Regional Operations Director, Heartland

The Regional Operations Director (ROD) is a critical operational leader responsible for driving performance, strengthening hospital culture, and elevating the standard of veterinary medicine and patient care across the assigned region. This role provides strategic direction and hands-on operational leadership that empowers hospitals to deliver exceptional medical outcomes, remarkable client and Associate experiences, and sustainable business results.The ROD will shape the success of their region by building strong partnerships with hospital leaders, advancing operational excellence, and fostering a people-first environment where Associates feel supported, engaged, and inspired. This role collaborates closely with the Group Vice President and Medical and Patient Care leaders operating as an integrated leadership team and as a Triad of Care, jointly accountable for operational performance, medical quality, talent strategy, and an inclusive, high-trust culture.This is a key leadership role for an experienced operator who excels in dynamic environments, leads through influence, and is passionate about inspiring and supporting teams in delivering outstanding care to pets and the people who love them.ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS Business Performance and Operational Excellence:Own and deliver regional P&L and KPIs through strong hospital execution, coaching and holding hospital leaders accountable for results while applying data and operational rigor to strengthen performance.Drive hospital performance by identifying growth opportunities, expanding service offerings, optimizing appointment and capacity utilization.Equip and coach hospital leaders to enhance doctor productivity while maintaining the highest standards of medical excellence and patient outcomes and ensuring accuracy of production data.Manage and execute pricing strategies, discount governance, and fee structures to ensure fairness, competitiveness, and alignment with business goals.Use financial, operational, and medical quality insights to guide decision-making, identify trends, mitigate risk, and unlock sustainable performance improvement.Drive regional financial performance with disciplined cash control, effective budgeting, and optimized labor and inventory management.Execute enterprise-designed programs (VCA and United in Care) with discipline across hospitals driving consistent adoption, reducing one-off local solutions, and ensuring network-aligned operational excellence at the hospital level.Ensure hospitals consistently deliver exceptional client and Associate experiences and high-quality medical care by optimizing workflows, appointment availability, resource allocation, and operational processes.Cultivate operational excellence through consistent Hospital leader coaching, visit cadence, and performance conversations.People Leadership and Culture & Talent StrategyModel VCA’s mission and The Five Principles of Mars, Inc., setting the cultural tone for the organization and fostering a purpose-driven, high-trust environment where teams thrive.Build strong, trusting partnerships with hospital leaders, empowering them with the tools, coaching, and operational acumen needed to run high-performing hospitals.Foster an ownership mindset across hospital leadership, enabling them to drive business results, elevate Associate experience, and implement initiatives aligned with VCA’s strategy.Partner with hospital leadership to build financial acumen and improve understanding of key performance indicators and drivers to achieve and maintain a healthy P&L.Develop leadership capability through targeted training in service excellence, operational execution, talent management, and effective team communication.Lead talent strategy across the region by supporting recruitment of doctors and key hospital leaders, developing a strong internal bench, and creating pathways for growth and retention.Coach and guide hospital leaders through performance management, team engagement, and culture-building practices, ensuring compliance with employment laws and organizational standards.Cultivate strong cross-functional partnerships with GVP and Medical Operations leaders to practice unified leadership with aligned priorities that deliver sustainable outcomes.Share best practices across hospitals and champion continuous improvement to elevate performance, culture, and the quality of care.Medical Quality:In collaboration with Medical Operations leaders and as a key member of the Triad of care, align operational decisions with medical priorities and ensure hospital teams have the structure and support needed to deliver consistent medical quality and strong client and Associate experiences.Coach hospital leaders to support doctor productivity and deliver strong medical outcomes and patient-centered experiences, using quality metrics, efficient workflows, and NPS insights to drive improvement.Partner closely with Medical Operations leaders to retain veterinarians throug