Lead Veterinary Surgeon

Job Title: Lead Veterinary Surgeon
Location: Rickmansworth & Chorleywood, Hertfordshire
Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)
Practice: Chess Veterinary Clinic, part of Linnaeus
Salary: £65,000–£75,000 DOE per annum

£5000 sign on bonus for direct applicants.

Ready to take the next step in your veterinary career without losing the clinical work you love? At Chess Veterinary Clinic, you'll have the opportunity to combine a hands-on clinical caseload with a genuine voice in clinical standards, team development and the future direction of an established practice.

With approximately 40–50% surgical work, an experienced and stable team, and scope to develop imaging and endoscopy, this is an opportunity to build on almost 80 years of trusted local veterinary care while bringing your own ideas and clinical interests to the role.

Why join us?

• Leadership with real clinical influence: Work closely with the Clinical Director and Practice Manager to shape clinical standards, governance and the ongoing development of the practice.
• Keep your hands-on clinical focus: Enjoy a varied caseload with approximately 40–50% surgical work alongside consulting, giving you the opportunity to continue developing your clinical skills while supporting others.
• Time to work cases up properly: Benefit from 15-minute consultations as standard, with 30-minute appointments where clinically required, and a loyal, largely insured client base that values thorough investigation and high-quality care.
• Develop your clinical interests: Help strengthen the practice's imaging and endoscopy services, with the opportunity to bring forward ideas and contribute to how these areas develop.
• Join a team with genuine experience: Work alongside established colleagues, including RVNs with more than a decade of service and a wider team with deep roots in the practice.
• Make a lasting contribution: Build on almost 80 years of trusted local veterinary care, bringing fresh ideas while retaining the strengths of an established community practice.
• Enjoy a structured working pattern: Work 40 hours per week on a planned rota, including one in four Saturdays, with no need to sacrifice your clinical interests to take on greater responsibility.
• Invest in your development: Access a generous CPD allowance, four funded CPD days per year and the wider Linnaeus CPD programme, including certificate-level support.

The practice & team

Chess Veterinary Clinic has been caring for pets across Rickmansworth and the surrounding Hertfordshire community for almost 80 years. Over that time, the practice has built trusted relationships with generations of local clients, many of whom value the continuity of care and personal approach that come with an established independent-feeling community practice.

The client base is loyal and largely insured, with clients who are receptive to proactive investigation and thorough clinical work-ups. The practice also undertakes a small number of charity cases, including C4 neutering work, providing an opportunity to contribute to the wider community.

You'll be primarily based at our Rickmansworth practice, a characterful and welcoming site set within a converted stable, with a second practice in nearby Chorleywood. The role is expected to involve approximately one to two days per week at Chorleywood, depending on the needs of the practices. Recently refurbished, Chorleywood offers a large consulting room and spacious waiting area, while Rickmansworth retains the charm and character of a long-established local veterinary clinic.

Both sites are equipped to support a high standard of first-opinion medicine and surgery. Facilities include an in-house laboratory offering routine haematology and biochemistry, alongside thyroid, cPLI and cortisol testing; digital radiography, including dental imaging; ultrasound for abdominal and cardiac scans; and endoscopy equipment. There is a dedicated theatre, together with a separate area for dental procedures and ultrasonography.

These facilities provide a strong foundation for thorough case investigation and ongoing clinical development. Imaging and endoscopy are particular areas the practice would like to strengthen, making this an opportunity for someone with an interest in either discipline to contribute ideas, develop their expertise and help shape the services available to patients.

You'll be joining a highly experienced and stable team with a strong sense of continuity. Our Nursing Manager has been with the practice for around 14 years and completed her own nurse training here. The Practice Manager is also an RVN, with almost 10 years at the practice, while another RVN has around 12 years' service. The reception and client care teams are similarly experienced, with some colleagues having been part of the practice for around 30 years.

That experience brings a wealth of knowledge about the practice, its clients and the patients it cares for. It's a team where colleagues know one another well, support each other and value open discussion around cases and clinical decision-making.

As Lead Veterinary Surgeon, you'll work closely with the Clinical Director and Practice Manager to support the veterinary team, promote clinical best practice and contribute to the ongoing development of the practice. You'll have the opportunity to help guide clinical discussions, support colleagues' development, contribute to clinical governance and identify opportunities to improve services and ways of working.

We're looking for someone who can bring their own perspective and ideas while working collaboratively with the wider team. You don't need to have held a Lead Vet title before, but you'll need the clinical confidence, communication skills and enthusiasm to influence others positively. The aim is to give you a meaningful role in shaping the practice's future while retaining the hands-on clinical work that makes the job rewarding.

Chess Veterinary Clinic is situated in the attractive area of Rickmansworth, with excellent transport links into London and easy access to the Chilterns. Rickmansworth Aquadrome and Chorleywood Common are nearby, offering plenty of opportunities to enjoy walking and the outdoors. The local area combines a village feel with independent cafés, local amenities and convenient connections for commuting.

What we're looking for

• An experienced small-animal Veterinary Surgeon, ideally with eight or more years of UK experience and confidence across consulting and surgery.
• A clinician who enjoys thorough case work-ups, evidence-based decision-making and delivering high standards of first-opinion care.
• Someone who can mentor and support colleagues, contribute to clinical discussions and help maintain a positive learning culture.
• A confident, approachable communicator who works collaboratively with vets, nurses, the Clinical Director and the wider practice team.
• An interest in clinical governance and continuous improvement, with enthusiasm for developing services such as imaging and endoscopy.
• Someone who wants to combine hands-on clinical practice with meaningful leadership and make a long-term contribution to an established team and its local community.

Benefits:

• 5 weeks holiday + bank holidays and birthday off (pro-rata for part-time)
• No out-of-hours (OOH)
• RCVS and VDS fees paid
• External CPD funded
• Extensive free online Linnaeus CPD program
• Career progression opportunities
• Staff discount schemes
• Enhanced sickness pay
• Enhanced equal family leave
• Wellness program including:
• Employee assistance program
• Eyecare voucher scheme
• Free annual flu jab
• Cycle to work scheme

Chess is part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, the largest family-owned veterinary company in the world. Being privately owned, we can truly be driven by our purpose, to create a better world, and think long-term as opposed to being focused solely on short-term profits.

At Linnaeus, A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS starts with a better world for our people. Our Associates are over 6000 strong and empowered to speak up, step up and deliver quality services. You’ll have access to a huge network of specialists, worldwide development opportunities and an easily accessible, comprehensive wellbeing package that prioritises your physical and mental health, allowing you to focus on what you do best – care for pets.

We are committed to fostering a culture that is inclusive and diverse, we care about you and want you to be authentic, with everything you need to perform at your best. We are all individual but two important things bring us together: a commitment to excellence and our passion to achieve our purpose.

If you would like to apply for the role or for an informal chat to discuss it further, please get in touch with Joanne in the recruitment team joanne.gray@linnaeusgroup.co.uk

#LI-JG1 #LI-Onsite

Salary: £65,000–£75,000 DOE per annum

Salary negotiable dependent on experience.