Back of House Nurse Coordinator

University of Queensland; Gatton; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free parking

Intercampus bus

On-campus childcare

17% super contributions

Annual leave loading 17.5%

Health discounts

Job summary

University of Queensland (UQ VETS) invites applications for a coordination role within the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Gatton. You will lead nursing and technician teams, oversee daily surgical services, and mentor students and staff in a dynamic clinical setting.

The role emphasizes operational excellence, effective communication, and ongoing professional development across anaesthesia, surgery, and hospital services, contributing to outstanding patient care and education.

Qualifications

• Senior veterinary nursing or veterinary technician experience in a large hospital or clinical environment.
• Ability to supervise, mentor and support staff and students.
• Strong communication and organisational skills with capability to manage relationships with colleagues, clients and students.
• Commitment to clinical education and ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop veterinary nursing, technician and student teams to foster clinical excellence and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate day-to-day operations of surgical, anaesthesia, intensive care and hospital services, including rostering and workflow management.
• Oversee patient care across anaesthesia, surgery, recovery, intensive care and wards, ensuring safety and high standards.
• Coordinate surgical lists, theatre turnovers and staffing reallocations for priorities and emergencies.
• Act as floor coordinator and liaison between nursing, veterinary, specialist, emergency and client care teams.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Team coordination

Communication

Autonomy

Education

Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing

Bachelor of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology

Bachelor of Veterinary Technology

Job description

• UQ VETS.
• Full-time, permanent position.
• Base salary will be in the range $85,452 to $94,984 + 17% super (HEW Level 5).
• Join our Gatton Campus community and take a virtual tour.

About This Opportunity

Join the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in a purposeful coordination role that helps deliver outstanding patient care while supporting the development of the next generation of veterinary and veterinary technology professionals. Working in a collaborative clinical environment, you will coordinate daily service activities, provide high-level support to veterinary staff and clinical academics, and supervise and mentor veterinary nurses, technicians and nurse interns. Your leadership, clinical expertise and commitment to operational excellence will help create a positive experience for patients, clients, students and colleagues.

Key responsibilities will include, but not limited to:

• Lead, mentor and develop veterinary nursing, technician and student teams, fostering clinical excellence, professional development and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate the efficient day-to-day operation of surgical, anaesthesia, intensive care and hospital services, including rostering, staff allocation, skill mix and workflow management.
• Oversee patient care across anaesthesia, surgery, recovery, intensive care, isolation and hospital wards, maintaining high standards of patient safety, treatment and husbandry.
• Coordinate surgical lists and respond to changing clinical priorities, including theatre turnovers, case re-ordering, staffing reallocations and urgent or emergency procedures.
• Act as the key floor coordinator and communication link between nursing, veterinary, specialist, emergency, client care and support teams, ensuring effective handover and resource coordination.
• Support clinical teaching, onboarding, performance management and continuing professional development for nurses, technicians, interns and students.
• Maintain and improve clinical protocols and SOPs, including anaesthesia, pain management, infection control, sterile technique and incident reporting, escalating safety concerns where required.
• Manage surgical and anaesthesia equipment, consumables and inventory, coordinating procurement and maintaining appropriate stock levels.
• Contribute to operational planning and service development, including staffing, equipment, workflow improvements and hospital leadership initiatives.

About UQ VETS

A career at UQ VETS means making a difference to not only the lives of the people and animals in your care, but also the next generation of vets and vet technicians. At UQ VETS, we offer the opportunity to build a dynamic career through structured development programs and access to industry leaders.

Instead of solely concentrating on meeting caseload benchmarks or revenue targets, your priorities lie in creating an impact, establishing a lasting impression on the field, and conducting work that brings about positive changes in the lives of animals.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital is an organisational unit within the School that includes all of the School’s outstanding clinical facilities. UQ VETS Equine Specialist Hospital is a largely referral-based hospital with advanced facilities and offers a 24-hour emergency medical and surgical service. UQ VETS Small Animal Hospital boasts the latest in veterinary medical and surgical diagnostic and treatment options for small animals, birds, exotic pets and wildlife, as well as a seven-day urgent and emergency care service. UQ staff also supervise clinical placements at the RSPCA’s Brisbane Animal Care Campus, Wacol.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, working together to create a better world. Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• Free parking and an intercampus bus.
• On-campus childcare, a medical clinic and a post office.
• Up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave or paid primary care leave.
• 17% super contributions and 17.5% annual leave loading.
• Health and wellness discounts, including Fitness Passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family.
• Career development opportunities, including access to exclusive internal-only vacancies and our Study for Staff program.
• A 25% discount on eligible UQ VETS services.
• Access to our $4.1 million UQ Sport facility.

About You

• A Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, Bachelor of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology, Bachelor of Veterinary Technology or an equivalent qualification.
• Demonstrated senior veterinary nursing or veterinary technician experience within a large hospital or clinical environment, with the ability to deliver and maintain high professional standards across diverse areas of nursing.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise, mentor and support staff, including the capacity to build confidence, capability and collaborative working relationships.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, high-level organisational capability, and experience managing professional and operational relationships with colleagues, clients and students.
• A genuine interest in supporting the clinical education of veterinary and veterinary technology students, together with a commitment to ongoing professional development and excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise initiative and autonomy, respond flexibly to changing clinical priorities, and contribute effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Knowledge of relevant ethical requirements, policies and procedures, including workplace health and safety, equity and anti-discrimination obligations.
• A current radiation licence or the ability to apply for one. A postgraduate qualification in veterinary nursing or a relevant specialist qualification would be highly regarded.

Other Information

Pre-employment checks may include verification of the right to work in Australia, criminal history checks, mandatory immunisations. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment.

We’re dedicated to equity, diversity and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criterion but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing [e-mail] or calling [phone].

Applications close Sunday 11 October 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-68286).