Senior Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

Senior Vet Surgeon Salary up to £75,000 DOE Relocation Allowance up to £5,000 plus a Welcome Bonus of up to £5000

Dragon Vets, part of inspiring vet care, are seeking an enthusiastic Veterinary Surgeon to join our Rissington site as a Senior Vet, The role will require you to help shape the future of the branch by developing the staff and supporting senior management to ensure the site thrives.

We promote further growth and development within the team, giving you access to a large client base with a wide variety of cases, equipment, CPD and a supportive team. In this role you will be working with a large team of dedicated Vets, Nurses and support team members to deliver excellent client and patient care.

The role will be based at our Rissington branch and is a full-time position, working four days per week.

At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK’s number one vet care provider, we're trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.

Practice Highlights Located in the heart of Cheltenham, renowned for horse racing and a thriving bar and restaurant scene, Dragon Vets is an established practice and has invested in specialist equipment including CT, DR, rigid and flexible endoscopy, high-end Doppler ultrasonography and well-equipped operating facilities including laparoscopic kits and TPLO kits, and much more.

We have a team of 16 vets, including certificate holders with Advanced Practitioner status in Small Animal Surgery, Cardiology and Medicine, and value evidence-based medicine with regular clinical discussions and readily available colleague support.

We function as more than a first-opinion practice, often performing complex surgeries and treating intensive medical cases that may otherwise have been referred. Having been established for decades, we have a huge client base which comes with lots of variety in caseload.

We have a dedicated, separate out-of-hours team - Vets Now - based within the same building, enabling 24-hour care. Our nursing team is made up of 17 RVNs and 4 SVNs in various stages of their training.

• Average of 37 hours per week over 4 days
• 1 in 4 Saturday mornings
• No out-of-hours or on-call requirements
• Flexible options available for both part-time and full-time applicants

"I started at Dragon Vets nine years ago working after school as an ACA. After leaving to go to vet school, I was welcomed back into the team as a new graduate vet in 2023. Dragon have given me a supportive and exciting start to my career. We are lucky to have the facilities in house to advance diagnostics and care beyond first opinion.

I enjoy working with all the team and am proud to be a part of it." - Sofia, Vet.

As Lead Veterinary Surgeon, you will be the most senior veterinary clinician within the practice, responsible for leading clinical standards, governance and the delivery of outstanding patient and client care.

You’ll provide clinical leadership to the veterinary team, oversee complex cases and act as the primary source of clinical guidance and decision-making within the practice. Working closely with the senior practice leadership team, you’ll support the strategic direction of the practice and drive continuous improvement in clinical quality, outcomes and ways of working.

You are a highly experienced veterinary surgeon with strong clinical expertise and a passion for leadership and clinical excellence. You’ll bring:

• A Veterinary degree and registration with the RCVS, with significant experience in small or mixed animal practice, including advanced surgical and medical capability
• Proven experience in mentoring, coaching and supporting veterinary colleagues
• Strong leadership, communication and decision-making skills
• Experience contributing to or leading clinical governance, audits and quality improvement initiatives
• The ability to manage clinical complaints and provide professional guidance in complex situations
• Professionalism, integrity and a commitment to the highest standards of patient and client care