California Healing Arts College
- Carson, CA
- Today
- $30–$45 Per Hour
- Full-time
Highlights
The Program Director is responsible for maintaining student retention of 80% or higher, promoting high student satisfaction, identifying and supporting at-risk students, ensuring successful externship completion, and assisting Career Services with graduate employment and placement efforts. The position works closely with students, instructors, Career Services, campus leadership, veterinary employers, and externship partners to ensure students receive a high-quality education and are prepared to successfully enter the veterinary field.
Numbers & Facts
| Location | Carson, CA |
| Job Type | Full-time |
| Salary | $30–$45 Per Hour |
| Company Size | 11 - 50 |
| Headquarters | Carson, CA, US |
| Website | https://www.chac.edu |
Description
California Healing Arts College (CHAC) is seeking an experienced and highly engaged Veterinary Assistant Program Director to lead the academic and operational success of our Veterinary Assistant program. Based at our Carson, California campus, this position combines program leadership with direct student instruction, faculty development, industry outreach, and responsibility for student and graduate outcomes.
The Program Director provides hands-on skills training, synchronous online lectures, and asynchronous instruction while overseeing curriculum delivery, faculty performance, grading, attendance, student progress, retention, externships, and overall program quality. The position works closely with students, instructors, Career Services, campus leadership, veterinary employers, and externship partners to ensure students receive a high-quality education and are prepared to successfully enter the veterinary field.
A key purpose of this role is to take ownership of the program's performance. The Program Director is responsible for maintaining student retention of 80% or higher, promoting high student satisfaction, identifying and supporting at-risk students, ensuring successful externship completion, and assisting Career Services with graduate employment and placement efforts.
The Program Director also trains and supports Veterinary Assistant instructors, develops relationships with veterinary clinics and employers, and helps ensure the program remains aligned with industry expectations and applicable institutional, regulatory, and accreditation requirements.
This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who enjoys teaching and mentoring students while also taking responsibility for the overall success and continuous improvement of an educational program. The position is primarily based at CHAC's Carson campus but may provide program direction, training, and oversight at multiple CHAC campus locations.
Job Responsibilities
The Veterinary Assistant Program Director is responsible for the academic quality, instructional delivery, student experience, and overall performance of the Veterinary Assistant program. Key responsibilities include:
- Provide hands-on laboratory and clinical skills instruction to Veterinary Assistant students.
- Deliver synchronous online lectures and facilitate asynchronous instruction through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Oversee the day-to-day academic operation and instructional quality of the Veterinary Assistant program.
- Ensure curriculum, syllabi, lesson plans, assignments, assessments, and practical skills training are delivered consistently and according to established program requirements.
- Monitor and maintain LMS courses, instructional materials, assignments, assessments, and student academic records.
- Grade student assignments, examinations, practical assessments, and other coursework accurately and within required timelines.
- Monitor student attendance, grades, academic progress, participation, and overall performance.
- Proactively identify students at risk of falling behind, failing, or withdrawing and provide appropriate intervention, tutoring, remediation, and academic support.
- Maintain a student retention rate of 80% or higher and develop improvement strategies when retention falls below established expectations.
- Promote high student satisfaction by maintaining an engaging, supportive, professional, and career-focused learning environment.
- Respond appropriately and timely to student questions, concerns, complaints, and academic needs.
- Train, onboard, mentor, and support Veterinary Assistant instructors.
- Monitor faculty performance, classroom and laboratory instruction, grading practices, attendance reporting, LMS activity, and student outcomes.
- Conduct faculty meetings, instructional observations, training, and professional-development activities as needed.
- Ensure consistent instructional quality and program standards across assigned campuses.
- Coordinate and support student externship placement and completion, including monitoring student progress and maintaining communication with externship sites.
- Develop and maintain relationships with veterinary hospitals, clinics, shelters, animal-care organizations, and other appropriate externship partners.
- Conduct industry and employer outreach to expand externship and employment opportunities for students and graduates.
- Work closely with Career Services to assist students and graduates with employment preparation and job placement, including resumes, interviewing, professionalism, job-search strategies, and employer referrals.
