Head Veterinary Nurse

About the Role

This is a leadership opportunity within Vets Now's established Barton-le-Clay emergency clinic, which has provided RCVS-accredited out-of-hours care since 2010. You will lead a large team of veterinary nurses and clinical support staff, balancing hands-on clinical work with strategic management responsibilities. The role combines night shifts and weekend cover with dedicated time for team development, performance management, and operational oversight.

You'll work across a structured rota that includes clinical night shifts (19:00 to 09:00), weekend patterns, and bank holidays, alongside protected management time for meetings, appraisals, and clinic planning.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day operations and financial management of the clinic
• Oversee rota planning and manage staffing gaps across the team
• Maintain relationships with host practices through regular communication
• Quality control of clinical equipment and standards
• Team welfare management, including mentoring, appraisals, performance reviews, and return-to-work support
• Deliver high-standard patient care on clinical shifts alongside nursing duties

Requirements

• Minimum two years' experience in an out-of-hours and critical care environment
• Proven experience managing others, ideally in a veterinary setting
• Demonstrated experience in performance management
• Motivation to maintain high clinic standards
• Passion for caring for clients and their pets

Benefits

• Salary up to £45,000 dependent on experience
• 7 weeks annual leave plus your birthday as a paid day off
• £1,125 CPD allowance plus 20 paid study hours
• RCVS fees paid and ECC certificate support
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced sick and maternity pay
• UK Standard Pension: 5% employee / 3% employer contribution
• Up to 50% discounted staff pet care
• Death in service benefit of two times annual salary
• Reward Gateway discounts and cashback with hundreds of retailers

About the Practice

Vets Now is the UK's leading emergency and critical care provider, operating 60 plus dedicated out-of-hours clinics and two 24/7 pet emergency hospitals across the country. The Barton-le-Clay clinic holds RCVS Small Animal Emergency Service Clinic accreditation and treats emergency and critical care cases without appointment, supported by a skilled team of veterinary professionals.

The organisation is committed to flexible working, diversity, and staff development. As a Disability Confident Employer, Vets Now welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds and is committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout recruitment.