CHIEF VETERINARIAN

City of Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Toronto is seeking a Chief Veterinarian to lead Toronto Animal Services. This role involves overseeing animal care operations, managing a team of medical professionals, and ensuring compliance with health regulations. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in veterinary medicine along with leadership experience in a high-volume animal care environment.

Benefits

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Current Ontario veterinary license, preferably with experience in high-volume spay/neuter clinics.
• Strong leadership skills to manage a team effectively.
• Knowledge of public health issues and relevant legislation.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations and staff performance within Toronto Animal Services.
• Ensure compliance with legislation and oversee animal care protocols.
• Act as a subject matter expert on complex animal care issues.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem Solving

Animal Care

Education

License to practice veterinary medicine in Ontario

Veterinary degree

Job description

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• Job Type & Duration: Full-time, Permanent Vacancy
• Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week
• Affiliation: Non-Union
• Number of Positions Open: 1
• Posting Period: 25-JUN-2025 to 09-JUL-2025
  

The Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) Division supports the City of Toronto by providing bylaw administration and enforcement services, including targeted strategies to address graffiti, noise, business inspections, parks regulations and animal services issues, as well as business licensing and permitting, property standards, and animal care, including control, shelter and adoption services.

As Chief Veterinarian within Toronto Animal Services, you'll play a pivotal divisional role by ensuring the provision of effective, efficient, economical and essential services delivered by a team of medical professionals, including the oversight and monitoring of services performed by contracted veterinary services, and ensuring compliance with all legislation and regulations governing animal care and welfare.

Reporting to the Director, Toronto Animal Services, you'll manage and monitor all aspects of the day-to-day operation (e.g., administration, asset management, clinical surgeries, shelter medicine), with the support of veterinarians and shelter staff. It will be your responsibility to ensure that animal care and husbandry are provided in accordance with existing legislation, best practices and the guidelines established by the Canadian Council on Animal Care and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians.

Along with overseeing the effectiveness and efficiency of contracted and in-house veterinarian services, you'll lead the development and implementation of the strategic and operational direction of Toronto Animal Services animal care protocols, by establishing short-term and long-term objectives and operational policies that support the Division's strategic directions, priorities and program initiatives.

An effective decision-maker, with a track record of innovation, results-oriented leadership and a strong customer service orientation, you're ready to manage, motivate and train Unit staff, from scheduling, assigning and reviewing work, to monitoring and evaluating staff performance. Leading by example, you'll ensure effective teamwork, and high standards of work quality and organizational performance, and promoting a collaborative, learning and team-based culture, continuous learning and innovation. You'll also be expected to develop and administer the annual budget for the Unit, and ensure that expenditures are controlled within budget.

Acting as a subject matter expert, you'll support staff in the execution of their duties by assisting with complex animal care issues, including medical diagnoses of diseases and injuries, and ensure appropriate animal medical treatments, including vaccinations, euthanasia or other actions regarding animals under custody of the City.

Key Qualifications

Among the strengths you bring to the role ofChief Veterinarian will be the following key qualifications:

• Current licence and membership or eligibility for license and membership in good standing with the College of Veterinarians of Ontario to practice veterinary medicine in Ontario with a Licence type "General" (without conditions or limitations) and professional activity of companion animals or companion animals over 50%.
• Extensive experience as an Ontario Licensed Veterinarian or the Province/State where you currently hold licensure working in a veterinary practice, animal control or humane society with a focus primarily on cats and dogs, especially regarding sterilization and disease recognition and treatment.
• Considerable experience in working in a high-volume spay neuter clinic.
• Considerable experience in shelter medicine and clinical surgery to ensure appropriate animal medical treatments are undertaken, including vaccination, euthanasia and other actions.
• Considerable experience in leadership of a high-performance team, including coaching, providing work direction, training and holding people accountable.
• Must possess or be eligible and maintain a valid Ontario Class 'G' Driver's Licence and access to own vehicle, as travel between work locations is required.

Through this background, you've acquired technical aptitude and competency in the areas of dog and cat breed recognition, and a good knowledge of public health issues surrounding animals, Toronto Animal Services' programs and relevant legislation such as the Toronto Municipal Code - Chapter 349, the Dog Owners' Liability Act and the Animals for Research Act. This is combined with demonstrated knowledge of relevant employment legislation, including the Employment Standards Act, the Human Rights Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

An excellent communicator at all organizational levels, you can effectively deal with senior management, conduct meetings, and resolve problems and issues at various levels. You also have the interpersonal skills and ability to build consensus and trust with members of the public and stakeholders in the community, and establish effective working relationships and collaborative work approaches with employees, senior management staff and external parties.

Your excellent analytical, negotiating, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills will prove invaluable in this role, together with your ability to identify, coordinate and manage competing divisional priorities, multi-task and provide direction on issues management, communications co-ordination and relationship management, including highly confidential matters.

Equally important, you have the ability to support the Toronto Public Service values to ensure a culture that champions equity, diversity and respectful workplaces. Experience working in the public sector will be considered an assethGiven the nature of this role, you must have immunization against rabies, and have a biennial rabies titre taken to determine immunity level and, if needed, receive booster vaccinations against rabies. You must also be available to work weekends, overtime and/or on-call duty to meet operational requirements.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve. Learn more about the City’s commitment to employment equity .