Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

This is a part-time maternity cover position (approximately 30 hours per week) joining a six-vet small animal practice in rural Essex. You'll enjoy excellent case continuity with long-standing clients, working a standard 9am to 6:30/7pm day with one earlier finish each week. The role includes occasional sole charge work, though support is always available from the team at the sister branch. With no out-of-hours or on-call commitments and a maximum 1 in 5 Saturday and Sunday morning rota, this position offers genuine work-life balance in a location with excellent transport links, including just six minutes' drive to London Stansted Airport.

The practice is RCVS accredited and has earned Practice of the Year recognition. The team operates with a genuinely supportive, family-like culture where everyone looks out for one another. You'll see a varied general practice caseload spanning routine consultations and surgery, with access to visiting specialists in medicine, imaging, cardiology, and ophthalmology when needed.

Key Responsibilities

• See a wide range of general practice small animal cases
• Perform routine consultations and surgical procedures
• Manage occasional sole charge shifts (with support available from sister branch)
• Work collaboratively with a six-vet experienced team
• Maintain high standards of patient care and build strong client relationships
• Utilise practice facilities including new dental suite with dental x-ray, in-house labs, theatres, ultrasound, and x-ray equipment

Requirements

• Qualified veterinary surgeon with RCVS registration
• Solid general practice experience and confident all-round clinical skills
• Comfortable with routine consultations, surgery, and occasionally working in sole charge
• Friendly, approachable, and genuinely interested in being part of a team
• Hardworking, proactive, and dependable
• Values continuity of care and building client relationships
• Experience suited to role, though those earlier in career with strong foundations remain welcome

Benefits

• Salary up to £60,000 FTE depending on experience (part-time pro rata)
• 6.6 weeks paid holiday including bank holidays (pro rata)
• £1,750 CPD allowance per annum (pro rata)
• Health Cash Plan covering dentistry, sports massage, and wellness treatments
• RCVS membership fees paid plus two additional professional memberships
• VDS indemnity cover
• Enhanced paternity, maternity, adoption, shared parental leave, and surrogacy pay
• Discounted veterinary fees for staff
• My Perks programme offering discounts and cashback on shopping, travel, and entertainment
• Cycle to Work scheme
• CPD and training support
• Company sick pay
• Annual pay reviews
• Focus on employee wellbeing and career progression opportunities
• No out-of-hours or on-call commitments
• Maximum 1 in 5 Saturday and Sunday morning rota (daytime only)

About the Practice

Moloney Veterinary Clinics operates as part of the VetPartners group, an Employer of the Year recognised for outstanding team culture and support. The Great Dunmow branch is an RCVS accredited practice housed in a beautiful, rural location with excellent modern facilities. The six-vet team has built a strong, supportive culture focused on both clinical excellence and team wellbeing.

The practice benefits from comprehensive in-house diagnostics and access to visiting specialists, allowing the team to manage complex cases without the need for routine external referrals. Located in Essex with easy access to the A120 and M11, the practice serves a loyal client base and maintains strong clinical continuity.