Vet Clinic Employer of Choice: VetsOne - Hawke's Bay NZ - Amanda - Operations Manager | ep.1008

VetsOne: 34 Years of Evolution - Amanda

What does 34 years of loyalty to one veterinary clinic tell you? When Amanda started at VetsOne in 1990 as the last on-the-job trained veterinary nurse, she couldn't have imagined she'd still be there today—now as operations manager, leading a team through floods, growth, and transformation.

In this episode, Amanda shares what generosity of thought and generosity of time actually look like in daily practice. You'll hear the real story of what happened during the 2023 cyclone when Jason couldn't cross the washed-out bridges and Amanda had to "man the ship" for a week. You'll discover how the team evolved from yelling down hallways in the old building to implementing comprehensive protocols across multiple floors in their modern facility.

What you'll hear:

• How VetsOne's three directors made significant changes when they took ownership—starting with raising veterinary nurse wages above industry average
• The impact of Lincoln Institute training on team communication, with modules on social styles helping team members understand why "drivers are blunt" and "amiables struggle with decisions"
• What it means when a clinic asks "what is the how?" and genuinely wants team input on protocols
• The transition to Fear Free practices with dedicated cat-only spaces—waiting room, consult room, and hospital
• Why clients have stayed with VetsOne for 35+ years and know staff by first name
• How Mental Health Awareness Week became a team-driven initiative
• What keeps a diverse team—from 21-year-olds to experienced professionals, from local Kiwis to Irish and Malaysian vets—genuinely connected

About living in Hawke's Bay: Amanda describes the Sunny Hawke's Bay lifestyle—vineyards, cycling tracks, beaches at Waimarama and Ocean Beach, and those spectacular sunrises over the river that make 5am dog walks worthwhile even in winter.

About VetsOne's current opportunity: VetsOne is looking for a small animal veterinarian with leadership potential or experience. Someone who wants to work where operational systems genuinely support rather than constrain the clinical team, and where "who you are" matters more than just "what you are."

Veterinary Voices is brought to you by VetClinicJobs - Build your employer brand. Do your own recruitment. Better.

Resources

Position details: https://vetclinicjobs.com/VetsOne

Contact for recruitment support: tania@vetclinicjobs.com

About This Series

This is part of the VetsOne's Employer of Choice series on Veterinary Voices. When you hear multiple team members sharing genuine stories about what it's actually like to work somewhere—that's employer brand marketing in action. It's why VetsOne attracts veterinary professionals who genuinely want to be there, not just people responding to generic job ads.

Struggling to get results from your job advertisements?
If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic.

The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs