Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

About the Role

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your skills and depth in first-opinion small animal practice. You'll spend 70% of your time at the Cinderford branch and 30% at Lydney, working a flexible 32-hour week with no out-of-hours or on-call duties. Your schedule runs Monday, Tuesday and Friday (9am to 5pm) at Cinderford, Wednesday (9am to 7pm) at Lydney, and one Saturday in six mornings (9am to 1pm) at Lydney. The role is designed for a vet with some post-graduate experience in first-opinion practice, keen to build confidence through consultations, continuity of care and medical case development.

Cinderford sits in the heart of the Forest of Dean with stunning natural surroundings, strong community, affordable housing and excellent access to outdoor activities. You'll enjoy good transport links to Gloucester and Cheltenham while benefiting from a peaceful, rural quality of life.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality consultations and continuity of care for routine medical and surgical cases
• Contribute to collaborative case discussion and clinical decision-making with the team
• Support the practice's Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation and clinical development initiatives
• Work independently and collaboratively across both Cinderford and Lydney branches
• Develop your clinical interests and expand capabilities with support from mentors and clinical coaches

Requirements

• Veterinary degree and current RCVS registration (or eligibility to register)
• Experience working in clinical practice with growing confidence in routine medical and surgical cases
• Strong communication skills and ability to build effective relationships with clients and colleagues
• A proactive approach to learning, openness to feedback and development
• Professionalism, reliability and ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Passion for delivering excellent patient and client care

Benefits

• Competitive salary up to £65,000 depending on experience (pro rata)
• 6.6 weeks' annual holiday including bank holidays (pro rata)
• £1,250 annual Care Fund for professional development
• £1,250 CPD allowance and access to IVC Academy training centres
• BVA membership, VDS cover and RCVS fees paid
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced family leave and pay (maternity, paternity, adoption, surrogacy)
• Cycle to Work and Green Car schemes (where eligible)
• Retail discounts and cashback offers
• Reduced-cost veterinary care for your own pets
• Access to mentors, regional clinical coaches and peer networks
• Clear career pathways across primary care, referral, leadership and specialist roles

About the Practice

Sundean Vets is an established, multi-branch small animal practice with three locations in Cinderford, Lydney and Hartpury. The team comprises six experienced Veterinary Surgeons and eight skilled nursing colleagues, creating a collaborative, supportive family culture centred on high-quality, compassionate care. Within the vet team, you'll benefit from a wide range of clinical interests and advanced training, including colleagues with certificates in Small Animal Dentistry, Diagnostic Imaging and Small Animal Medicine, plus one nearing completion of a Surgical Certificate. This breadth of experience ensures excellent case discussion, informal mentoring and strong clinical support across both routine and complex cases.

The practice is part of IVC Evidensia, the UK's largest veterinary care provider, trusted with the care of over 2 million animals. The team actively encourages case discussion, clinical curiosity, knowledge sharing and a friendly, low-pressure working environment that balances efficiency with clinical quality.