Veterinary Surgeon Team Leader - 12-Month Fixed Term, Leadership Role - £60,000-£63,000

A great opportunity for an experienced Veterinary Surgeon to step into a meaningful team leadership role at a modern, well-equipped charitable pet hospital in Kent — making a genuine difference to pets and owners who need it most.

About the Hospital

This modern, well-equipped charitable pet hospital in Gillingham operates as part of an organisation that has been providing vital veterinary care to pets of people in financial hardship for over a century. It is a highly collaborative and effective working environment, with a team that values case discussion, shared learning and varied clinical interests.

Facilities include separate dog and cat kennelling, in-house radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, piped gases and extensive orthopaedic equipment.

About the Role

This is a full-time, 12-month fixed term position working 37.5 hours per week, with flexible working options available.

As Veterinary Surgeon Team Leader, you'll hold clinical governance responsibility for the hospital and lead the veterinary surgeon team — combining hands-on surgical and medical work with full team leadership responsibilities.

The caseload is surgically biased with a pragmatic, evidence-based approach to medicine. Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the veterinary surgeon team and overseeing clinical governance
• Recruitment, coaching and development of the team
• Communicating clearly and compassionately with a wide range of clients
• Sharing skills and leading by example across clinical practice
• Contributing to continuous improvement and new ways of working

Why Gillingham?

Gillingham sits in the Medway towns of Kent — one of the most commutable locations in the South East. It has direct rail links into London St Pancras International in under 40 minutes via High Speed 1, making it highly accessible for those travelling from London or further afield. The wider Medway area offers affordable living compared to much of the South East, with easy access to the Kent countryside, coastline and the historic city of Canterbury nearby. The M2 motorway also provides strong road links to London, Dover and the rest of Kent.

What They're Looking For

They are looking for an experienced Veterinary Surgeon with more than 3 years post-qualification experience who enjoys surgical work and is confident taking on full team leadership responsibilities. The ideal candidate will be a strong communicator, a natural mentor, and someone genuinely motivated by the purpose behind the work.

What They Can Offer You

✅ 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, with option to buy or sell up to 5 additional days

✅ Three additional paid days annually — Volunteering Day, Celebration Day and Wellbeing Day

✅ 5 days CPD leave plus £1,000 CPD allowance, with extensive internal CPD and discounts for BSAVA Congress and London Vet Show

✅ Full RCVS fees paid

✅ Generous pension — contributions starting at 5% rising to 10%

✅ Life assurance at 4x annual salary

✅ Private medical cover and 24/7 AXA Health Employee Assistance Programme

✅ Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave

✅ Flexible working options

✅ Staff discounts on retail, holidays, lifestyle and pet insurance

How to Apply

If you're an experienced vet looking to step into a leadership role with real purpose and a strong package — get in touch with Ciaran today:

Show email Show phone number Ciaran Drew – Global Veterinary Careers