Head Registered Veterinary Nurse

About the Role

This Head Registered Veterinary Nurse position offers a strong mix of clinical nursing, team leadership and day-to-day practice support. You'll be helping shape standards, supporting colleagues and staying closely involved in patient care, so it's a good fit for an experienced RVN who wants more responsibility without stepping away from the clinical floor.

The role is full time at 40 hours per week, with a shared weekend rota of 1 in 4 weekends. Shifts are either 8:30am to 4:30pm or 11:15am to 7:15pm, and each shift includes a 30-minute lunch break. A day of TOIL is given after a weekend worked.

The practice is based inside a popular Pets at Home store in Freeport Shopping Village, with a location that is easy to reach and close to the coast. You'll be joining a team with mixed experience and interests, and the role includes both nursing leadership and administrative input.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support the nursing team, encouraging collaboration, learning and ongoing improvement.
• Mentor colleagues and help build confidence and skills across the team.
• Act as a role model for clinical standards and professionalism.
• Deliver high quality patient care and maintain strong nursing standards.
• Work with the wider practice team to support excellent patient and client care.
• Assist with rota planning, stock management, clinical governance and the smooth running of the nursing team.
• Identify process improvements and contribute to practice development.

Requirements

• Experienced Registered Veterinary Nurse with strong general nursing experience in small animal practice.
• At least 3 years of experience.
• Confident in leadership and team support.
• Strong client care and communication skills.
• Organised, proactive and comfortable driving positive change.
• Experience of clinical coaching is required, although a course or refresher training can be provided if needed.

Benefits

• Salary up to £35,000 depending on experience.
• Generous CPD allowance with allocated time off to complete it.
• Emphasis on wellbeing.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• Paid memberships, including RCVS, BVNA and VDS.
• Exclusive company and high street discounts and rewards.
• Shared allocation of Bank Holidays, 1 to 2 per year.
• TOIL after a weekend worked.

About the Practice

The practice is part of the Vets for Pets network and is based inside a Pets at Home store in Freeport Shopping Village, Braintree. The team is made up of 5 Vets, 4 RVNs, 2 SVNs, 4 Receptionists and a Practice Manager.

It is located in CM77 8YJ, around a 5-minute walk from the train station and about 20 minutes from Stansted Airport, with the coast around 45 minutes away.