Senior Veterinary Surgeon - Emergency Out of Hours

IVC Evidensia Group; Chesterfield; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Recognition bonus

Relocation allowance

CPD allowance

Private medical insurance

Seven weeks’ annual leave

RCVS fees

VECCS membership

VDS cover

Job summary

Vets Now Chesterfield is seeking a Senior Veterinary Surgeon to lead the Emergency & Critical Care team on a full-time Out of Hours basis. The role offers leadership responsibility, a competitive benefits package, and relocation support for the right candidate, including a £10,000 recognition bonus (pro‑rata).

The successful candidate will drive clinical excellence, mentor colleagues and shape ECC practice within a supportive, nationwide network of emergency care clinics.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership in an ECC setting.
• Ability to mentor and support a veterinary team.
• Strong clinical judgment and decision-making in emergencies.

Responsibilities

• Drive and uphold clinical standards across the clinic.
• Support growth, training and wellbeing of the veterinary team.
• Identify development opportunities and shape team progression.
• Champion innovation and service improvement within the clinic.
• Lead ECC during emergencies and mentor junior clinicians.

Skills

Leadership

ECC (Emergency Care)

Team mentoring

Clinical excellence

Communication

Job description

Senior Veterinary Surgeon - Emergency Out of Hours

Vets Now Chesterfield are welcoming applications from Out of Hours (OOH) Veterinary Surgeons with a passion for Emergency & Critical Care to lead their team on a full-time basis. Vets Now is the UK’s leading provider of emergency veterinary care, with a nationwide network of out of hours clinics and 24/7 emergency hospitals. As part of Inspiring Vet Care, our teams make a difference to pets and their owners when they need us most.

At Vets Now, we believe that when your purpose is to make a difference, you deserve a team that shares your passion. We want to find someone who can 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. In return, we can offer a £10,000 recognition bonus (pro-rata) and up to £5000 relocation allowance for the right candidate.

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:

• 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.

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.

Vets Now Emergency, Chesterfield

At IVC Evidensia we are a committed to Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.

Any questions before applying?

Speak to Anne Longmire from our recruitment team who would be happy to help you with any questions you have before applying for this role.