Senior Vet Surgeon

Vets Now; Chesterfield; On-site; GBP 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Welcome bonus £10,000

Relocation allowance up to £5,000

Seven weeks’ pro rata annual leave

CPD allowance £1,875 + 35 paid CPD hrs

RCVS fees, VECCS membership, and VDS

Private medical insurance

Family-friendly policies - enhanced M,

Leadership Development Programme

AdvantEdge training platform

Pension contributions 5% employee / 3%

Up to 50% discounted pet care

Job summary

Vets Now in Chesterfield is seeking a Senior Veterinary Surgeon to lead ECC from the front, blending clinical excellence with mentorship and collaboration to guide a high-performing team that cares for pets and families.

You’ll drive clinical standards, support development and wellbeing of the veterinary team, and champion innovation in the clinic, with a 40-hour week, occasional nights and weekends, and a comprehensive relocation and CPD package.

Qualifications

• Qualified veterinary surgeon with leadership experience in ECC.
• Experience leading a veterinary team.
• Strong commitment to clinical standards and patient care.

Responsibilities

• Driving and upholding clinical standards across the clinic
• Supporting the growth, training and wellbeing of your veterinary team
• Identifying clinical development opportunities and shaping team progression
• Championing innovation and service improvement within the clinic

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Clinical expertise

Team collaboration

Communication

Job description

Senior Veterinary Surgeon – Emergency & Critical Care (ECC)

Location: Chesterfield

Salary: Up to £85,000 DOE

Bonus: £10,000 Welcome Bonus + up to £5,000 Relocation Allowance

Contract Type: Full-time or part-time, Permanent

At Vets Now, we believe that when your purpose is to make a difference, you deserve a team that shares your passion. In our Chesterfield clinic, we’re looking for a Head/Lead Veterinary Surgeon to lead from the front - inspiring clinical excellence and guiding a high-performing and collaborative team that supports pets and people when they need it most.

Chesterfield is a vibrant, family-friendly market town that offers an affordable lifestyle right on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Ranked as one of the most affordable market towns in England for people stepping onto the property ladder, Chesterfield is centrally located for road and rail access across the UK.

Lead with Clinical Excellence

As Senior Vet, you’ll lead by example by blending clinical expertise with mentorship and collaboration. You’ll set the tone for quality care, lead in emergency situations, and support the development of your fellow clinicians. You'll have responsibility for:

• Driving and upholding clinical standards across the clinic
• Supporting the growth, training and wellbeing of your veterinary team
• Identifying clinical development opportunities and shaping team progression
• Championing innovation and service improvement within the clinic

This is more than a job. This is a vital leadership role with real impact where your guidance helps shape the future of ECC, while making a difference to patients, clients, and colleagues every day.

Work-Life Balance That Works for You

This full-time role averages 40 hours per week, including:

• Nightshifts 1830-0900, Saturday dayshift 1200-1930 and Sunday dayshift 0830-1930
• 1:2 weekends (mix of nights and days)
• No more than three consecutive nights
• Shared bank holidays
• Protected time for leadership duties and meetings

We understand that life outside of work matters too. That’s why we offer flexibility and can explore part-time arrangements, depending on clinic requirements because your balance is our priority.

Rewarding Work, Your Way

We look after you, so you can look after them, by offering a highly competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Up to £85,000 salary DOE pro rata
• Up to £5,000 Relocation Allowance
• Seven weeks’ pro rata annual leave
• £1,875 CPD allowance + 35 paid CPD hours (pro rata)
• RCVS fees, VECCS membership, and VDS cover
• Private medical insurance
• Family-friendly policies - enhanced maternity, paternity & adoption pay
• Leadership Development Programme
• Access to our AdvantEdge clinical training platform
• Standard pension contributions (5% employee / 3% employer)
• Up to 50% discounted pet care

You’re never alone at Vets Now: on-shift you’ll work alongside a registered vet nurse, an animal care assistant and a receptionist, and you can contact any of our clinics or referral centers across the UK at anytime, day or night, if needing to discuss a particular case or share ideas.

You’ll also be supported by our Support Office in Dunfermline, where our teams work behind the scenes to help you thrive. Our Call Handlers and Customer Care Advisors ensure you can focus on what matters most - your patients.

Inclusion & Accessibility

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability or health condition, we’re committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.