Head Veterinary Nurse

Inspiring Vet Care; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 31,500 - 38,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 6.6 weeks

Birthday leave

Private medical insurance

Pension scheme

CPD allowance

Staff discounts

Job summary

Bourne Veterinary Practice is seeking a Head Veterinary Nurse to provide senior clinical leadership, oversee nursing standards and drive quality care for patients and clients in Bekesbourne, Canterbury. The role offers a 32–40 hour week with varied shifts and no out-of-hours work.

You will lead a nursing team, shape governance, and work with the practice leadership to improve performance and culture. Experience in veterinary nursing leadership is essential.

Qualifications

• RCVS registration as a Veterinary Nurse.
• Significant leadership experience in clinical practice.
• Experience mentoring nursing teams and managing schedules.

Responsibilities

• Leading, managing and supporting 7 nursing team members to high patient care standards.
• Conducting regular one-to-one meetings, performance reviews and biannual appraisals.
• Organising and attending nursing and management meetings, some off-site monthly.
• Supporting practice improvement initiatives and encouraging team involvement in new projects.
• Planning and managing nursing rotas, holiday cover and payroll shifts.

Skills

Leadership

Team leadership

Clinical excellence

Communication skills

Schedule 3 procedures

Education

Registered Veterinary Nurse (RCVS)

Tools

Payroll system

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 Bourne Veterinary Practice on a full‑time or part‑time basis.

At Bourne Vets, providing outstanding care for our clients and their pets is at the heart of everything we do. Our highly skilled and experienced team allows us to deliver an excellent standard of care and work up cases in‑house, offering a rewarding and varied caseload. Bourne Vets is a practice in the heart of the countryside in Bekesbourne, Canterbury, Kent, with excellent transport links, just 10 minutes from the City of Canterbury and 30 minutes from the port of Dover and the Eurotunnel at Folkestone. We encourage the sharing of CPD and best practice, and hold regular vet, nurse, and M&M meetings to ensure we deliver the best care for both our patients and clients. The welfare of our team is very important to us, and we constantly strive to ensure a good work‑life balance and supportive working environment.

Practice Highlights

• State‑of‑the‑art equipment including x‑ray, dental x‑ray, laser unit, ultrasound, endoscopy and our separate rehabilitation unit with our underwater treadmill
• Join our team of 5 Veterinary Surgeons (including a Director of Practice and Clinical Services), 7 Registered Veterinary Nurses, 4 Receptionists, and a Practice Manager
• No OOH or on‑call requirements
• Rewarding and varied caseload

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

• 32–40 hours
• Varied shift pattern depending on hours – to be discussed at interview
• 1:6 Saturdays 8 am – 5 pm
• No OOH or on‑call

Key Responsibilities

• Leading, managing and supporting 7 members of the nursing team to maintain high standards of patient care and professional conduct
• Conducting regular one‑to‑one meetings, performance reviews and biannual appraisals
• Organising and attending nursing and management meetings. Some management meetings are held off‑site once a month.
• Supporting practice improvement initiatives and encouraging team involvement in new projects
• Planning and managing nursing rotas, holiday cover, sickness cover and inputting this and nursing shifts into our payroll system

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
• Someone who can advocate for the team and promote nurses carrying out Schedule 3 procedures

How We’ll Support You

• 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 24 hrs 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, analysing 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 FTE DOE