If you've got a reputation for "getting stuff done", you're a sharp commercial operator and you genuinely enjoy scaling businesses by aligning strategy, systems and people - this might be the role you're looking for.
As a proven business builder with experience scaling a multi-site operation, you're skilled enough to take on a CEO role, but you don't want to because you come alive building things, not 'running things'.
The thing is though, you won't just work for the highest bidder.
Sure money matters (a lot), but you won't work in an industry that doesn't align with your values, you won't be part of a business that doesn't respect its people, and you won't be a small cog in a massive machine.
You want purpose, impact and authority.
You balance influence with accountability to make change happen - and stick - in environments where people tell you "we do it this way" but you know that needs to change.
If this sounds like you, please keep reading.
We haven't added any fluff to this, but there are probably more words here than you'd typically be interested in reading in a job ad.
Who we are
Animal Emergency Australia exists for one reason: patient-first emergency care, delivered by people who are supported to do their best work - sustainably.
Over the last two decades, AEA has grown from a handful of founder-led emergency hospitals into Australia's leading emergency-only veterinary network, with a national footprint and over 800 people.
Now we're at an inflection point.
We're moving from a "big small business" to a properly integrated, purpose-led operating company - without losing our clinical soul, founder legacy, or human edge.
This next chapter will be developed through a transformational program of work.
But to succeed, this transformation needs a COO like you who can build operating systems that transform strategy into outcomes in a pragmatic human-friendly way.
You can hear our founder Dr. Robert Webster talking about the work we do in the video at the bottom of this page.
Why this role exists
AEA is stepping up to own its "corporate" title. We've known for a while that we needed a more 'best practice' style Ops and COO function but we didn't know where to begin.
So we brought a great interim fractional COO onboard for a few months to help us structure out the function and the role at a high level.
The business is now ready for a permanent COO to help us build our future.
The nutshell - the business' growth has outpaced its current structure.
We currently have 800 team members and turnover close to $100m annually so we're not small by any means - but unlike many businesses our size our operating system is not yet formalised and streamlined.
The CEO needs a true execution partner to build the operating system that will scale the business in a sustainable and profitable way so that the vision can be realised.
Currently our 10 hospitals vary in maturity, layout, leadership capability, and demand profile, so we need an experienced operational leader to build systems that can both support standardisation and customisation where needed.
While there's no straight line from "here" to "there" we're confident the person we're looking for can help us avoid a lot of the potholes along the journey.
This role exists to turn complexity into clarity - calmly, methodically, and without ego.
A note on how we scoped the role
If you're the person we're looking for you're already thinking something like … "How do they really know what they need or what's going on in the business?"
Great question.
Over the past three months, we've had a world-class experienced Interim COO working inside the business.
His brief wasn't to "hold the fort" - it was to pressure-test reality.
Specifically
* To assess organisational readiness for the next stage of scale.
* To work alongside the CEO and leadership team to clarify what must be built now vs what can wait.
* To identify where structure, cadence, decision rights and operating discipline are genuinely missing - versus where the business simply needs time to mature.
* That work is now complete.
The COO role you're reading about is not something cobbled together in a boardroom with a generic PD, a recruiter and some guess-work from the CEO.
Importantly, the Interim COO will remain involved through a thoughtful handover, so you're not expected to decode the business from scratch or reverse-engineer intent while running at full speed.
This means
* You're stepping into a role that has been properly scoped.
* You'll have clarity on the priorities and can get strait to work.
* You'll have continuity, context, and candour from day one.
* And you won't be inheriting a bunch of initiatives you'll need to babysit.
If you've been burned before by roles where the brief was vague, the politics were hidden, or the reality didn't match the promise - we can put your mind at ease - you're not at risk of signing up for that this time.
The elephant in the room
We'd love to say everything is perfectly set up for you but you'd know it wasn't true and one of our core values is transparency so here's what you need to know.
You'll inherit:
* Existing tech
* Uneven leadership maturity
* Strong personalities and strong opinions
* A founder-led legacy that deserves respect and evolution
* Teams at different stages of readiness for change
This transition will require a COO who is steady under pressure, commercially fluent, and allergic to performative activity both personally and at any other level of the organisation.
And the organisation is ready - psychologically and structurally - for the kind of leadership you bring.
About the COO role
The new COO will be tasked with building the AEA operating system but this is a true partnership role - you'll be expected to challenge, not just execute.
You'll be focused on things like
Translating strategy into clear operating standards, cadence, and decision rights
Creating consistency across a national hospital network without flattening local nuance
Building and coaching a Regional Operations Management cohort who operate as true enterprise leaders
Standing up shared services that hospitals trust (and actually use)
Embedding data and dashboards to build "one version of the truth"
Delivering new builds and refurbs that stabilise fast - clinically, culturally, and commercially
Making patient flow, rostering, CX, and complaints predictable, measurable, and improvable
This COO role touches on almost everything, but will need to provide the rest of the business with clarity on where accountability and decisions sit and how progress is measured.
We're not in a rush to get all this done though, we want to do it right so it's built to last.
Who's the right person for this role?
We're looking for a proven builder who's 'been there and done that' more than once and has the t-shirts to show for it.
The lessons you learned over the past 15-25 years about what works, what doesn't and why, will be the specialised tools you pull out of your toolbox to build this business the right way.
You're not chasing status. You're chasing the next great build.
You've learned that real power isn't loud - it's repeatable.
You'll recognise yourself described here
You've led large, multi-site, 24/7 service businesses (healthcare or similar)
You're a builder, not a caretaker
You think in systems, not slogans
You're commercially sharp but deeply human
You coach leaders instead of rescuing them
You tell the truth calmly and early
You're comfortable navigating the hard middle - between strategy and reality
But ... if these statements could also describe you, this role is not for you
I'm a command-and-control operator
I like to add tech-for-tech's-sake
I'm a "visionary" without execution scars
In my opinion CX is about complaints handling
I'm looking for status and power without responsibility
What this role offers (beyond salary)
Yes of course you'll be paid a competitive salary, plus superannuation and be provided with everything you need to do your job.
But at this stage of your career (if you're the person we're looking for) what you do and why it matters are equally important, if not more so.
So here's what you'll get with this role.
Enterprise scope with real decision rights, not just symbolic accountability
A genuine partnership with a grounded, commercially astute CEO
The chance to build an operating system that will define an industry
A national platform with purpose, complexity, and scale
A chance to be part of an ambitious industry-defining business transformation
This is meaningful, demanding work that will be done with people who care deeply about what they do, the AEA vision and their contribution turning it into a reality.
If you've done your best work in environments where clarity replaces urgency, you'll feel at home here.
Benefits, perks and package details are included in the Application Pack (see the bottom of this page to get a copy).
Ready to find out more?
If you're still reading we're guessing you feel like this could be a good fit for you. But, you've probably got a lot of questions.
No problem, that's why we've created a digital Application Pack with additional information for you with the answers to at least some of them.
Inside you'll also find:
* Details about the package
* The org chart and PD
* A video from the CEO discussing the business and her leadership style
* A video from the Interim COO discussing the business and the role
To get a copy of the pack just click Quick Apply (and go through the process of selecting don't include resume and don't include cover letter) and it will be instantly emailed to you
PS: If you bump into any tech glitches please email