At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and support a team of nurses to deliver exceptional veterinary care.
- Company: Join the UK's number one vet care provider, inspiring vet care.
- Benefits: Enjoy 6.8 weeks' annual leave, private medical insurance, and a £550 CPD allowance.
- Other info: Collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement and career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in animal care while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Must be a registered veterinary nurse with strong leadership and clinical skills.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK’s number one vet care provider, we’re trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners. We are seeking a knowledgeable, confident Head Veterinary Nurse to join our team at Zetland Vets on a full-time basis. At Zetland Vets, providing outstanding care for our clients and their pets is at the heart of everything we do. Our highly skilled and experienced team allows us to deliver an excellent standard of care and work up complex cases in-house, offering a rewarding and varied caseload. We are looking for an experienced nurse to join our successful eight‑practice group, working alongside 16 nurses and 15 vets. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your career within a supportive and collaborative team, where you will be recognised and respected as a senior member of staff. If you’re looking for a role that offers both professional growth and the chance to make a real impact, we’d love to hear from you.
How You’ll Make a Difference
As a Head Veterinary Nurse, you will provide senior clinical and professional leadership for the nursing team, overseeing all nursing aspects of the practice and supporting the delivery of high‑quality patient and client care. You’ll be responsible for setting and maintaining nursing standards, leading clinical governance and quality improvement activity, and developing a capable, confident nursing team. Working closely with the wider practice leadership team, you’ll play a key role in shaping culture, performance and ways of working.
Working Pattern
40 hours per week Either 4 x 10‑hour days (8:00am–6:30pm, with 30‑minute unpaid lunch) with 1 non‑fixed day off per week, or 5 x 8‑hour days (8:00am–4:30pm/5:00pm, with 30‑minute unpaid lunch) Working 1 in 7 weekends at the hospital, 8:30am–5:00pm (30‑minute unpaid lunch) alongside another nurse.
Key Responsibilities
- Leading, managing and supporting 5–6 members of the nursing team to maintain high standards of patient care and professional conduct
- Conducting regular one‑to‑one meetings, performance reviews and biannual appraisals
- Organising training, clinical coaching and development opportunities for nursing staff
- Planning and managing nursing rotas, holiday cover, sickness cover and on‑call arrangements
- Supporting practice improvement initiatives and encouraging team involvement in new projects
- Organising and attending nursing and management meetings
- Overseeing stock control, ordering and equipment maintenance across all sites
- Ensuring compliance with current veterinary legislation, RCVS requirements and Health & Safety regulations
- Maintaining RCVS registration and completing the required CPD
- Undertaking any other reasonable duties requested by the Partners or management team
You Might Be a Great Fit If…
You Are An Experienced And Confident Registered Veterinary Nurse With Strong Leadership Capability And a Passion For Clinical Excellence. You’ll Bring:
- Registration as a Veterinary Nurse with the RCVS
- Significant experience in clinical practice with advanced medical and surgical nursing skills
- Proven experience of leading, mentoring and developing nursing teams
- Strong understanding of clinical governance, quality improvement and professional standards
- Excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills
How We’ll Support You
A senior leadership role with accountability for nursing standards, team development and service improvement. Clear career pathways with progression opportunities into wider practice leadership roles. Ongoing learning and development to support leadership, governance and strategic growth. A collaborative, values‑led culture focused on care, community and continuous improvement.
What We Offer Our Team
- 6.8 weeks' annual leave
- Increasing holiday allowance based on length of service
- Enhanced family‑friendly policies, including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and surrogacy pay
- Private Medical Insurance
- Employee wellbeing initiatives including Healthcare Cash Plan and Cycle to Work scheme
- £550 CPD allowance plus 24hrs paid leave
- RCVS and VDS fees covered
- Pension scheme
- Discounted veterinary care
- Voluntary benefits: choose from a range of benefits to suit you, including Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme and access to discounts and cashback with hundreds of participating retailers
We’re committed to supporting our people through career development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and access to world‑class learning resources. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, inspiring vet care offers the support, opportunity and community to help you grow.
Head Veterinary Nurse employer: IVC Evidensia
Inspiring Vet Care is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and collaborative work environment at Zetland Vets, where your contributions as a Head Veterinary Nurse will be valued and recognised. With a commitment to professional growth, you will benefit from clear career pathways, ongoing learning opportunities, and a generous benefits package that includes enhanced leave, private medical insurance, and a substantial CPD allowance. Join a team dedicated to delivering high-quality care for over 2 million animals, and make a meaningful impact in the lives of pets and their owners.
