At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team of vets while providing hands-on clinical care across three branches.
- Company: Vet4Life, part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, focused on creating a better world for pets.
- Benefits: Attractive salary, 5 weeks holiday, CPD funding, and wellness programmes.
- Other info: Enjoy a balanced work-life with no on-call duties and modern facilities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of veterinary care while mentoring and developing your team.
- Qualifications: MRCVS-qualified with 5+ years UK clinical experience and proven leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: Shepperton, working across 3 branches (Surbiton, Teddington & Shepperton)
Hours: 38.3 hours per week | 4-day week | 1 in 4 Saturdays (9:00am–5:00pm) | 1 in 12 Sundays (10:00am–4:00pm) | No on-call
Practice: Vet4Life
Salary: Attractive salary package available DOE
This is a rare opportunity for an experienced veterinary surgeon to step into a strategic, multi-branch leadership role while remaining clinically active. As Group Lead Vet, you’ll spend approximately 80% of your time on hands-on clinical work, supporting your teams to deliver outstanding patient care, while also providing operational and strategic leadership across the group. You’ll be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, collaborating with the Practice Director, Clinical Nursing Manager, Client Care Manager, and wider teams to drive standards, culture, and growth.
Your leadership will shape not only the day-to-day clinical care but also the long-term development, engagement, and success of the practices and their teams. You’ll set clinical standards, mentor and develop your teams, influence practice strategy, and shape a positive culture, all while staying close to the work you love.
Why join us?
- Lead clinical excellence and governance across three branches, setting high standards for patient care
- Shape the future of a progressive veterinary group with input into strategy, KPIs, and service development
- Mentor and develop veterinary teams, including early career vets, to achieve their potential
- Influence practice culture, engagement, and wellbeing initiatives across the group
- Work in a supportive Senior Leadership Team with autonomy to innovate and implement improvements
- Access to CPD, clinical research opportunities, and career progression support
- Enjoy a balanced working week with no on-call, no out-of-hours, and predictable rotas
- Modern facilities and equipment to support advanced clinical work
At Vet4Life, we pride ourselves on building supportive, skilled, and close-knit teams across all three branches. You’ll work alongside 11 veterinary surgeons and 11 RVNs, supported by 6 student nurses/PCAs and 10 client care assistants. Our team is diverse in expertise, with colleagues holding certificates in surgery, medicine, ECC, dermatology, cardiology, exotics, and wellbeing, allowing for a truly collaborative and multidisciplinary approach.
Surbiton is our largest and busiest branch, offering a varied and fast-paced caseload, with three consult rooms, surgery facilities, and a loyal, engaged client base. It’s perfect if you enjoy a dynamic environment with opportunities to take on challenging cases and mentor a team of experienced vets. Teddington is a growing site, offering scope to shape its future clinical services. Shepperton provides a quieter, village-style setting, where you can enjoy the charm of a close-knit community and build long-term relationships with clients and patients.
Across all sites, our equipment is modern and comprehensive: endoscopy, laparoscopic kit, ultrasound, digital radiography, Class 4 laser, and an in-house laboratory. The practices are designed to make your day-to-day clinical work smooth and efficient, while giving you the scope to innovate and implement new services.
This position blends clinical responsibility, team leadership, and business influence. You’ll oversee the delivery of care, ensure clinical governance is maintained, and support recruitment, training, and mentoring to help every vet and nurse reach their potential. You’ll champion quality improvement initiatives, clinical audits, and research, ensuring that patient outcomes, team development, and practice growth are all aligned.
With this role, you have the opportunity to lead by example, creating a positive, collaborative, and high-performing culture. You’ll foster an environment where career development, engagement, and wellbeing are prioritised, and where innovative ideas are encouraged and implemented.
Ultimately, this is a role for a visionary veterinary surgeon who wants to combine clinical excellence with meaningful leadership, who thrives on mentoring and collaboration, and who wants to leave a lasting mark on the practices, the teams, and the patients you care for.
