Lead Veterinary Surgeon

Job Description

Introduction
Our Client is seeking a confident and capable Veterinary Surgeon to step into a Lead Veterinary Surgeon role at their well-established practice in Barnet. This is a 12-month maternity cover position starting in December, offering an excellent opportunity to take on clinical leadership within a supportive and modern practice environment.

This role provides a strong balance between autonomy, leadership and work–life balance, making it ideal for an experienced vet ready to develop or further their leadership career.

Working Hours / Rota
This is a part-time position working three days per week. The rota includes one in three Sundays, two weeks of on-call duties annually, and two Bank Holidays per year. This structured rota provides variety while maintaining a manageable schedule that supports a positive work–life balance.

Role Description
As Lead Veterinary Surgeon, you will take clinical responsibility for the practice, delivering high standards of veterinary care across both consultations and surgical procedures while ensuring the clinic maintains full regulatory and operational compliance. The role involves working in a sole-charge capacity, providing leadership and guidance within the practice while managing general practice cases and routine surgery.

In addition to clinical duties, you will play an important role in maintaining strong clinical standards, fostering a supportive and collaborative team culture, and helping the clinic continue to develop and grow. You will also contribute to mentoring colleagues, sharing best practice and supporting wider clinical communities. While the practice handles a broad range of general practice work, you will have access to referral pathways and 24-hour hospital care through a nearby hospital, ensuring comprehensive patient support when advanced treatment or overnight care is required.

Team Size
You will lead and work closely with a small, supportive team consisting of one experienced Registered Veterinary Nurse and one dedicated Veterinary Care Assistant, creating a collaborative and efficient working environment within the practice.

Practice Details
The practice is modern and well-equipped, designed to support efficient workflow and high-quality patient care. Facilities include two consultation rooms, a dedicated operating theatre, digital X-ray and dental equipment. The clinic also benefits from strong referral pathways and access to nearby 24-hour hospital support, ensuring patients can receive advanced care whenever necessary.

Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be a qualified MRCVS Veterinary Surgeon with solid small animal experience and the confidence to work sole charge. Previous leadership experience would be beneficial but is not essential for candidates who are ready to take the next step in their career and develop their leadership capabilities.

You will demonstrate strong clinical skills across both medical and surgical cases, excellent communication abilities, and the capacity to inspire and support colleagues. A positive attitude, commitment to high clinical standards, and the ability to contribute to a supportive team culture will be key to success in this role.

This is just some of the information about the job and company, but there will be more questions. Tempus Veterinary Recruitment is happy to get those questions answered for you during the recruiting process. Tempus Veterinary Recruitment is here to make the recruiting process simple and stress free.

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