Head Veterinary Nurse

inspiring vet care; Thrapston; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 6.6 weeks

Birthday leave

Private Medical Insurance

Wellbeing initiatives

£550 CPD allowance

RCVS fees covered

Pension scheme

Discounted veterinary care

Green Cars salary sacrifice

Job summary

Sampson Park Vets in Thrapston is seeking a Head Registered Veterinary Nurse to lead the nursing team and support day-to-day practice operations. This role combines hands-on nursing with leadership responsibilities to shape the service and maintain high standards of patient care.

You'll oversee daily workflows, coordinate diaries and procedures, and guide a small team of RVN, VCA and reception staff. A supportive, collaborative environment with leadership development opportunities awaits.

Qualifications

• Registered Veterinary Nurse with the RCVS is required.
• Experience in clinical practice with strong nursing skills.
• Experience mentoring or leading colleagues or potential to develop these skills.
• Understanding of clinical governance, quality improvement and professional standards.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Approachability and team-focused mindset.

Responsibilities

• Deliver excellent nursing care across a varied first opinion caseload.
• Support surgical procedures, including anaesthesia monitoring and theatre nursing.
• Provide compassionate inpatient care and support patient recovery.
• Carry out nurse consultations and preventative healthcare.
• Support coaching of student nurses and staff development.

Skills

RCVS registration

Leadership

Mentoring/Coaching

Governance

Communication

Organization

Job description

At Inspiring Vet Care, we believe that great veterinary care starts with great people. Our teams are at the heart of everything we do, and we're proud to be trusted with the care of over 2 million animals across the UK. Every day, we're working towards our shared purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.

We're now looking for a passionate and approachable Head Registered Veterinary Nurse to join our friendly, close-knit team at Sampson Park Vets in Thrapston.

This is a wonderful opportunity for someone who loves being a hands-on nurse but is also ready to take the next step in their leadership journey. You'll play an important part in shaping the day-to-day running of the practice, supporting your colleagues and helping create an environment where both people and patients feel cared for.

We're ideally looking for someone to join us full-time, but we understand that everyone has different commitments, so we're very happy to explore flexible working arrangements for the right person.

Whether you're an experienced Head Nurse looking for a new challenge or an ambitious RVN ready to take that next step, we'd love to hear from you!

How You’ll Make a Difference

As our Head Nurse, you'll be a key part of the practice leadership team, helping everything run smoothly while continuing to enjoy the clinical side of nursing.

You'll help coordinate the daily flow of the practice, from diaries and consultations to procedures and inpatient care, making sure our patients receive the best possible care and our team feels supported throughout the day.

You'll lead and support a small team of RVN, VCA and reception colleagues, encouraging everyone to bring their best, share ideas and feel confident in their roles.

We're looking for someone who leads with kindness, communicates openly and understands the importance of building a positive team culture. Someone who is approachable, supportive and happy to roll up their sleeves and get involved.

You won't be doing it alone, either! You'll have the support of an experienced network of Head Nurses across the wider Sampson Park group, alongside guidance from your Director of Practice. It's a great opportunity to develop your own leadership skills while making a genuine difference to the team around you.

Working Pattern

• 40hrs per week, worked over 4 or 5 days - whichever suits you best.
• Open to part time or condensed hours.
• 1 in 4 Saturdays, with time off in lieu.

The clinical side of things

Although leadership will be an important part of your role, you'll still be very much involved in nursing and supporting our patients. Your responsibilities will include:

• Delivering excellent nursing care across a varied first opinion caseload.
• Supporting surgical procedures, including anaesthesia monitoring and theatre nursing.
• Providing compassionate inpatient care and supporting patients through recovery.
• Carrying out nurse consultations and supporting preventative healthcare.
• Helping develop and support colleagues, with opportunities to become involved in coaching student nurses in the near future.

You Might Be a Great Fit If...

We're looking for a confident and caring Registered Veterinary Nurse who enjoys working as part of a team and wants to help others grow. You'll ideally bring:

• Current registration as a Veterinary Nurse with the RCVS.
• Good experience in clinical practice and strong general nursing skills.
• Experience of supporting, mentoring or leading colleagues, or the enthusiasm and potential to develop these skills.
• An understanding of clinical governance, quality improvement and professional standards.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• A positive, approachable attitude and the confidence to make decisions.
• A genuine passion for patient care and creating a happy, supportive working environment.
• Most importantly, we're looking for someone who cares about their team just as much as they care about their patients.

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
• Increasing holiday allowance based on 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

Joining Sampson Park Vets means becoming part of a supportive team where your ideas are valued, your development matters and you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference. We want our Head Nurse to feel proud of the practice, supported in their role and excited about what we can achieve together.

If this sounds like the kind of opportunity you've been looking for, we'd really love to hear from you. We would be delighted to have a conversation and tell you more about our team and what makes Sampson Park Vets a special place to work.

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.

£0 - £0 a year

Up to £38,000 DOE