Lead Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN)

About the Role

This is your opportunity to transition into a rewarding leadership position at a well-established small animal practice in North London. You’ll spend approximately 90–95% of your time delivering clinical nursing care and leading by example, with the remainder dedicated to line management responsibilities. Your leadership will focus on mentoring your nursing team, supporting their professional development, and fostering a positive, collaborative culture.

The practice operates a 42-hour working week with flexible shift patterns (8am–4:30pm, 9:30am–6pm, or 12pm–8:30pm), a share of the Saturday rota, and one bank holiday per year. You’ll be part of a supportive leadership structure alongside the Clinical Director, Practice Manager, and Clinical Nursing Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver high-quality patient care across all general nursing duties, ensuring accurate clinical record-keeping and infection control protocols
• Provide direct line management to allocated nursing team members, including performance development reviews, regular 1-2-1 conversations, and professional development planning
• Support recruitment and induction of new nursing staff alongside the Clinical Nursing Manager
• Actively engage in clinical audits, quality improvement initiatives (including RCVS Practice Standards and ISFM cat-friendly accreditation), and incident reporting
• Lead the nursing team through the Five Principles and Linnaeus values, fostering engagement and addressing performance issues where needed
• Contribute to outstanding client experiences by building strong relationships, ensuring informed consent, and guiding less experienced team members
• Ensure compliance with H&S policies, controlled drugs protocols, and regulatory requirements
• Participate in ongoing CPD and actively share learning with the team
• Support financial health by managing costs, reducing waste, and maintaining accurate charging for services and medicines

Requirements

• Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) with proven clinical experience
• Demonstrated interest in transitioning to a leadership role
• Strong communication and line management skills
• Ability to balance clinical duties with team leadership responsibilities
• Commitment to continued professional development and clinical excellence
• Experience with performance management and team engagement (desirable)

Benefits

• Salary: up to £40,000 – dependent on experience
• Full-time permanent position
• Flexible shift patterns to suit work-life balance
• Access to Linnaeus in-house training and CPD opportunities
• Support for RCVS/VCI registration requirements
• Part of a forward-thinking veterinary group with access to professional development networks
• Supportive leadership structure and mentoring from Clinical Nursing Manager

About the Practice

Village Vet Winchmore Hill is a respected small animal practice serving the North London community. The practice is part of Linnaeus, a forward-thinking partnership of primary care and referral veterinary practices across the UK and Ireland known for commitment to clinical excellence and high standards of patient care. The team at Winchmore Hill comprises 6 RVNs, 2 PCAs, and experienced clinical leadership, all working together to deliver gold-standard care to their patients.

Linnaeus operates across multiple practice types and specialisms, united by a shared mission: A Better World for Pets. The group carefully selects practices to partner with, ensuring the highest levels of patient care and creating a community of like-minded veterinary professionals.