Veterinary Service Manager - Minneapolis, MN (Relocation Eligible)

General Mills•Golden Valley, MN

13d•$126,700 - $190,100

About The Position

General Mills’ Pet Segment is the company’s fastest-growing global platform, fueled by the Blue Buffalo brand and its leadership in the humanization of pet feeding and treatment. Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet offers veterinary‑exclusive prescription formulas that combine the efficacy veterinary professionals expect with the features and benefits pet parents seek. The Veterinary Services team is the medical and nutritional voice of Blue Buffalo within the veterinary channel. The team partners closely with veterinary sales, marketing, R&D, FSQ, Regulatory, and external key opinion leaders (KOLs) to advance our mission of “Love them like family. Feed them like family.” JOB OVERVIEW: The Veterinary Services Manager ensures that the highest standards of veterinary medicine and nutrition are established, communicated, and maintained across General Mills’ pet business. This role will: Lead and develop a team of Professional Services Veterinarians (PSVs) and related veterinary specialists Set and execute the veterinary services strategy for the U.S. veterinary channel (clinic, key accounts, consolidators, teaching hospitals, and KOLs) Serve as a primary veterinary thought leader and internal consultant for the Pet Segment on pet food nutrition, therapeutic diets, and veterinary channel strategy The role will include significant external interaction (veterinary conferences, KOLs, veterinary schools) and cross‑functional leadership with Research & Development, Marketing, Sales, Corporate Communications, Food Safety, Legal, and Regulatory.

Requirements

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM/VMD) or equivalent from an accredited university with a valid U.S. veterinary license.
5+ years of clinical experience in companion animal general or speciality practice.
3+ years in an industry veterinary role, such as Professional Services Veterinarian, medical affairs, or equivalent in pharmaceuticals, nutrition, or supplements
Previous experience as a Manager of Veterinary Services or in a people‑leadership role overseeing veterinarians or medical liaison teams.
Demonstrated ability to:
Communicate complex medical and nutritional concepts to both specialists and general‑practice veterinarians.
Influence cross‑functional stakeholders and lead projects without direct authority.
Build strong relationships with external veterinary customers, KOLs, and professional associations.
Excellent presentation, written, and verbal communication skills, with comfort delivering CE in large and small‑group settings.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and virtual collaboration tools
Willing to travel around 30%-40%, including external partner meetings, veterinary conferences (national and regional), and key customer meetings.

Nice To Haves

Experience within a pet food manufacturer or nutrition‑focused animal health company, particularly in therapeutic or prescription diets.
Advanced medical training or board certification in nutrition, internal medicine, or dermatology.
Familiarity with clinical research, publication processes, or guideline development in veterinary medicine.

Responsibilities

Define & Execute Veterinary Services Strategy
Partner with Vet Channel sales and marketing leadership to define the veterinary engagement model across independent clinics, consolidators, e-commerce platforms, corporate buying groups, and teaching hospitals.
Translate business needs into veterinary outreach initiatives (e.g., CE programs, targeted disease‑state education, KOL projects, pilot programs with corporate groups) that support channel sales initiatives and revenue goals.
Use internal analytics and external data (e.g., corporate‑owned customer mapping, vet channel insights) to prioritize targets and measure impact.
Ensure alignment of Veterinary Services activities with brand positioning and innovation roadmaps for therapeutic and OTC products.
External Representation, Education & KOL Management
Represent Blue Buffalo and General Mills at national and regional veterinary conferences and industry events.
Build and maintain a network of key opinion leaders (general practitioners, specialists) who can advise on product development, research, and educational content.
Oversee development and delivery of CE content on disease states and nutrition (live, virtual, and on‑demand), ensuring scientific rigor and compliance in line with corporate communication standards.
Partner with select colleges of veterinary medicine to build brand awareness and familiarity with Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet among faculty, residents, and students.
Cross‑Functional Technical Leadership
Serve as a primary veterinary advisor to R&D, Legal, Regulatory, Marketing, and Sales on topics such as:
Therapeutic indications and disease‑state positioning for Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet and other vet‑relevant products
Claims, labeling, and consumer‑facing messaging in partnership with Regulatory and Legal
Provide veterinary perspective into market research and product design.
Review and approve nutritional content for marketing materials, sales tools, and digital assets directed towards veterinary professionals.
Field Enablement & Sales Partnership
Partners closely with veterinary clinic specialists and key account managers to ensure they are technically equipped to represent therapeutic and OTC product offerings.
Oversee the design and deployment of field‑based selling tools (detail aids, disease‑state resources, talk tracks) that integrate medical, nutritional, and commercial messaging.
Join priority customer meetings (e.g., consolidators, corporate groups, large hospital systems) to address technical questions and strengthen executive relationships.
Governance, Compliance & Operations
Ensure that all veterinary communications, CE, and field interactions adhere to regulatory, legal, and internal policy requirements for prescription diets.
Track and report KPIs (e.g., clinic reach, CE attendance, NVD distribution and recommendation rates, KOL engagement, corporate‑owned account progress) to senior leadership.
Contribute to risk assessments and issue management related to nutrition and veterinary science topics (e.g., product quality questions, scientific debates, social media sentiment among veterinarians).
Lead the Veterinary Services Team
Provide day‑to‑day leadership, coaching, and performance management for the Professional Services Veterinary team and other veterinary professionals.
Set clear goals and priorities that align with Pet Segment and Vet Channel strategies, including growth targets for Blue Buffalo Natural Veterinary Diet and other vet‑relevant product lines.
Develop team members’ product technical depth and clinical application (nutrition, internal medicine, dermatology), plus commercial acumen (clinic engagement, key account support, conference presence).
Foster an inclusive, collaborative culture that reflects General Mills’ values and leadership expectations.