Client Services Manager – Lurie Clinic

The Client Services Manager for the PAWS Chicago Lurie Spay and Neuter Clinic manages the client experience of Chicago’s largest high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter clinic, serving more than 25,000 pets each year with spay/neuter, vaccinations and community medicine.  Affordable and accessible spay/neuter is the most direct and impactful way to eliminate pet overpopulation and resulting euthanasia in shelters.  As the Client Services Manager, you will be on the frontlines of preventing pet homelessness and building a No Kill Chicago.

The Client Services Manager, Lurie Clinic is responsible for overseeing all front-of-house and client-facing operations within the Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic, with a strong emphasis on client experience, communication quality, and compassionate care delivery in a high-volume, high-stress environment. PAWS Chicago is committed to using a social-work-informed approach to supporting our clients.

This role ensures that clients experience clear communication, empathetic support and problem-solving in helping them meet their animals’ needs, and efficient service from first contact through discharge. The Client Services Manager leads and supports front desk staff, establishes consistent standards for client interactions, and partners closely with the veterinary social work team to integrate compassionate, empathetic practices into daily clinic operations. This position does not manage clinical staff or medical workflow but serves as the primary operational owner of client flow, appointment booking, front desk performance, reporting, and client complaint handling.

Duties and Responsibilities

Front Desk Operations & Client Flow

• Oversee daily front-of-house operations including scheduling coordination, check-in, discharge, and client communication flow
• Ensure front desk staffing coverage aligns with clinic volume, vaccine clinics, and high-volume surgery days
• Maintain efficient, organized client flow while balancing speed, accuracy, and compassion
• Identify bottlenecks or recurring client friction points and escalate operational concerns to the Practice Manager

Client Experience & Complaint Handling

• Set and enforce standards for professional, compassionate, and consistent client interactions
• Serve as the primary escalation point for client complaints, concerns, and difficult interactions related to scheduling, wait times, communication, billing questions, or overall experience
• Address client concerns calmly and professionally, ensuring concerns are heard, documented, and appropriately resolved or escalated
• Track client complaint trends and work with leadership to improve systems, communication, or workflows as needed
• Immediately escalate post-service complications to clinical team and ensure expedient resolution of issues

Veterinary Social Work, Intern and Volunteer Integration

• Partner closely with the veterinary social work team to integrate emotionally supportive practices into front desk operations
• Ensure front desk staff understand when and how to involve veterinary social work for clients experiencing grief, distress, financial hardship, or emotional overwhelm
• Coordinate training for front desk staff on emotional intelligence, boundary setting, de-escalation techniques, and appropriate referral pathways
• Support real-time collaboration with social work during clinic hours to ensure clients receive timely support when needed
• Train and develop interns and volunteers and integrate into Lurie Clinic client services operations

People Leadership, Training & Accountability

• Onboard, train, and supervise Client Services staff
• Responsible for scheduling and staffing of Client Services and support recruitment of Client Services team members
• Provide day-to-day coaching, feedback, and performance management of front desk staff, interns and volunteers, as applicable
• Set clear expectations around professionalism, communication, attendance, and accountability
• Foster a supportive, team-oriented culture that prioritizes both client care and staff wellbeing
• Identify training gaps and coordinate ongoing development opportunities

Scheduling, Communication & Administrative Support

• Manage accurate appointment scheduling and client communications in alignment with Clinic surgical capacity, mission priorities and medical priorities
• Manage and monitor bookings and show rates, adjusting Client Services operations to optimize mission impact
• Work closely and coordinate with Community Outreach to align appointments/bookings for mission-critical constituents
• Ensure front desk staff provide clear pre- and post-appointment instructions to clients; ensure Client Services has communications materials needed to effectively discharge clients
• Partner with Community Outreach and Clinic leadership to support voucher use, mission-driven access, and appropriate referrals
• Maintain accurate documentation and administrative records related to client interactions and complaints; report on Client Services operations

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Work closely with the Practice Manager to align front desk operations with clinic goals and performance expectations
• Partner with the Veterinary Technician Manager to ensure smooth handoffs between client-facing and clinical teams
• Coordinate with Community Outreach, Shelter Medicine, and Social Work teams to support holistic client and patient care
• Collaborate with IT, Facilities, and HR as needed to support front desk operations

Qualifications:

• Prior experience in a customer-facing leadership or supervisory role, preferably in a veterinary, medical, or social services environment
• Strong background in customer experience, client communication, and conflict management
• Experience working in high-volume, fast-paced environments
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams with empathy, professionalism, and accountability
• Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Comfort handling emotionally charged situations with composure and discretion
• Proficiency with scheduling systems, electronic medical records, and basic reporting tools
• Bilingual or strong Spanish comprehension preferred
•  Social Work experience preferred

Physical Requirements 

• Climbing stairs, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, lifting and grasping
• Walking and moving about to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another
• Able to lift 25 lbs occasionally, 10 lbs frequently and a negligible amount constantly
• Repetitive motion

Work Environment: This position will be based at the Medical Center. The role may involve hands-on training in clinical settings, requiring flexibility and adaptability. The Clinic is open Sunday through Friday; Sunday work days may be required, depending on Client Services staffing availability.

Why Join Us? By joining our team, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of veterinary care in our organization, empowering staff to deliver their best work while advancing animal welfare. If you’re passionate about education, leadership, and making a meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, including ancillary options and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Blue Cross Blue Shield
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick days, and holidays