Lead Surgical Nurse

About the Role

We’re looking for an enthusiastic RVN to join us as a Lead Surgical Nurse at Willows Referrals. This is a full-time permanent role based at their flagship Solihull referral hospital, where you’ll work within a dynamic multi-disciplinary team of over 250 associates and internationally renowned specialists.

As Lead Surgical Nurse, you’ll be instrumental in maintaining Willows’ exceptionally high clinical standards whilst leading and supporting the surgical nursing team. You’ll work closely with the Head of Nursing Services and wider leadership to oversee daily patient flow, streamline clinical pathways, and ensure consistent excellence from admission through discharge. This role offers genuine autonomy within a supportive environment—you’ll identify process improvements, champion staff development, and take responsibility for specific clinical areas whilst being backed by a collaborative leadership structure.

The practice is centrally located near Birmingham, with easy access to London, national transport links, and the Warwickshire countryside—ideal if you want professional ambition without the commute chaos.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the surgical nursing team, ensuring all patients receive exceptional nursing care aligned with practice and group policies
• Manage daily surgical patient flow and theatre operations, identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency and clinical outcomes
• Oversee patient pathways from pre-admission through post-operative care and discharge
• Work with the Head of Nursing Services and Lead Nurse team to assess training and development needs across the nursing workforce
• Support the continued growth and success of the practice through operational excellence and team development
• Collaborate with specialists across orthopaedics, neurology, ophthalmology, soft tissue surgery, cardiology, dermatology, ECC, anaesthesia, and diagnostic imaging
• Maintain compliance with RCVS standards and group protocols whilst promoting best-practice nursing care

Requirements

• Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) qualification
• Minimum 2 years post-qualification experience
• Demonstrated leadership experience or strong potential to lead
• Excellent organisational and communication skills
• Ability to work autonomously and confidently in a busy hospital environment
• Commitment to maintaining high clinical standards and ongoing professional development

Benefits

• Competitive salary from £28,000 depending on experience
• 5 weeks annual leave plus bank holidays and birthday leave
• RCVS and VDS professional membership fees covered
• Dedicated nursing CPD programme—externally funded CPD plus access to extensive free Linnaeus online learning
• Career progression opportunities within a multi-site group
• Life assurance and enhanced sickness pay
• Enhanced equal family leave
• Staff discount schemes and discounted vet fees for your own pets
• E-car salary sacrifice scheme and cycle to work scheme
• Comprehensive wellness programme: employee assistance programme, mental health first aider support, eyecare voucher scheme, free annual flu jab, weekly free fruit, and discounted gym membership
• Recruitment referral reward scheme

About the Practice

Willows Veterinary Centre & Referral Service is one of the leading small animal referral centres in the UK, delivering gold-standard veterinary care for over 30 years. Part of the Linnaeus group (Mars Veterinary Health), Willows operates a 24-hour hospital with in-patient nursing care supported by a team of interns and emergency vets. The practice employs over 250 associates working across specialist disciplines: soft tissue surgery, orthopaedics, neurology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, dermatology, emergency & critical care, anaesthesia and analgesia, diagnostic imaging, and physiotherapy.

The hospital facilities are state-of-the-art and include a Siemens 64-slice CT scanner, Siemens 1.5T MRI, two in-theatre mobile image intensifiers, two digital radiography rooms, ultrasonography, electrodiagnostics, video endoscopy, and extensive advanced surgical equipment. Willows is widely recognised for its commitment to CPD delivery and professional development, creating an environment where nursing staff can specialise and progress in areas of personal interest.