What we’re looking for:
- MRCVS-qualified with 5+ years’ UK clinical experience
- Proven leadership experience in delivery, mentoring, and team development
- Strong strategic thinking, decision-making, and communication skills
- Passionate about developing others and driving a positive clinical culture
- Empathic, solutions-focused, and motivated to lead change across multiple branches
- Experience with clinical governance, audits, and quality improvement is highly desirable
- Knowledge of RCVS Practice Standards, VetSafe, ISFM accreditation, and patient safety event reporting would be advantageous
- Leadership or business qualification is desirable but not essential
What we offer:
- 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays and Birthday Leave
- RCVS and VDS fees paid
- External CPD funded
- Extensive free online Linnaeus CPD program
- Career progression opportunities
- Staff discount schemes
- Life Assurance
- Enhanced sickness pay
- Enhanced equal family leave
- E-car salary sacrifice scheme
- Employer contribution pension scheme
- Recruitment referral reward scheme
- Wellness program including Employee assistance program, Eyecare voucher scheme, Free annual Flu jab, Cycle to work scheme
About Us: Vet4Life is part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, the largest family-owned veterinary company in the world. Being privately owned, we can truly be driven by our purpose, to create a better world, and think long-term as opposed to being focused solely on short-term profits.
At Linnaeus, A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS starts with a better world for our people. Our Associates are over 6000 strong and empowered to speak up, step up and deliver quality services. You’ll have access to a huge network of specialists, worldwide development opportunities and an easily accessible, comprehensive wellbeing package that prioritises your physical and mental health, allowing you to focus on what you do best – care for pets.
We are committed to fostering a culture that is inclusive and diverse, we care about you and want you to be authentic, with everything you need to perform at your best. We are all individual but two important things bring us together: a commitment to excellence and our passion to achieve our purpose.
If you would like to apply for the role or for an informal chat to discuss it further, please get in touch with Joanne in the recruitment team at joanne.gray@linnaeusgroup.co.uk
Group Lead Vet employer: Linnaeus Veterinary
At Vet4Life, we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive and collaborative work culture that prioritises clinical excellence and employee wellbeing. As a Group Lead Vet, you will enjoy a balanced working week with no on-call duties, access to extensive CPD opportunities, and the chance to mentor a diverse team across three modern branches in the charming locations of Surbiton, Teddington, and Shepperton. With a commitment to your professional growth and a focus on creating a positive impact in the community, this role offers a unique blend of leadership and hands-on clinical work in a thriving environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Group Lead Vet
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the veterinary field, attend local events, and join online forums. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Vet4Life and its branches. Understand their values, culture, and recent developments. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! As a Group Lead Vet, you'll need to demonstrate your experience in mentoring and team development. Think of specific examples where you've made a positive impact and be ready to share them.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the Vet4Life family and ready to contribute to their mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Group Lead Vet
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Group Lead Vet role. Highlight your leadership experience, clinical expertise, and any relevant qualifications to show us you’re the perfect fit!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you’re passionate about veterinary leadership and how you can contribute to our team. Be genuine and let your personality come through.
Showcase Your Team Spirit:We love collaboration! In your application, mention examples of how you've mentored others or contributed to a positive team culture. This will help us see how you can lead and inspire our teams across branches.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Linnaeus Veterinary
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your clinical knowledge and leadership experience. Be ready to discuss specific cases you've handled and how you've mentored others. This role is all about combining hands-on work with strategic leadership, so show them you can do both!
✨Show Your Passion for Mentoring
Since this position involves developing early career vets, be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully mentored others in the past. Talk about your approach to fostering a positive culture and how you’ve helped teams grow.
✨Understand the Practice's Values
Vet4Life prides itself on clinical excellence and team wellbeing. Familiarise yourself with their values and be ready to discuss how your own philosophy aligns with theirs. This will demonstrate that you're not just looking for any job, but that you're genuinely interested in contributing to their mission.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
Prepare some insightful questions about the practice's future goals, team dynamics, and how they measure success. This shows that you're not only interested in the role but also in how you can contribute to the bigger picture. It’s a great way to engage with the interviewers and leave a lasting impression.
