Veterinary Kennel Attendant Supervisor- SWING SHIFT

Description

About Cerro Alto

Cerro Alto Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital is a privately owned, doctor-led specialty and emergency hospital on California’s Central Coast. Built by specialists who believe great medicine starts with great people, we’re committed to collaboration, mentorship, and delivering exceptional, patient-centered care across surgery, emergency, internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, and advanced imaging.

Our ER/ICU service works alongside surgery, internal medicine, radiology, oncology, and cardiology in a fast-growing, high-energy hospital environment. If you want to be part of a team that takes medicine seriously — but not itself — you’ll feel at home here.

Why This Role Is Special

The Kennel Attendant Supervisor is responsible for overseeing the daily operations, training, and scheduling of the Kennel Attendant (KA) team. This role ensures high standards of patient care, cleanliness, workflow efficiency, and team accountability.

This position serves as the direct supervisor for KAs and acts as a key support role to the clinical and leadership teams by maintaining a well-trained, reliable, and effective support staff.

During swing shift hours (2pm - 1am) you’ll work directly with board-certified doctors and specialty teams to coordinate diagnostics, monitor post-operative patients, manage complications, and serve as a clinical anchor for both patients and clients during some of the most critical moments in their care.

This role is ideal for an experienced Veterinary Assistant who wants deeper clinical involvement, meaningful responsibility, and a long-term growth path in specialty and referral medicine.

There is a $3.00 shift differential paid for all hours worked between 8pm - 6:00am.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise and provide daily oversight of the Kennel Attendant team
• Set clear expectations for performance, workflow, and patient care standards
• Provide real-time coaching, feedback, and redirection as needed
• Address performance concerns in collaboration with hospital leadership
• Foster a positive, accountable, and team-oriented work environment

Training & Development

• Lead onboarding and training of all Kennel Attendants
• Ensure all KAs are trained and competent in:
  • Animal handling and restraint (within scope)
  • Cleaning and disinfection protocols
  • Laundry and hospital sanitation standards
  • Basic patient care support tasks
• Maintain and update KA training materials and competency checklists
• Identify skill gaps and implement ongoing training

Scheduling & Staffing

• Create and manage KA schedules to ensure appropriate coverage across all shifts
• Adjust staffing based on hospital census and operational needs
• Monitor attendance, tardiness, and shift coverage
• Coordinate shift swaps and coverage as needed
• Communicate staffing concerns proactively to leadership

Operations & Workflow

• Ensure all cleaning, sanitation, and patient support tasks are completed consistently and efficiently
• Maintain hospital cleanliness standards in all areas (treatment, wards, ICU, lobby, etc.)
• Support patient flow by ensuring KAs are aligned with clinical team needs
• Assist with inventory related to cleaning and kennel supplies

Collaboration

• Work closely with:
  • Veterinary Assistants and RVTs
  • Department Leads
  • Hospital Leadership
• Communicate effectively across departments to support patient care and workflow

Success Indicators (First 90 Days)

• KA team is fully staffed with consistent schedule coverage
• Training system is implemented and actively utilized
• Measurable improvement in cleanliness and workflow consistency
• Clear accountability and communication established within the KA team

Requirements

What We’re Looking For

Required

• Minimum 2 years of experience in a veterinary hospital setting
• Previous experience supervising a kennel or support staff team (required)
• Demonstrated ability to train, coach, and manage team performance
• Strong organizational and scheduling experience

Preferred

• Experienced Veterinary Assistant or Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)
• Experience in a specialty and/or emergency hospital environment

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership and accountability skills
• Ability to train, coach, and provide direct feedback
• Clear and professional communication
• Ability to prioritize and adapt in a fast-paced environment
• Strong attention to detail, especially in sanitation and patient care standards
• Proactive, solution-oriented mindset

Work Environment

• 24/7 hospital setting
• Physically demanding role (standing, lifting, cleaning, animal handling)
• Exposure to animals in various states of health and behavior