Director, Health and Animal Care
- Carlyle, IL
- $150,000-175,000 per year
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Oversite and execution of the core health platform and best management practices within the regions, collaborating with regional leadership to maintain consistency in a science-based approach to health.
- Administer health and animal care training and execution of regulatory and certification programs to ensure best management practices are consistent with all applicable industry, governmental and customer standards.
- Oversee execution and continuous improvement of the Animal Welfare Response Program for internal and external stakeholders.
- Develop a science-based research program in coordination with the company’s research and innovation strategy focused on pig health to improve company profitability.
- Accountable for development and management of departmental annual operating budget, and the execution of the budget in collaboration with the regional VPs and veterinarians as measured against Agristats average costs.
- Maintain a valid veterinary client-patient relationship, providing technical support to regional disease management plans including farm visits, root cause analysis, countermeasure development, and results monitoring.
- Responsible for strategies that strengthen as well as leverage relationships with pharmaceutical partners to ensure cost competitiveness while optimizing technical services support.
- Provide direct leadership to the Animal Care Coordinator through strong communication, active goal setting, and routine coaching of management behaviors, consistent with company core values.
- Support the hiring, staffing, development, and onboarding of veterinary and animal care professionals.
- Development of the herd and regional veterinarians to support GAPSY and any bio-economical decisions within the regions.
- Routine touchpoints with each regional VP of Production, attendance of at least 3 regional monthly meetings within each region annually, and involvement in the weekly production call with the VPs and innovation team.
- Applicable laws and regulations pertaining to the practice of veterinary medicine.
- Latest advancements in swine veterinary medicine practices and procedures.
- Current treatment and vaccination product usage recommendations based on U.S. swine industry standards
- National and state advocacy issues related to food safety, antibiotics, and animal welfare
- Quality management systems and process verification
- Health information and (or) lab management systems
- Leadership and team development programs
- System based problem solving and decision making that optimizes company profitability
- Adaptation to new and changing technology
- Organization, planning, and complex project management
- Clear and concise written and verbal communications
- Demonstrated interpersonal relations
- Cross-departmental communication and relationship building
- Public relations
- Negotiation of product and service contracts
- Uncompromising commitment to customer service
- Develop and utilize metrics to oversee and implement a continuous improvement process for company system health
- Lead, develop, coach, and motivate others
- Analyze complex business problems and make sound business decisions
- Think strategically about pork production issues and policy
- Ability to work both independently and in a team environment
- Identify and evaluate new technologies for future business application
- Communicate, motivate, and organize projects among a broad spectrum of production and management personnel under tight deadlines
- Handle physical demands within general expectations of swine veterinary medicine
- Your choice between a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan and a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) plan.
- Two options for dental coverage, both of which cover three main types of expenses and cover preventative care at 100%.
- Group rate vision benefits.
- Complimentary Basic Life Insurance as well as voluntary employee, spouse, and child life insurance policies.
- Short Term and Long Term Disability coverage, at no cost to the employee.
- A traditional pre-tax 401(k) plan as well as a Roth 40(k) plan. The Company matches the first 4% of employee contributions, which is immediately vested.
- A generous paid time off program, including a life event day and volunteer day each year for full time employees.