Director, People & Culture

ABOUT LAKEFIELD VETERINARY GROUP

We believe exceptional veterinary care starts with exceptional people. We partner with hospitals across the country to preserve what makes each practice special - its people, culture, and connection to community - while providing the operational support, resources, and strategic leadership that allow teams to thrive. As we grow, we remain committed to creating an environment where team members feel respected, supported, and empowered to deliver outstanding care.

Our Values

Our culture is built on five core values that guide us in the way we work:

Respect

Learning

Do the right thing

Wow service

Fun

We expect all team members to actively demonstrate these values in their daily work and interactions.

Position Summary

The Director, People & Culture (P&C) serves as a trusted partner to business leaders and a key steward of Lakefield’s culture, team member experience, and people practices. This role is responsible for leading People Operations, Employee Relations, Benefits - Total Rewards, and our Regional HR Business Partner model while ensuring our hospitals receive consistent, practical, and people-centered support.

Success in this role requires balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution, translating business needs into scalable people solutions that strengthen culture, drive consistency, and support organizational growth. The Director will spend meaningful time building relationships with hospital leaders and team members, developing a deep understanding of field operations and ensuring P&C remains closely connected to the realities of the business.

This leader succeeds by balancing a strong field orientation with operational excellence while creating the people processes, tools, and support structures that enable hospital leaders to focus on delivering exceptional patient care and team member experiences.

What you’ll do (Key Responsibilities)

People Operations & Compliance

Lead People Operations, ensuring accurate and compliant administration of payroll, HR systems, policies, and employee lifecycle processes.

Partner with Payroll and Finance teams to ensure timely, accurate payroll processing and continuous improvement to ensure data integrity and controls.

Partner closely with the Chief People Officer on identifying workforce needs and developing practical solutions for our Operations and Medicine teams.

Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws while balancing business needs and team member experience.

Identify opportunities to streamline and strengthen people processes, creating consistency and scalability across a growing multi-state organization.

Support Talent Acquisition processes and transactions.

Total Rewards

Oversee administration of Lakefield's benefits programs, wellness offerings, leave programs, and employee experience initiatives.

Oversee compensation and total rewards programs, including market benchmarking, pay practices, annual compensation planning, and employee communication.

Evaluate program effectiveness and recommend enhancements that support attraction, retention, and engagement.

Employee Relations

Serve as the organization's senior Employee Relations resource, providing guidance and consultation on complex workplace matters.

Oversee investigations, performance management consultation, conflict resolution, policy interpretation, and workplace risk assessments.

Coach field leadership through challenging people situations using sound judgment, consistency, and an understanding of each hospital's unique culture, team dynamics, and business needs.

Promote a culture of accountability, respect, and trust while mitigating organizational risk.

Regional HR Business Partner Leadership

Develop Lakefield's Regional HR Business Partner model at scale, in partnership with the Senior Manager, People & Culture, ensuring consistent support and partnership across hospitals and regions.

Create the frameworks for coaching and the professional development of the HR Business Partners while establishing clear standards of service and partnership.

Use data, trends, and field insights to proactively address organizational challenges and strengthen leader capability.

Culture & Field Partnership

Champion Lakefield's culture and values through visible leadership, relationship-building, and active engagement with hospital teams.

Maintain a regular presence in hospitals and field operations to understand team member experiences, support leaders, and ensure People & Culture remains closely connected to the business.

Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders, helping navigate growth, change, and organizational challenges while preserving the unique cultures of our hospitals.

This list is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be modified as business needs evolve.

What we’re looking for

Required

Bachelor's degree in human resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

10+ years of progressive Human Resources experience with increasing leadership responsibility.

5+ years leading one or more of the following functions: Employee Relations, HR Business Partners, People Operations, Benefits, Compensation, or Total Rewards.

Experience supporting multi-site or geographically dispersed workforces.

Demonstrated experience managing complex employee relations matters and workplace investigations.

Experience leading HR programs and processes in a rapidly growing organization.

Working knowledge of payroll administration, benefits programs, compensation practices, and employment law.

Strong business acumen with the ability to connect people strategies to operational outcomes.

Exceptional judgment, discretion, and problem-solving skills.

Strong communication, coaching, and relationship-building capabilities.

Ability to influence leaders through credibility, partnership, and practical solutions.

Preferred

SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, or PHR certification.

Experience supporting healthcare, veterinary, retail, hospitality, or other service-based multi-location organizations.

Experience building or leading HR Business Partner teams and field-based support models.

Experience with ADP Workforce Now, Greenhouse, and other HR technology platforms.

Experience supporting organizational growth, acquisitions, or change initiatives.

CORE COMPETENCIES

All Lakefield team members are expected to demonstrate:

Strong communication skills (written and verbal)

Collaboration across teams and functions

Professional judgment and integrity

Accountability and ownership of responsibilities

Adaptability in a growing, evolving organization

Alignment with Lakefield’s values

S UPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position provides direct leadership, coaching, and development for the following P&C leaders:

Senior Manager, People & Culture

Manager, Total Rewards

Manager, Payroll

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

This role operates in an office/hybrid environment with 3 days per week on-site at our office in Kent, WA. Physical requirements may include:

Prolonged periods of sitting or standing

Working at a computer

Clinical exposure (if applicable)

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Travel may be required up to 50% during the first 60 days of Onboarding to build relationships and gain an understanding of Lakefield's hospitals, operations, culture, and the veterinary industry. Ongoing travel is expected to be approximately 25%.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is between 170,000-190,000 annually.

Final compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, qualifications, geographic location, and internal equity. This position may also be eligible to participate in Lakefield’s annual incentive bonus program, subj