Hospital Director of Operations, Veterinary Medicine

Ethos Veterinary Health; Dartmouth; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading veterinary care provider is seeking a Hospital Director of Operations in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. This role involves overseeing a multi-specialty hospital's daily operations, driving innovation, and ensuring high-quality care for animals. The ideal candidate has 5–10 years of leadership experience, strong financial acumen, and proven skills in team development and collaboration. This position offers a competitive salary, relocation bonus, and comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Relocation bonus

Annual profit-sharing bonus

Comprehensive benefits package

Opportunity for professional development

Qualifications

• 5–10+ years of senior leadership experience in veterinary hospital operations.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive strategic initiatives.
• Experience managing financials, budgeting, and full P&L accountability.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the hospital.
• Drive hospital innovation and improvement.
• Develop and lead a high-performing hospital team.

Skills

Leadership

Financial management

Operational excellence

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic decision-making

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

MBA/MHA

Job description

Overview

Relocation Bonus Available! Come and be part of a brand new 20,000-square-foot state-of-the-art hospital at Maritime Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Centre, located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Our Emergency & Specialty hospital delivers much-needed care for pets in the greater Halifax Regional Municipality and beyond.

We are seeking a visionary and dynamic Hospital Director of Operations (HD) to lead a multi-specialty veterinary hospital within Ethos Veterinary Health. This leader will oversee the hospital’s day-to-day operations, ensuring the highest quality of care for animals while driving financial and operational excellence.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership while remaining deeply engaged with the team. This role calls for someone who leads by example, collaborates closely with staff, and contributes alongside the team rather than from a distance. They will be confident in driving business growth, navigating challenging conversations with tact, and balancing assertiveness with approachability. We are looking for a leader with executive presence who inspires trust, fosters teamwork, and actively participates in the day-to-day operations of the hospital.

What’s in it for you?

• The ideal compensation range will offer up to $130,000/yr, plus bonus potential and a comprehensive benefits package. While this reflects our target for the position, we recognize that exceptional experience and the ability to make an immediate impact may warrant consideration of a higher base salary
• Annual profit-sharing bonus plan
• Relocation Bonus for the right candidate
• Comprehensive Benefits package that offers paid time off and RRSP match
• The Company is committed to supporting the professional development of its Hospital Directors by facilitating access to Continuing Education (CE) opportunities to encourage ongoing growth and learning.

Key Responsibilities

• Envision – Strategic Leadership & Decision-Making
  • Envision the future of the hospital in alignment with Ethos Veterinary Health’s mission, identifying opportunities to evolve care delivery and operations.
  • Make high-quality, evidence-informed decisions that shape long-term hospital strategy and deliver sustainable results.
  • Lead through complexity and ambiguity with confidence and foresight, ensuring clarity of direction and purpose.
• Transform – Innovation & Operational Excellence
  • Drive hospital innovation by leading the adoption of new technologies, systems, and operational best practices.
  • Lead continuous improvement efforts to streamline workflows and elevate both the patient and client experience.
  • Use data and key performance metrics to guide decision-making and improve hospital-wide effectiveness.
  • Responsible for driving positive client and patient experiences by leading management teams and staff to deliver high-quality care and service, supporting the organization’s reputation and fostering patient satisfaction.
• Engage – Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication
  • Build strong, trust-based partnerships across hospital teams, support center colleagues, referring veterinarians, and community stakeholders.
  • Foster transparent communication across all levels of the hospital, aligning teams toward shared goals.
  • Balance diverse stakeholder perspectives to support inclusive, strategic decision-making.
• Develop – Talent Growth & Team Culture
  • Develop and lead a high-performing hospital team by investing in coaching, mentorship, and continuous learning.
  • Build a hospital culture rooted in trust, accountability, curiosity, and personal growth.
  • Identify and grow future leaders while supporting staff development at every level.
• Drive – Operational Execution & Accountability
  • Lead financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and managing the hospital’s P&L to ensure long-term sustainability.
  • Partners intentionally with Ethos Leadership to ensure alignment on hospital goals, fostering trust, transparency, and a shared understanding of performance expectations and outcomes in order to drive the execution of hospital priorities.
  • Demonstrate accountability and adaptability, responding swiftly and effectively to changing priorities.
• Inspire – Culture, Vision & Leadership Presence
  • Inspire teams by connecting daily work to the broader mission of Ethos Veterinary Health and the hospital’s purpose.
  • Lead by example—bringing optimism, compassion, and clarity to your leadership.
  • Foster a resilient and mission-driven culture that embraces change and celebrates collective success.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree ideal. Advanced degree is a plus; MHA/MBA
• Experience: 5–10+ years of senior leadership experience in veterinary hospital operations, healthcare, or retail, ideally in a multi-specialty or matrixed setting.
• Skills: Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, drive strategic and operational initiatives, and foster inclusive collaboration. Brings strong business acumen with demonstrated experience successfully managing hospital financials, budgeting, and full P&L accountability.
• Ideal Background: Proven experience building and scaling high-performing teams, driving engagement, and supporting professional development resulting in measurable improvements to hospital financials and EBITDA.

This is more than an operational role—it’s a mission-driven leadership opportunity to envision the future of veterinary care, drive innovation, and inspire teams to deliver exceptional outcomes. If you’re ready to lead with purpose, we invite you to apply.

Maritime Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Centre is part of the Ethos Veterinary Health (Ethos) network of hospitals, and the HD will report into Ethos Field Leadership. To be successful they will need to build strong partnerships with the local team; including the Medical Director (and Hospital Management team, JV Partners) to support clinical excellence and high-quality patient care.

The Area
Situated just a short ferry ride across Halifax Harbour from downtown Halifax, Dartmouth is home to many quaint cafes, noteworthy food joints, shops, and a charm all its own!

Enjoy all the benefits of living in the Halifax Regional Municipality: friendly people, a slower-paced east coast lifestyle, and all the amenities of a larger city. This multicultural area boasts several festivals, farmers' markets, live performances, and amazing restaurants and pubs.

If spending time outdoors is your thing, Dartmouth is known as the City of Lakes, boasting 23 lakes that provide opportunities for kayaking, windsurfing, canoeing, and swimming. Paddle on Lake Banook or visit one of the many parks and walking trails that stretch out into the unspoiled coastal beauty of the Eastern Shore. Enjoy the Dartmouth Waterfront and walk along the boardwalk, the ideal place for a photo of the Halifax skyline or take a boat tour from nearby Fisherman\u2019s Cove in Eastern Passage to McNabs Islands. And if Farmer’s Markets are more your speed, be sure to visit the market at Alderney Landing every Saturday!

Ethos Veterinary Health is at the forefront of innovation and world-class medicine. As the premier network of over 140 specialty and emergency hospitals across North America, Ethos brings together a dedicated community of more than 1,500 specialized doctors providing care for nearly 2 million pets annually. The integrated and collaborative network of veterinary professionals utilize state-of-the-art technology and a scientific, evidence-based approach to deliver compassionate, unparalleled care and rewarding careers. Discover more at EthosVet.com.

Ethos Veterinary Health offers a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, a 401k with employer match, and paid time off (including sick time) for all eligible employees. The team can provide more information about compensation and benefits for your specific location during the process. For positions based in Colorado, Ethos provides eligible employees with paid sick and safe leave and public health emergency leave in accordance with the requirements of Colorado's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.

Ethos is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Ethos does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, competence, merit, and business need.