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About the Role

The Medical Director provides medical leadership and oversight for the shelter’s veterinary program, ensuring all animals receive timely, humane, and evidence-based medical care. This role supports the department’s mission to protect animal health and welfare by implementing and upholding medical standards, protocols, and systems for high-quality patient care and effective population health management within an open-admission shelter environment. The Medical Director collaborates with shelter leadership, veterinary staff, and other teams to deliver veterinary services and serve as the primary medical resource for complex clinical and population-health decisions. The ideal candidate leads with empathy, fosters collaboration, and inspires the team to make a difference in the lives of animals.

Responsibilities

Direct supervision of shelter veterinarians, including scheduling, payroll, feedback, and corrective actions.
Provide clinical leadership, mentoring, and ongoing professional development to team veterinarians.
Participate in recruitment and onboarding.
Provide guidance and escalation support for complex medical, surgical, behavioral, and quality-of-life cases.
Promote consistency in clinical decision-making and adherence to ACC medical standards and protocols.
Monitor medical conditions, infectious disease, population health, and emerging health concerns.
Lead shelter response to infectious disease outbreaks.
Ensure efficient and proficient surgical processes.
Provide guidance in end-of-life and quality-of-life decision making.
Participate in and/or lead shelter medical rounds.
Participate in group euthanasia decision making.
Collaborate with other departments and cultivate positive working relationships.
Perform clinical work.
Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements

NYS Licensed DVM, or license eligible with 5 years of shelter medicine practice.
Demonstrated competency in managing high performing veterinary teams.
Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs.
Fear Free certification within 30 days of hire.

Skills

Strong clinical judgment
Leadership skills
Knowledge of shelter medicine
Ability to balance individual animal needs with the health and welfare of the overall shelter population
Collaboration
Team building
Communication
Advanced surgical skills (preferred)

Location

Queens

Work Type

Full-time
Onsite

Experience Level

5 years of shelter medicine practice

Education Level

NYS Licensed DVM

Benefits

Generous paid-time-off (PTO) package including vacation time, birthdays off, personal days, and sick pay.
40 hours of paid CE time with a small stipend.
Open access Cigna medical, dental, and vision insurance at a low premium.
401K and Pension.
Life Insurance.
On-the-job training for 2-4 weeks.
Periodic all-staff training (safety, DEI, cross-training, growth opportunities).
Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

About the Company

ACC is one of the nation’s largest open-admission animal shelters with a mission to End Animal Homelessness in NYC, touching the lives of nearly 20,000 animals annually.
ACC is a resource to the community, focused on keeping the human-animal bond intact.
With a 90% placement rate, ACC's progressive, life-saving initiatives contribute to successful animal placement.
ACC finds loving homes for homeless and abandoned cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and rabbits through direct adoption and partnerships with over 200 New Hope partners.
ACC helps keep NYC communities safe, rescues animals in need, responds to emergencies, and remains open 24/7.
Animal Care Centers of NYC is the only open-admission shelter in the city with an annual intake of 25,000 animals.
ACC operates 3 shelters in Manhattan, Staten Island, and Queens, with plans to open new state-of-the-art shelters in the Bronx (Spring 2027) and Brooklyn (Fall 2027).
ACC is growing and seeks forward-thinking talent to guide strategic initiatives and shape the future of sheltering in NYC.
ACC offers many low-cost services to pets and people in need, including compassionate end-of-life services.

Equal Opportunity

No contract or non-compete clause.