Lead Theatre Supervisor

About the Role

Join North Downs Specialist Referrals as Lead Theatre Supervisor—a full-time, Monday-to-Friday leadership position (40 hours/week, 8am-5pm) with zero out-of-hours or weekend commitments. You’ll oversee the theatre department in one of the UK and Europe’s largest specialist veterinary referral centres, leading a skilled team of RVNs and nursing assistants while collaborating with surgeons, anaesthetists, interns, and residents.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll be visible, proactive, and accessible on shift—solving operational challenges, ensuring high standards of patient care, and optimising patient flow through theatre. You’ll manage staffing resources, coordinate with diagnostics and ward teams, and maintain theatre cleanliness and readiness to match the standards of a leading referral practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day theatre operations: case scheduling, shift staffing coordination, and resource planning to adapt to changing staffing levels
• Supervise nursing care delivery across the theatre team to ensure it meets the practice’s high standards and RCVS professional expectations
• Act as a clinical resource and visible leader on shift, providing mentorship and support to RVNs, nursing assistants, interns, and residents
• Identify and resolve operational, care, and staffing issues in real time—troubleshoot problems and adapt to shift demands
• Liaise with diagnostics, wards, reception, and the bookings department to streamline patient flow and ensure smooth surgical journeys
• Maintain theatre environments to high clinical standards appropriate for a leading referral centre
• Utilise departmental downtime effectively for deep cleaning, maintenance, and team development

Requirements

• Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) with a minimum of 2–3 years’ experience in a multi-disciplinary referral practice
• Enthusiastic, flexible mindset with ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to high-quality service delivery
• Organised and proactive with confidence juggling multiple priorities
• Strong communicator who works collaboratively across internal teams
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Right to Work in the UK (proof required)

Benefits

• Time Off: 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays + birthday leave
• Professional Development: RCVS and VDS fees paid, external CPD funded, extensive free Linnaeus online CPD programmes
• Career Growth: Career progression opportunities and support for additional qualifications
• Health & Wellbeing: Enhanced sickness pay, enhanced equal family leave, employee assistance programme, mental health first aiders, eyecare voucher scheme, free annual flu jab
• Lifestyle Perks: Staff discount schemes, cycle-to-work scheme, childcare vouchers
• Team Culture: Regular team meetings, social events including Christmas party, and a genuinely supportive workplace culture
• Referral Rewards: Recruitment referral reward scheme

About the Practice

North Downs Specialist Referrals is an internationally recognised, RCVS-accredited referral centre of excellence in Bletchingley, Surrey. The practice employs over 60 Registered Veterinary Nurses and 32 recognised specialists across surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, oncology, neurology, cardiology, dentistry, diagnostic imaging, and anaesthesia. Nursing Pathways, the practice’s innovative nursing structure, emphasises individualised career progression while developing veterinary nursing expertise.

North Downs is part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, the world’s largest family-owned veterinary company. Being privately owned, Linnaeus is driven by its purpose to create a better world and thinks long-term rather than chasing short-term profits. With over 6,000 associates across the group, you’ll have access to a vast network of specialists, worldwide development opportunities, and a comprehensive wellbeing package prioritising physical and mental health.