RVN (Maternity Cover)

About the Role

This is a fixed-term maternity cover position offering 40 hours per week at Avonvale Veterinary Centres in Southam, part of a seven-practice group based across Warwickshire. You’ll join a nursing team known for exceptional longevity and expertise—one team member has been with the practice for over 35 years—and you’ll work alongside veterinary surgeons holding multiple certificates in surgery, imaging, and medicine.

The role includes flexible out-of-hours options: you can choose between 1:10 nights or 1:13 weekends based at the Warwick hospital (paid separately), plus Saturday mornings 1:8 at your branch as required. The practice prides itself on full nurse utilisation, meaning you’ll conduct your own consults and handle schedule 3 procedures, providing real job satisfaction and the chance to develop skills under experienced mentors with interests spanning anaesthesia, emergency & critical care, and behaviour.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct veterinary nursing consults and manage schedule 3 procedures within your daily rota
• Assist with a wide range of advanced surgical and medical procedures across small animal cases
• Support the practice’s vets with advanced nursing techniques, benefiting from the team’s diverse certificate holdings
• Work alongside Patient Care Assistants to maintain high standards of patient care and welfare
• Contribute to the nursing team’s professional development culture and mentoring environment
• Undertake out-of-hours duties on your chosen rota (nights or weekends)

Requirements

• RCVS registration as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN)
• Current RCVS and VDS fees in good standing
• Reliable access to transport (own transport required)
• Self-motivated and keen to develop clinical skills alongside an experienced team
• Flexibility to work out-of-hours on a chosen rota basis

Benefits

• Salary: £29,993 per annum (dependent on experience), plus out-of-hours pay in addition to base salary
• Holiday: 5 weeks annual leave plus bank holidays and birthday leave
• Professional Support: RCVS and VDS fees paid; external CPD funded; extensive free online Linnaeus CPD programme
• Wellbeing: Enhanced sickness pay; enhanced equal family leave; employee assistance programme; mental health first aiders across the practice group; free annual flu jab
• Additional Perks: Staff discount schemes; life assurance; e-car salary sacrifice scheme; cycle to work scheme; eyecare voucher scheme; recruitment referral reward scheme
• Career Development: Progression opportunities within the Linnaeus group

About the Practice

Avonvale Veterinary Centres operates seven primary care practices across Warwickshire, with over 40 years of experience in small animal care. The team of RCVS-qualified vets and nurses includes multiple certificate holders in surgery, imaging, and medicine, creating an environment where complex cases are managed in-house with minimal referrals. The nursing team is particularly distinguished by its stability and depth of expertise, with several members having built long careers within the practice.

As part of Linnaeus (a Mars Veterinary Health company), Avonvale is committed to supporting the physical and mental health of all staff through a network of Mental Health First Aiders, an employee assistance programme, and a strong culture of continuous professional development.