Medical Team Supervisor - Surgery

About Us: At the SPCA of Wake County, we’re committed to making a lasting difference for animals and the people who love them by expanding access to lifesaving care, strengthening community partnerships, and helping more pets and families across North Carolina.

Working with shelter and rescue partners in more than 50 North Carolina counties, we provide lifesaving care and second chances to thousands of animals each year. Our work extends well beyond adoption. Through affordable spay/neuter services, veterinary medical care, and community support programs, we help address the challenges facing pets and the people who love them.

In 2026, we opened the Peggy Garner Britt Pet Resource Center, a major milestone in the development of our new regional campus for pets and people. This investment has significantly expanded our capacity to provide veterinary care, support our shelter partners, and make essential services more accessible to our community.

Our veterinary medical team is at the heart of this work. Every day, our dedicated veterinarians and veterinary support staff provide high-quality medical care, perform spay/neuter surgeries, and help animals recover from illness, injury, and neglect. Their expertise, compassion, and commitment make an extraordinary difference in the lives of the animals we help.

As we continue to expand our veterinary programs, we’re looking for talented, compassionate professionals who share our commitment to excellent patient care, collaboration, and continuous improvement. This is an opportunity to join a dedicated team, help shape the future of veterinary services at SPCA Wake, and make a meaningful difference for pets and people throughout our community.

Category : Full-time, Exempt
Location : Raleigh, NC
Reports to : Director of Medical Operations

Salary :  $60,000

The Medical Team Supervisor – Surgery is a working supervisor responsible for the daily operation of the SPCA of Wake County’s surgical program, including high-volume spay/neuter and dental services for both shelter animals and the public. This position ensures that surgical services are carried out with professionalism, compassion, and efficiency, while prioritizing patient safety and the quality of care provided to the animals we serve.

The supervisor provides leadership and coaching to the surgery team and Clinic Coordinator and oversees surgery department volunteers. Surgical scheduling and planning are carried out in partnership with the Clinic Coordinator, who owns appointment booking and client-facing scheduling, while the supervisor establishes surgical capacity, appointment templates, and surgeon coverage that guide scheduling.

The supervisor also oversees surgery-team staffing and veterinarian scheduling, equipment maintenance, and training, and plays a key role in identifying and correcting inefficiencies to strengthen surgical throughput. The position serves as a vital link between veterinarians, surgery staff, clinic support staff, volunteers, and operations leadership to ensure strong communication, efficient clinic operations, and high standards of patient care and clinic performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Surgical Operations & Scheduling
• Perform, oversee, and coordinate daily surgical operations at the Saving Lives Spay & Neuter Clinic, ensuring a smooth and efficient surgery schedule.
• Plan and schedule surgeries for SPCA shelter animals and public clients in conjunction with the Clinic Coordinator, who owns day-to-day appointment booking and client-facing scheduling.

• Work with the Clinic Coordinator to set and adjust appointment templates, daily slot counts, and surgery block structure as capacity, staffing, or demand changes.
• Partner with the Clinic Coordinator on waitlist management, cancellations, no-shows, and rescheduling so that available surgical capacity stays fully used.
• Oversee staff scheduling for the surgery team, including daily assignments, time-off coverage, and holiday coverage.
• Coordinate DVM and relief surgeon scheduling with the Director of Medical Operations and ensure the Clinic Coordinator has the confirmed surgeon schedule needed to book appointments accurately.
• Support proper patient flow from check-in through surgery, recovery, and discharge.
• Serve as the primary point of contact on surgery days to troubleshoot workflow, staffing, and patient issues.

Surgical & Dental Support
• Assist veterinarians with surgical and dental procedures, including surgical prep, anesthesia monitoring, and recovery.
• Ensure surgical suites, equipment, and supplies are prepared, stocked, and functioning prior to procedures.
• Oversee surgical and dental instrument care, sterilization, and pack assembly.
• Maintain accurate and detailed medical records for all surgical patients and ensure timely, accurate discharge paperwork.
• Ensure team members follow clinic protocols, including sanitation, anesthesia safety, surgical asepsis, and recovery monitoring.
• Ensure surgical and recovery areas are properly cleaned and sanitized daily.
• Ensure compliance with biosecurity, disease control, and animal welfare standards.
Equipment, Inventory & Compliance
• Schedule and track preventive maintenance, calibration, and repair for all surgical and dental equipment, including anesthesia machines, monitors, autoclaves, dental units, and surgical instruments.
• Maintain equipment service records and coordinate with vendors and service technicians.
• Manage surgery inventory and ordering, including medications, controlled substances, anesthetic agents, suture, and consumables.
• Ensure compliance with controlled substance recordkeeping requirements in partnership with the Director of Medical Operations.

