
Discover a path to a brighter future
for you and our furry friends
Vetco Operations Leader
205 SE 5th Street, Ames, IA 50010 United States
- Vet Services
- R323236
- Full time
- Not Remote
- 205 SE 5th Street, Ames, IA 50010 United States
Create a healthier, brighter future for pets, pet parents and people!
If you want to make a real difference, create an exciting career path, feel welcome to be your whole self and nurture your wellbeing, Petco is the place for you.
Our core values capture that spirit as we work to improve lives by doing what’s right for pets, people and our planet.
- We love all pets like our own
- We’re the future of the pet industry
- We’re here to improve lives
- We drive outstanding results together
- We’re welcome as we are
Petco is a category-defining health and wellness company focused on improving the lives of pets, pet parents and Petco partners. We are 29,000 strong and operate 1,500+ pet care centers in the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, including 250+ Vetco Total Care hospitals, hundreds of preventive care clinics and eight distribution centers. We’re focused on purpose-driven work, and strongly believe what’s good for pets, people and our planet is good for Petco.
Our Mission:
The health and wellness company committed to improving the lives of pets, pet parents, and Petco partners.
Our Commitments:
We always put pets first- we rally around the belief that if it’s good for pets, it’s good for business.
We raise the bar- We catalyze the entire pet industry by combining passion and expertise, pioneering and trailblazing new standards in care.
We build communities- We bring together a community of pets and pet parents to deepen connections and celebrate the love between us.
We deliver 360 solutions- We are the constant partner to pet and pet parents, delivering connected, personalized solutions that are accessible in one place.
We fight for every pet- We strive to make health and wellness accessible for all pets, no matter their situation.
Position Purpose:
The purpose of the Vetco Operations Leader is to provide daily leadership to their team and hub. The Vetco Operations Leader will also partner with our retail store partners to provide an efficient and profitable operation by creating a culture of high-quality patient care and exceptional customer service, as well as driving revenue and managing costs. The Vetco Operations Leader represents the mission and values of Petco to all partners and guests. The Vetco Operations Leader coordinates the overall operations of their hub in partnership with store support resources and cultivates a supportive and collaborative team environment by fostering cohesion and motivation within their teams.
Essential Job Functions
The essential duties and responsibilities that are required of this position. This section includes the primary accountabilities or duties of the role. The Vetco Operations Leader must be able to perform all the following duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation:
- Oversees the daily operation and manages all aspects of the business to ensure it meets sales and profitability projections.
- Completes and submits accounting, inventory management, and payroll paperwork accurately and in a timely manner.
- Ensure all expenses are maintained within budgeted levels.
- Establishes, models, and sustains an environment of proactive customer engagement, seeking to understand customer needs and educate them on the best choice for their pets so they leave confident, satisfied and wanting to return. Trains, coaches, and supports partners to do the same.
- Lead Vetco paraprofessionals to drive operational excellence and efficiencies while maintaining productive and healthy relationships with Veterinarians to drive a positive culture and cohesive team environment.
- Point person for all day-to-day functions of their hub including scheduling, equipment function and maintenance, fleet maintenance, inventory control and ordering, partner and DVM scheduling, team training, and handling client concerns.
- Responsible for creating a culture that fosters growth and development including, coaching, training, and accountability of paraprofessional partners, in partnership with TVM, Vet Services Support and Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP).
- Responsible for maintaining and/or growing staffing levels, which includes recruiting, reviewing job applications, and interviewing job applicants, checking references, conducting pre-employment background checks, hiring, and training to support the business.
- Assume scheduling responsibilities for all paraprofessional partners and maintain all hub partner points in accordance with Petco’s punctuality and attendance policy.
- Develop quarterly, monthly, and weekly plans in collaboration with the TVM, track results, and ensure goal attainment.
- Interface and collaborate with Petco store partners and local VTCH team to drive a seamless partnership and customer experience.
- Maintain OSHA standards, uphold and enforce all policies of Petco.
- Develop business acumen to identify business trends that support incremental and supplemental growth as well as the mitigation of clinic cancellations.
- Manage tasks associated with selection and scheduling of veterinarians in advance of clinics in partnership with Vet Services Support.
- Partner with VTCH location management (where applicable) and Petco field leadership to identify business and relationship opportunities and lead or assist in their implementation.
- Participate and present material on clinics to store leadership partners.
- Responsible for operating a motor vehicle (car) and transporting product, equipment, and partners to their respective clinics.
Other Duties and Responsibilities:
- Patient care always comes first.
- Any issues with guest or hub partners are dealt with and resolved as they occur, or as soon as is possible.
- Exceptional teamwork and commitment to achieve shared goals to benefit the entire company of Petco.
- Collaborate with store support resources, Petco store personnel, and VTCH Team to drive a positive cultural and cohesive team environment!
- Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.
Nature of Supervision:
The incumbent reports to the Territory Vetco Manager.
