Lead Veterinary Surgeon

Job Description

Introduction

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a passionate and experienced Lead Veterinary Surgeon to join a brand-new, purpose-built hospital in the St Helens area. This position is ideal for a vet who thrives on leadership, mentoring, and shaping the future of a growing clinical team, while delivering outstanding patient care.

You’ll be joining an organisation with a mission-driven ethos — committed to breaking down financial barriers to veterinary treatment and ensuring that every pet has access to the care they deserve. This is a chance to combine meaningful impact with clinical excellence in a forward-thinking, supportive environment.

Working Hours / Rota

This is a full-time position, working 38 hours per week across 4 days, with participation in a 2:9 Saturday rota.

There are no excessive out-of-hours requirements, allowing you to maintain an excellent work-life balance while leading your team effectively.

Role Description

As Lead Veterinary Surgeon, you will guide and inspire a team of vets, ensuring the highest standards of clinical care, teamwork, and client communication. Working closely with the Practice Manager and Lead Nurse, you’ll take shared responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the hospital — from clinical governance and staff development to evaluating KPIs and contributing to overall business performance.

Your leadership will be key in creating a positive, nurturing workplace where staff feel supported, patients receive exceptional care, and the hospital continues to thrive as part of a wider mission to make veterinary treatment more accessible.

Team Size

You’ll lead a talented and expanding veterinary team, supported by dedicated nurses, client care staff, and leadership colleagues who share a genuine commitment to clinical excellence and compassionate service. Collaboration and mentorship will be at the core of your work.

Practice Details

The new hospital features nine consulting rooms, three operating theatres, and a diagnostic suite complete with digital x-ray, dental facilities, and ultrasound. There are separate cat and dog wards, a central prep area, and a dedicated isolation unit, all designed to reduce patient stress and improve workflow.

The site delivers first opinion, referral, and out-of-hours services, making it a dynamic and rewarding clinical environment.

Ideal Candidate

You’ll be an MRCVS-qualified Veterinary Surgeon with strong clinical skills and proven leadership ability. You should enjoy mentoring and developing others, with excellent communication and organisational skills.

Experience in management, conducting 1-to-1s, and overseeing clinical governance meetings would be advantageous, though enthusiasm to learn and lead with compassion is equally valued.

If you’re a confident vet who wants to make a real difference — both to patients and your team — this role offers an inspiring opportunity to combine leadership, clinical variety, and purpose-driven practice.

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.

Haven’t worked with a recrutier before? Not a problem, key things we want to highlight;

1. All communication is 100% private and confidenical.

2. Our service is completely FREE for candidates looking for new roles

3. We have roles that aren’t being advertised, so even if you are actively applying the right role might not be available.