually work in the practice
• Genuine scope to influence how the practice operates
• A well-established team with strong clinical, nursing and Front of House capability
• A workplace that takes learning seriously
• The opportunity to work in a genuinely unusual veterinary business with some equally unusual patients
• A team that works hard, thinks hard and retains a fairly healthy appreciation of the inherent absurdity of veterinary medicine.

You don't need to come from veterinary practice management. You might already be an experienced Practice Manager. You might be an experienced veterinary nurse, technician or Front of House leader who's ready to step further into management. Or you might come from healthcare, allied health, professional services, hospitality or another busy service business where you've learned how to manage people, competing priorities and the occasional small fire.

We're more interested in whether you can lead people, build good systems, exercise judgement and get things done than whether you've previously had exactly the right job title. We also don't expect all of those people to arrive at the same level. Someone taking a genuine step up into management will need different support from an experienced Practice Manager who's ready to take greater ownership from the outset, and the remuneration and scope of the role will reflect the experience and capability you bring.

If you've got a passion for our species but don't know everything about them yet, we can fill in your knowledge. Our 'person' is worth that time investment.

If you're reading this thinking actually, that sounds like my kind of place, we'd genuinely like to hear from you.

Please email a cover letter, resume and three referees to: Deborah Monks at ***********@bbevs.com.au