Planning and Problem Solving:
The Vetco Operations Leader must possess excellent planning skills while scheduling the hub paraprofessional partners in order to ensure adequate coverage while making sure the hub does not exceed forecasted payroll costs. The Vetco Operations Leader will also play a crucial role in ensuring that day-to-day operation of the hub is efficient and provides an optimal experience for our partners guests.
Impact:
This position will impact the organization by contributing to the growth of productive practices while focusing on a high-quality standard of care. From an overall hub organizational standpoint, this position in critical to ensuring that we have a cohesive, well-trained, and motivated team. The desired result is the creation of an optimal environment that ensures partner retention, patient well-being, and customer satisfaction.
Supervisory Responsibility:
This position includes multiple direct within their respective HUB(s) (Clinic Advisors, Vet Assistants, and Clinic Leads) with daily responsibilities that include recruiting, interviewing, hiring, training, mentoring/coaching, assignment delegation, partnering store support resources personnel for business operations needs and partnering with Human Resources on discipline up to and including termination.
Minimum Requirements:
- 1+ years in a leadership role, including direct customer service experience.
- Previous experience working in the veterinary field is beneficial (not required).
- Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to make decisions, delegate tasks and responsibilities and drive results with hub partners.
- Must be compassionate and sympathetic and be able to maintain a professional attitude and demeanor during emotional and stressful situations.
- Must have telephone etiquette and basic computer skills.
- Must be a team player willing to continue learning, offer creative ideas and accept continual change.
- Change agility- Works productively and able to navigate ambiguity or uncertainty while assuming positive intent in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
- Desire to Learn - Demonstrates flexibility and resilience in response to obstacles, constraints, adversity, and mistakes. Constructively and resourcefully adapts to changing needs, conditions, priorities, or opportunities. Seeks out opportunities to learn from new discoveries, innovations, ways of looking at things, knowledge, and ideas. Invites and incorporates both giving and receiving productive and well-intentioned feedback.
- Drive for Results -- Initiate decisive, timely actions to address important issues. Demonstrates a strong sense of ownership and a commitment to achieving meaningful results. Sets challenging, clear goals/targets and expectations for achieving business results. Drives initiatives/efforts while taking personal responsibility to make decisions and execute actions.
- Must possess and maintain a current, valid Driver’s License and have the ability to operate a motor vehicle (car).
- Basic computer skills i.e., Microsoft Office suite
Work Environment:
The majority of job duties are conducted in both the in the hub and within PCC. Position requires sitting, bending, kneeling, lifting (up to 50 pounds, as necessary) and standing for long periods of time. A large amount of this partner’s time will be spent in direct contact with clients and their pets.
Contacts:
This position will regularly communicate with clients, veterinarian, store partners, store support partners, and companies that provide products and/or services that Vetco utilizes. The right candidate will be able to positively represent Petco within the professional community and to our guests.
The above description is meant to provide an overview/summary of the nature and level of work being performed; it should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and requirements of the job. PETCO reserves the right to modify the content formally or informally, either verbally or in writing, at any time without advance notice and employees are required to follow any other job-related duties/functions requested by their supervisor. Further, all employment at PETCO is of an at-will nature and, as such, the company reserves its right to terminate any position or employee (with or without notice and with or without cause) within its discretion.
For a more detailed overview of Petco Total Rewards, including health and financial benefits, 401K, incentives, and PTO - see https://careers.petco.com/us/en/key-benefits
Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.
To translate this webpage to Spanish or other languages on your internet browser, click the translate button to the right of your browser address bar. Additional instructions can be found here: Google Chrome Help .
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Our Commitment to People, Pets and Planet
We believe the passion for pets is universal. To better serve our diverse customers across our 1,500 Pet Care Centers, 250+ Vetco Total Care hospitals and 1700+ weekly Vetco vaccination clinics, we are intentional about bringing the skillsets and experiences that help us meet the needs of all pets and pet parents. From attracting bilingual talent needed to serve multicultural market segments to leveraging a variety of perspectives to help us innovate in a competitive and changing industry, we know diversity and inclusion are critical business drivers to help Petco meet the needs of all pet families.
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Planet
- Began transitioning in-store habitats from fluorescent to LED bulbs, resulting in energy savings.
- Reduced energy usage by more than 4 million kWh through our lighting curtailment program.
- In 2024, our recycling initiatives diverted nearly 400 tons of plastic from landfills.
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People
- Provided career or skills-related training to 98% of all employees.
- Sponsored more than 150 scholarships through our Petco/Penn Foster Scholarship Program and Latinx Veterinary Medical Association.
- Nearly 600,000 hours of training delivered to pet care center partners.
- Over 40% of General Manager and District General Manager positions filled by internal promotions.
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Pets
- Reunited more than 100,000 pets with their pet parents through Petco Love Lost.
- Helped save nearly 7 million animals through adoptions in Petco pet care centers
- Distributed more than 3.2 million free vaccines to pets via Petco Love.
- Invested nearly $410 million in lifesaving animal welfare work.
- Helped more than 4,000 animal welfare partners.

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