Workflow & Clinic Performance
• Identify inefficiencies and workflow challenges within the surgery department, recommend solutions, and lead improvements.
• Roll out new surgical protocols, procedures, and best practices; monitor compliance and adjust as needed.
• Track and report on key performance indicators, including surgical volume, turnover time, protocol compliance, and staff development.

Leadership, Training & Team Development
• Directly supervise and coach the surgery team, including veterinary assistants, veterinary technicians, and surgery support staff.
• Directly supervise the Clinic Coordinator and partner on surgery scheduling, client communication, and appointment workflow, providing direction and support in that shared area of responsibility.
• Oversee volunteers assigned to the surgery department.
• Lead onboarding, training, and check-ins for new surgery team members and volunteers.
• Train staff in all aspects of the surgery role, including surgical prep and recovery, anesthesia monitoring, dental prophylaxis and radiographs, patient handling and safety, equipment use and cleaning, and documentation.
• Provide real-time coaching, mentoring, guidance, performance management, and constructive feedback during daily operations for the surgery team; identify training gaps and build training materials, while fostering professional development and accountability.
• Provide clear expectations, conduct quarterly check-ins, and address personnel concerns in a timely manner.
• Address concerns, conflicts, or performance issues promptly and escalate when appropriate. Promote a positive, inclusive, and collaborative team culture.

Communication & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Serve as liaison between staff veterinarians, surgery team members, the Clinic Coordinator, volunteers, and other departments.
• Facilitate communication with the Animal Care, Foster, and Adoption teams to support surgical scheduling and medical follow-up.
• Support positive client interactions for public spay/neuter and dental services and assist with escalated client concerns.
• Co-lead regular Medical team meetings and provide surgery updates to leadership.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications
• Minimum of three years of experience in a high-volume surgical setting as a veterinary assistant or technician.
• At least one year of leadership or supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience with high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter (HQHVSN) workflow and anesthesia protocols.
• Demonstrated dental experience, including dental prophylaxis, dental radiographs, and support of extractions.
• Strong leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and hold staff accountable.
• Working knowledge of surgical asepsis, anesthesia safety, instrument care, and equipment maintenance.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to manage complex schedules and competing priorities.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Commitment to the mission and core values of the SPCA of Wake County.

Preferred Qualifications
• Veterinary Technician credentials (RVT/LVT/CVT) or equivalent experience.
• Experience in shelter medicine or a nonprofit spay/neuter clinic.
• Experience with ClinicHQ or a comparable clinic management and scheduling system.
• Familiarity with data-driven decision-making and performance metrics.
• Experience mentoring or training veterinary support staff.
• Training in Fear Free handling techniques.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish.

Work Environment
This role operates in a high-volume veterinary and surgical environment and may involve exposure to fractious animals, high noise levels, strong odors, anesthetic gases, and zoonotic diseases.
The position requires working with canines, felines, and small mammals of all ages and requires extended periods of standing during surgery days.

Physical Requirements
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stoop, kneel, bend, and perform other physical movements necessary to support surgical and veterinary operations.
• Ability to safely work with canines, felines, and small mammals of all ages.
• Ability to work in varied temperatures and environmental conditions.

Benefits:

- Medical and Dental: Employer pays 90% of employee coverage (full-time)

- Insurance includes wellness, dental, vision, life, mental health care, prescriptions, emergency & urgent care, chiropractic care, and physical therapy

- Telemedicine options, 24/7 access to virtual health & wellness care and virtual behavioral health care

- PAID TIME OFF –

- All part-time and full-time staff receive paid time off.

- Paid Holidays - 9 paid holidays per year (full-time)

- Vacation Time - 10 paid vacation days per year (full-time) with scheduled increases at milestone anniversaries of hire date

- Sick Time - 6.5 paid sick days per year (full-time)

- FINANCIAL –

- Healthcare: Flexible Spending Account

- 401k Plan

- Coastal Federal Credit Union Membership

- 20% discount on pet adoptions and in SPCA Wake retail store

- OTHER –

- Bereavement time off

- Federal & State Leave of Absence options

Disclaimer:
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Responsibilities may change based on organizational needs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Equal Employment Opportunity
The SPCA of Wake County is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where employees, volunteers, applicants, and community members are treated with dignity and respect. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, organizational needs, and applicable law.

Only the most qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews. No phone calls, please — we’ll have our people call your people!