Clinical Head Nurse – Independent Veterinary Group
£35,000 – £40,000 DOE
Full Time or Part Time | Permanent
Swindon
Are you an experienced RVN looking to step into a senior clinical leadership role within a supportive independent veterinary group?
We are working with an award-winning independent veterinary practice in Swindon seeking a Clinical Head Nurse / Senior RVN to support and develop their growing nursing team.
This is a predominantly clinical leadership role designed for someone passionate about patient care, team development, and maintaining high clinical standards, without becoming heavily office or administration based. The position would suit an experienced Head Nurse, Deputy Head Nurse, or Lead RVN looking to continue progressing within leadership.
The Role
Working closely with the senior vet, clinic manager, and practice owner, you will help oversee clinical standards, nursing development, and day-to-day clinical support.
The role is heavily focused on supporting and mentoring the nursing team clinically, helping develop consulting skills, maintaining protocols, supporting inductions, and acting as a positive leader within the wider team. Approximately two-thirds of the role remains hands-on clinically.
You will also contribute towards recruitment, clinical coaching, and supporting RCVS standards, while administrative responsibilities remain shared with the wider management structure.
The Practice
This long-standing independent veterinary group has been providing veterinary care across Swindon for almost 40 years. Family-owned and proudly independent, the practice has built a strong reputation for combining clinical excellence with compassionate, personalised care.
Operating across 3 sites, the group continues to invest heavily into facilities, diagnostics, and advanced therapies, allowing the majority of cases to be managed in-house with very limited need for referral. Services include advanced surgeries, PRP, stem cell therapy, K-laser therapy, ophthalmology, dentistry, and feline medicine.
The Team & Culture
The wider team consists of 38 staff members, including 19 nurses, alongside 6 Veterinary Surgeons and dedicated non-clinical support teams.
As a teaching practice, the environment is highly supportive and development-focused, with a strong emphasis on CPD, collaboration, and continuous learning. The practice actively promotes fear-free handling, staff wellbeing, and maintaining a healthy balance between work and life outside of practice.
The culture is open, compassionate, and team-oriented, with leadership placing huge value on communication, kindness, and supporting every member of the team as an individual.
The Individual
What’s in it for you?
If you are an experienced RVN looking for a genuinely supportive leadership opportunity within a progressive independent veterinary group, we would love to hear from you.
Location:
The surgeries are located in Swindon with excellent transport links to Bristol, Bath, Oxford, Reading, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Newbury, and surrounding areas.
Want to apply or want more information?
Once you submit your CV, someone will be in contact with feedback and an option for an informal chat within 2 working days.
Feel free to call 02393 877 350 and ask for Carina Walker, though information will be limited without a CV.
Recommendations
Compass Associates Ltd are working in partnership on this position. If you are not interested, but know someone who is, we offer £500 vouchers for each successful recommendation.
