Head of Laboratory Services – Referral Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

This is a senior leadership opportunity to establish and expand the laboratory service at Donnington Grove, a prestigious equine and small animal referral practice based in Newbury. You’ll take charge of a growing in-house laboratory operation serving a team of 50 veterinary surgeons and a wider referral network across IVC Evidensia. The practice sits in a semi-rural location with excellent train access to London, offering the perfect blend of professional ambition and work-life balance in a thriving market town.

You’ll drive the strategic development of laboratory services, oversee equipment upgrades, and shape the portfolio of diagnostic tests offered—with real scope to become the laboratory of choice within the IVC Evidensia Group. This role combines hands-on clinical laboratory work with people leadership and service innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of laboratory technicians, fostering a collaborative, inclusive environment where staff feel invested in future growth
• Manage diagnostic services across haematology, clinical chemistry, endocrinology, microbiology, serology and molecular diagnostics
• Drive continuous improvement in laboratory equipment, working practices, and the breadth of tests offered
• Ensure quality standards and regulatory compliance across all laboratory operations
• Work alongside the clinical team of 50 vets to optimise diagnostic support and referral service delivery
• Contribute to strategic planning within the IVC Evidensia laboratory network

Requirements

• MRCVS qualification with board eligibility or Specialist Status in Internal Medicine or Pathology
• Proven experience working in a busy veterinary laboratory, particularly with equine samples and/or clinical settings
• Demonstrated line management and team leadership experience
• Excellent communication skills and ability to engage staff in laboratory development

Benefits

• Work-Life Balance: 6.6 weeks annual leave, increasing with length of service; your birthday as a paid day off
• Wellbeing: Enhanced family-friendly policies (maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental pay); private medical insurance; cycle to work scheme; discounted gym membership; non-accidental injury support
• Professional Development: Excellent CPD allowance and enhanced leave; learning opportunities via IVC Evidensia Academy; access to Vetlexicon online encyclopaedia; research funding eligibility; Infection Prevention and Control and Quality Improvement programmes
• Professional Support: VDS cover and RCVS fees paid
• Additional Perks: Pawsome Benefits rewards gateway; 5% employee/3% employer pension contribution; discounted staff pet care

About the Practice

Donnington Grove Veterinary Group is a busy, well-established equine and small animal referral centre in Newbury, West Berkshire. The practice operates a comprehensive in-house laboratory providing diagnostic support across key specialisms including haematology, clinical chemistry, endocrinology, microbiology, serology and molecular diagnostics. With a team of 50 veterinary surgeons and growing ambitions for service expansion, the laboratory is central to the practice’s referral offering.

As part of IVC Evidensia, the UK’s largest veterinary group, Donnington Grove benefits from access to advanced professional development programmes, a commitment to staff wellbeing, and a collaborative culture focused on excellence in patient care and team engagement.