About the Role
Join Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital as Surgery Clinical Team Leader, a senior clinical nursing position where you'll lead and develop a team of 9 nurses and VCAs across Soft Tissue, Orthopaedics and Neurology. Based in Longbridge, Birmingham, you'll work full-time over 4 days (40 hours per week, 7am to 8pm), combining hands-on clinical practice with team leadership and service planning.
This is a rewarding role in a world-class referral environment. You'll work with complex surgical cases, urgent referrals and inter-disciplinary transfers, supported by specialists and interns. The hospital treats up to 10,000 pets a year with state-of-the-art equipment across a comprehensive range of disciplines including ECC, Cardiology, Neurology, Oncology and Interventional Radiology.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage a team of 9 nurses and VCAs within Soft Tissue and Orthopaedics, including performance reviews and development
- Plan and oversee the day-to-day running of the surgery service, ensuring timely completion of procedures and smooth hospital workflow integration
- Work closely with discipline specialists and interns to maintain high-quality service delivery on complex and urgent surgical cases
- Liaise with the Clinical Floor Coordinator to deploy nursing and support staff effectively and prevent service delays
- Support the development and roll-out of new processes to expand and improve the service
- Foster a supportive, friendly and clinically competent team environment
- Report to the Clinical Nursing Manager and contribute to company-wide clinical governance projects
Requirements
- RCVS Registration as a Veterinary Nurse
- Advanced nursing skills in surgery with significant clinical experience
- Demonstrable leadership experience including line management, coaching and team development
- Experience working with complex surgical cases in a referral or advanced-care setting
- Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams
- Commitment to evidence-based practice, clinical governance and continuous improvement
- Further qualifications in surgery (certificate, Advanced Diploma or VTS) desirable but not essential
Benefits
- 6.8 weeks annual leave with increasing allowance based on length of service
- £1,250 Management and Clinical CPD allowance plus 24 hours paid professional development leave
- RCVS and VDS fees fully covered
- Pension scheme
- Private Medical Insurance
- Enhanced family-friendly policies: maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and surrogacy pay
- Employee wellbeing initiatives including Healthcare Cash Plan and Cycle to Work scheme
- Discounted veterinary care
- Voluntary benefits including Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme and access to hundreds of retail discounts and cashback partners
- Clear career pathways and progression opportunities within referral nursing and leadership roles
- Specialist nursing role delivering complex and rewarding caseloads
- Collaborative, values-led culture focused on care, learning and continuous improvement
About the Practice
Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital is one of the largest multidisciplinary referral hospitals in the UK, located in Longbridge, Birmingham. The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to treat up to 10,000 pets annually and offers specialist services across Anaesthesia and Analgesia, Cardiology, Diagnostic Imaging, Emergency and Critical Care, Internal Medicine, Interventional Radiology, Neurology, Oncology, Orthopaedics and Soft Tissue Surgery. The team includes specialist clinicians, interns and highly skilled nursing and support staff.
Blaise operates a 24-hour specialist-led emergency and critical care service in partnership with Vets Now, providing out-of-hours and emergency pet care for Birmingham and the surrounding areas. The hospital is part of IVC Evidensia, the UK's leading veterinary care provider trusted with the care of over 2 million animals annually.
