Veterinary Practice Manager

PriorityPet Urgent Care; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 68,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k with matching

Paid vacation and sick time

Parental leave

Continuing education allowance

Tuition reimbursement

Career development opportunities

Referral bonus

Pet discounts

Job summary

Priority Pet Urgent Care in Knoxville, TN seeks a Practice Manager to help open a new state‑of‑the‑art clinic. You will shape pre‑opening operations, design workflows, hire and train staff, and implement hospital policies to ensure a smooth grand opening.

You will recruit, schedule, supervise team members, manage payroll and vendor relationships, and uphold DEA/OSHA compliance while delivering excellent pet owner and veterinary staff service.

Qualifications

• CVPM with management experience preferred (or 3+ years veterinary management).
• Strong leadership, communication and motivation skills.
• Ability to guide a team and partner with physicians and staff.
• Compassionate, calm team player with multitasking ability.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead staffing, scheduling, and performance management.
• Provide on‑the‑job training and coaching to improve staff performance.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and supervise staff and assist with salary setting.
• Market the hospital to veterinary community and manage vendor relations.
• Ensure payroll accuracy and compliance with hospital policies.
• Maintain inventory controls and ensure DEA/OSHA compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Multitasking

Organizational skills

Customer service

Education

CVPM (Certified Veterinary Practice Manager)

3+ years veterinary experience

Tools

PMS software

HR software

Job description

Company Description

The Priority Pet Urgent Care is a new, state‑of‑the‑art clinic opening in Knoxville, TN in late October 2026. We are available for urgent care from 4 pm to 12 midnight and are committed to providing easy‑to‑access quality care with pets as our priority. We value teamwork, compassion, and excellence, and offer a supportive work environment with opportunities for growth and development.

Job Description

We are looking to hire a practice manager to assist in a multitude of tasks in preparation for the grand opening. This role is an opportunity to incorporate the manager’s vision into a brand new facility.

Pre‑opening Responsibilities And Opportunities

• Practice design
• Equipment ordering and tracking
• Pre‑opening marketing
• Vendor account setup
• PMS set up
• Supply purchasing
• Support staff interviewing, hiring and training in preparation for the grand opening
• Be patient, detail‑oriented, and adept at multitasking; communicate effectively with pet owners and veterinary staff, demonstrating exceptional management, organizational, and customer service skills.

General Practice Manager Duties

• Make informal recommendations to the regional manager on staffing matters such as staffing needs, advancements, re‑assignments, hours, and other status changes affecting receptionists.
• Prepare employee work schedules and manage office staff.
• Provide direct on‑the‑job training, performance appraisals, and corrective measures to improve employee performance.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and terminate staff members as appropriate, including handling job descriptions and assisting with salary setting.
• Market the hospital to prospective customers and the veterinary community by attending relevant local and regional events.
• Resolve informal employee complaints, explain hospital personnel policies, and maintain effective communication.
• Obtain information from owners for records, schedule appointments, and relay practitioners’ orders concerning animal care and treatment.
• Answer telephone calls politely and professionally.
• Ensure pet owners’ complaints are addressed and resolved promptly.
• Show unbiased judgment when managing people and make fair recommendations on personnel issues and disciplinary actions.
• Establish and maintain an inventory control system for supplies, controlled drugs, and equipment, monitoring quantities, quality, and price points.
• Implement and manage hospital policies, including DEA/Controlled Substances and OSHA compliance.
• Ensure payroll is completed and submitted accurately and in a timely manner.
• Build good relationships with vendors to secure optimal support for the hospital.
• Notify veterinary staff promptly of emergency cases.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Experienced or Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) with a minimum of 1 year of management experience preferred, or 3+ years veterinary experience preferred.
• Strong leadership, communication, and motivation skills; ability to guide a team.
• Capacity to work well with all team members and support the hospital’s physicians and practice philosophy.
• Compassionate and calm team‑player.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to multi‑task.
• Highly organized with strong computer skills.
• Knowledge of hospital procedures for assembling patient records and recording veterinary orders accurately.
• Familiarity with veterinary terminology for accurate data entry.
• Self‑starter with a desire to advance knowledge and skillset.
• Open availability with flexibility to change hours based on hospital needs.
• Hiring eligibility may be contingent on authorizing and completing a satisfactory background check.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits: health, dental, vision, liability, 401k with matching program, life & supplemental insurance, HSA, and FSA.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Paid vacation and sick time for all employees.
• Paid bereavement program.
• Paid parental leave program.
• Competitive compensation + shift differential opportunities.
• Continuing education allowance (applicable to licensed/registered/certified roles).
• Tuition reimbursement for any AVMA Accredited Veterinary Technology Program.
• Career development opportunities.
• Referral bonus program for most positions.
• Additional benefits may also be available (e.g., personal pet discounts, holiday pay, uniform allowance, bonuses).
• Note: Some benefits may only be available or vary slightly for full‑time employment status versus part‑time status.