- Develop relationships with veterinary employers and encourage qualified graduates to be considered for available employment opportunities.
- Monitor program outcomes, including retention, student satisfaction, externship completion, graduate employment, and other institutional performance indicators.
- Participate in curriculum review and continuous program improvement.
- Maintain accurate and timely documentation related to attendance, grades, student progress, externships, faculty oversight, and program operations.
- Ensure the program operates in accordance with applicable institutional policies, regulatory requirements, accreditation standards, and safety requirements.
- Participate in accreditation activities, audits, program reviews, and preparation of required documentation.
- Immediately escalate significant student, employee, safety, compliance, or regulatory concerns to appropriate senior leadership.
- Participate in student orientations, open houses, campus events, employer events, and other program-related activities.
- Maintain current knowledge of veterinary assisting practices, industry standards, and employer expectations.
- Take ownership of overall program performance by identifying areas requiring improvement, developing corrective strategies, implementing solutions, and monitoring results.
- Provide program direction, faculty support, training, and oversight at multiple CHAC campus locations when assigned.
- Perform other duties consistent with the position and the operational and educational needs of California Healing Arts College.
Schedule: This is a full-time position generally scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Work hours, schedules, and campus assignments may change based on business, instructional, staffing, student, and operational needs.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Professional experience in veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, veterinary assisting, animal health, or a closely related field.
- Strong knowledge of veterinary assisting procedures, animal handling, veterinary terminology, clinical practices, workplace safety, and professional standards.
- Ability and willingness to provide hands-on laboratory and clinical skills instruction.
- Ability to deliver instruction in multiple formats, including in-person, synchronous online, and asynchronous instruction.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to train, coach, mentor, and hold students and faculty accountable.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate grades, attendance, student progress, externship, and other academic records.
- Demonstrated ability to identify problems, implement solutions, and follow through on results.
- Ability to develop professional relationships with veterinary clinics, hospitals, externship sites, employers, students, and faculty.
- Commitment to achieving strong student retention, satisfaction, academic, externship, and graduate employment outcomes.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, highly accountable and regulated educational environment.
- Ability to use technology and learn institutional systems, including the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Ability and willingness to travel to other campus locations as required.
- Availability to work Monday through Friday, generally 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., with flexibility to adjust hours based on business, instructional, and program needs.
Preferred Qualifications
- Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) education, credential, or professional experience.
- Previous experience working as a Veterinary Technician or Registered Veterinary Technician in a veterinary hospital, clinic, or similar clinical environment.
- Previous teaching or training experience in veterinary assisting, veterinary technology, or a related healthcare or career-education program.
- Previous experience as a Program Director, Lead Instructor, Department Chair, Academic Manager, or similar educational leadership role.
- Supervisory or team-management experience.
- Experience training, mentoring, and evaluating instructors.
- Experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and online or hybrid educational delivery.
- Experience coordinating student externships or working with veterinary externship sites.
- Experience with employer outreach, graduate employment assistance, or career placement.
- Experience working in a career college, vocational school, or other regulated postsecondary educational environment.
- Familiarity with accreditation, regulatory compliance, student retention, placement, and institutional outcome requirements.
- Demonstrated success improving student retention, student satisfaction, instructional quality, or graduate outcomes.
About Company
About California Healing Arts College
California Healing Arts College (CHAC) is a career-focused postsecondary institution dedicated to preparing students with the practical skills, knowledge, and professional training needed to pursue meaningful careers in healthcare, veterinary assisting, and skilled trades.
CHAC combines hands-on training, career-focused education, experienced instructors, and student support to help students successfully transition from the classroom to the workplace.
Our educational approach emphasizes practical skills, professional development, student engagement, and strong connections with employers and the communities we serve. We are committed to maintaining high standards for instructional quality, student satisfaction, retention, graduation, and career outcomes.
At CHAC, our team members play an active role in student success. We value professionals who are accountable, collaborative, responsive, and genuinely invested in helping students achieve their educational and career goals.
The Veterinary Assistant Program Director will be based at our Carson, California campus and will join a team focused on providing students with a supportive, professional, and career-driven educational experience.
