Head Veterinary Surgeon

Vetted Recruitment; North East; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RCVS fees covered

VDS fees covered

CPD allowance

Postgraduate qualifications funded

Telemedicine support

Mentoring program

Wellbeing support

33 days holiday

Job summary

Vetted Recruitment Limited in County Durham is seeking a Head/Senior Veterinary Surgeon to lead a practice and mentor colleagues while maintaining hands-on clinical work.

Role offers full‑time or part‑time options with flexibility in working days, relocation support, and sponsorship for candidates with UK experience. Permanent with fixed-term options also considered.

Qualifications

• Experienced veterinary surgeon with strong clinical capability.
• UK experience required; must have UK working experience.
• Leadership or mentoring experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Champion exceptional patient-centred care during consultations, investigations and treatments.
• Support colleagues with case discussions and clinical decisions.
• Maintain standards and drive service improvements and efficiency.
• Coach and develop team members, building confidence and capability.
• Collaborate with nursing and practice management to align care and operations.

Job description

Head Veterinary Surgeon / Senior Veterinary Surgeon

County Durham

Up to £75,000 per annum, some flexibility depending on experience

Re-location allowance available

Sponsorship available, must have UK experience

Full-time or part-time, with flexibility over working days

Permanent role; fixed-term options also considered

Lead clinical standards, develop your colleagues and help shape the future of a veterinary practice, while keeping patient care at the heart of your work.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Head / Senior Veterinary Surgeon or experienced Senior Veterinary Surgeon for an established practice in beautiful County Durham. Whether you are already leading a clinical team or ready to take on greater responsibility, this role offers the scope to combine hands‑on veterinary work with mentoring and service development.

Full-time hours are 40 per week, with part-time arrangements and flexibility over working days available to suit your circumstances.

Your role and impact

You will champion exceptional patient‑centred care, bringing strong clinical judgement to consultations, investigations and treatment while supporting colleagues with case discussions and clinical decisions. Alongside your own caseload, you will help maintain consistent standards, improve day‑to‑day efficiency and identify practical ways to develop the service.

Coaching will be an important part of your role. You will encourage colleagues’ confidence and capability, support collaborative decision‑making and work closely with the nursing and practice management teams to keep clinical care and operations working well together.

The practice environment

The practice operates from recently relocated, purpose‑built premises, with dedicated consultation spaces, separate cat and dog waiting areas, an in‑house pharmacy, and modern preparation and theatre facilities. On‑site parking and an electric vehicle charging point are available.

You will be supported by experienced veterinary surgeons, registered veterinary nurses, nursing support colleagues, reception staff and a Practice Manager. The nursing team actively undertakes Schedule 3 work and delivers nurse consultations, including geriatric and weight‑management clinics. Regular case discussions support shared learning in a friendly, caring and well‑organised environment.

The location offers access to Durham and Newcastle, with commuting options across County Durham, Tyne and Wear and the surrounding region.

What you will bring

You will be an experienced veterinary surgeon with strong clinical capability and a genuine interest in helping others develop. A collaborative, solutions‑focused approach will serve you well, alongside the resilience and professional judgement needed to balance patient care, client communication and clinical leadership.

You should enjoy empowering colleagues, maintaining high standards and turning ideas for improvement into practical changes. There is room here to contribute your experience while continuing to develop your own leadership or clinical interests.

Support and benefits

The package includes fully paid RCVS and VDS fees, a generous CPD allowance, access to a veterinary reference library and more than 450 learning courses. Fully funded postgraduate qualifications, including CertAVP and PgCert pathways, cover tuition, examinations and study leave.

You will also have access to specialist telemedicine advice, a wider clinical support network, regional clinical mentoring, on‑the‑job learning and opportunities to explore leadership or specialist development.

Benefits include up to 33 days’ holiday with the option to buy or sell leave, a pension scheme, an Employee Assistance Programme and enhanced family leave policies. Staff pet‑care discounts include 50% off services, alongside food and medication discounts. Benefits are pro‑rated for part‑time or fixed‑term appointments.

Regular wellbeing check‑ins, wellbeing champions, pastoral support and mentoring complement central operational support across areas such as HR, recruitment, IT and finance.