Head Veterinary Nurse

Inspiring Vet Care; Braintree; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

6.6 weeks annual leave

Private Medical Insurance

Pension scheme

RCVS and VDS fees covered

Family-friendly policies

Job summary

Inspiring Vet Care is looking for a Head Veterinary Nurse to lead our nursing team across Apollo Vets' three sites in Black Notley, Maldon and Dunmow. You will set nursing standards, drive clinical governance and develop a capable, confident nursing team.

The role is full-time, 40 hours per week, with a 4/5 day pattern and occasional Saturday rota. You will oversee training, stock control, appointments and CQI initiatives, reporting to practice leadership.

Qualifications

• Registration as a Veterinary Nurse with the RCVS (RVN) is required.
• Experience leading nursing teams and driving clinical standards.
• Strong communication, planning and organisational abilities.

Responsibilities

• Set nursing standards and lead clinical governance.
• Develop and coach the nursing team and oversee patient care across sites.
• Manage nursing staff, equipment, stocks and training.
• Coordinate biannual staff appraisals and rota coverage.
• Ensure compliance with veterinary legislation and CPD requirements.

Skills

RVN registration

Leadership

Clinical governance

Communication skills

Job description

At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK’s number one vet care provider, we're trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.

We are seeking a knowledgeable, confident Head Veterinary Nurse to join our team at Apollo Vets on a full-time basis.

Apollo Vets is a 3-branch group of surgeries providing trusted veterinary expertise to pet owners in Black Notley, Maldon and Dunmow. You will be required to work across all 3 of our sites.

With ambitious growth plans, Apollo Vets is seeking a Head Nurse to drive clinical standards, promote proactive care, and lead a team of committed veterinary nursing professionals.

Practice Highlights

• Join our team of 4 vets, 6 nurses and 4 support staff based across 3 sites
• At all sites we have an X-ray, ultrasound and internal labs, with dental facilities at Black Notley
• Lots of potential for both personal and professional growth
• Lovely client base

How You’ll Make a Difference

As a Head Veterinary Nurse, you will provide senior clinical and professional leadership for the nursing team, overseeing all nursing aspects of the practice and supporting the delivery of high-quality patient and client care.

You’ll be responsible for setting and maintaining nursing standards, leading clinical governance and quality improvement activity, and developing a capable, confident nursing team. Working closely with the wider practice leadership team, you'll play a key role in shaping culture, performance and ways of working.

Working Pattern

• 40 hours per week
• Working either 4/5 days per week between 8 am - 7 pm; however, this will require flexibility
• Saturday rota between 8 am - 1 pm as and when required

Key Responsibilities

• Set standards in terms of professional conduct
• Support the partners in new projects/encourage team involvement in new projects to ensure the smooth running and continual improvement of the practice
• Manage the Nursing Team
• Manage stocking levels
• Organise training to ensure a high level of nursing care
• Monitor staff performance & coordinate biannual appraisals
• Organise/attend meetings
• Update all current veterinary legislation
• Clinical coaching
• Equipment maintenance
• Maintain membership with the RCVS
• Attend the adequate hours of CPD as required by the RCVS
• Fulfil the obligations of the rota, sick/absence cover
• Carry out any reasonable requests made by other members of the management team

You Might Be a Great Fit If...

You are an experienced and confident Registered Veterinary Nurse with strong leadership capability and a passion for clinical excellence. You’ll bring:

• Registration as a Veterinary Nurse with the RCVS
• Significant experience in clinical practice with advanced medical and surgical nursing skills
• Proven experience of leading, mentoring and developing nursing teams
• Strong understanding of clinical governance, quality improvement and professional standards
• Excellent communication, leadership and organisational skills
• Passion for working collaboratively to allow growth across our sites
• A desire to drive standards and improve the services we offer

How We’ll Support You

At inspiring vet care, we’re committed to supporting your ongoing development and wellbeing. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• A senior leadership role with accountability for nursing standards, team development and service improvement
• Structured leadership pathways through our dedicated Nurse Academy, empowering you to shape the future of nursing care within our practice
• Clear career development with progression opportunities into wider practice leadership roles
• Ongoing learning and development to support leadership, governance and strategic growth
• A collaborative, values-led culture focused on care, community, and continuous improvement

What We Offer Our Team

• 6.6 weeks' annual leave
• Additional annual leave for your birthday, which will be added to your holiday allowance
• Increasing annual leave accrued through length of service
• Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and surrogacy pay
• Private Medical Insurance
• Employee wellbeing initiatives including Healthcare Cash Plan and Cycle to Work scheme
• £550 CPD allowance plus 24hrs paid leave
• RCVS and VDS fees covered
• Pension scheme
• Discounted veterinary care
• Voluntary benefits: choose from a range of benefits to suit you, including Green Cars salary sacrifice scheme and access to discounts and cashback with hundreds of participating retailers

We’re committed to supporting our people through career development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and access to world-class learning resources.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, inspiring vet care offers the support, opportunity and community to help you grow.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Up to £35,000 DOE