Lead Veterinary Surgeon

We are seeking an enthusiastic Veterinary Surgeon to join our Kingsway site as a branch lead. 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 supporting team members to deliver excellent client & patient care. The role would be based primarily at Kingsway, by working 3 days per week there, along with 1 other day at one of the other sites. We’re offering relocation support of up to £5,000.

Our people are at the heart of everything that we do, that’s why we know that work‑life balance is vital in supporting our people to be their best selves. We’re happy to offer flexibility to both part & full time applications. A typical full time role would involve working an average of 37 hours per week over 4 days. You’ll be required to work 1:4 Saturday mornings.

No out of hours or on call required.

Located in the heart of Cheltenham, renowned for horse racing and a thriving bar/restaurant scene, Dragon Vets is an established practice and has invested in specialist equipment including CT, DR, rigid/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.

“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.

We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do.

• Base salary – competitive base salary
• Work‑life balance
  • 6.6 weeks annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
  • Additional holiday entitlement for your birthday
• Wellbeing
  • Private Medical Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 confidential helpline
  • Enhanced family‑friendly policies, including maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay
  • Initiatives focused on colleague wellbeing
• Development
  • £1,250 CPD allowance with 40 hours paid CPD leave pro rata
  • Certificate support
  • Learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy
  • Access to Vetlexicon – our online encyclopaedia provider
  • All our Vets & Nurses can apply for research funding
  • All our Vets get £1,250 per annum to spend via our Care Fund
  • Infection Prevention and Control Programme
  • Quality Improvement Programme
• Professional Memberships
  • BVA membership
  • VDS cover
  • RCVS fees
• Colleague Benefits
  • Company pension scheme; IVC Evidensia will make a contribution as well
  • Supporting a greener commute to work with a Cycle to Work scheme and Green Cars Scheme, subject to eligibility criteria
  • Voluntary benefit: we give you the flexibility to choose from a range of voluntary benefits to suit you
  • Access to discounts / cashback with hundreds of participating retailers
  • Discounted treatment for your own pets at an IVC Evidensia practice
• Up to £60,000 DOE