Head Veterinary Surgeon – Barnsley, South Yorkshire

Full Time | £70,000–£90,000 DOE | 4-Day Week | 1 in 4 Weekends

Key Details:

• Role: Head Veterinary Surgeon

• Hours: 40 hours per week

• Working Pattern: 4-day week

• Weekends: 1 in 4

• Salary: £70,000–£90,000 DOE

• Contract: Permanent

• OOH: No routine OOH (on-call only for inpatients)

The Area:

Barnsley is a well-connected South Yorkshire town offering excellent access to Sheffield, Leeds and the wider motorway network. Surrounded by beautiful countryside including the Peak District on the doorstep, the area provides an excellent balance between affordable living, outdoor lifestyle and strong transport links.

The Role:

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Veterinary Surgeon to step into a Head Vet position within a well-established, modern small animal practice.

You'll play a key role in leading clinical standards, supporting and developing the veterinary team, and driving continuous improvement across the practice. This is a hands-on leadership role, combining clinical excellence with mentoring, coaching and strategic input.

There is no routine out-of-hours work, however the Head Vet will provide on-call support for overnight inpatients when required.

What We're Looking For:

• RCVS-registered Veterinary Surgeon

• Significant UK small animal experience

• Confident clinical leader with strong decision-making skills

• Passion for gold-standard, evidence-based medicine

• Experience supporting, mentoring and developing colleagues

• Comfortable contributing to clinical strategy and service development

The Practice & Team:

You'll be joining a friendly, close-knit team with a strong focus on collaboration and learning. The team includes experienced Veterinary Surgeons with interests in exotics and imaging, supported by a dedicated nursing and reception team.

The practice has a strong reputation locally, excellent client relationships, and an ongoing commitment to CPD and internal development — with several team members having progressed from student roles into permanent positions.

Must Haves

• RCVS Registered (or soon to be)
• Possess the right to work in the United Kingdom
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

What Happens Next?

CLICK APPLY NOW or if you have any questions before applying, or if this role isn't quite right for you, feel free to contact the Vet Seekers team to chat through your veterinary career aspirations in confidence.

Quote job reference: 26-00015

📞 T: 0333 014 7374
📧 E: hello@vetseekers.co.uk
🌐 W: www.vetseekers.co.uk
💬 WhatsApp: 07542 919595

Your Privacy Matters – All conversations and applications are treated with the strictest confidence. As an ethical veterinary recruiter, we will never send your details anywhere without your permission.

Why Choose Vet Seekers?
Founded in 2016, Vet Seekers is a multi-award-winning specialist veterinary recruitment agency (2019–2025), acting as both an employment business and employment agency for locum and permanent veterinary roles across the UK and overseas.

• GDPR-compliant and ICO-registered
• Passionate about sustainability!
• Equal Opportunities Employer – We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities

Thanks from all of us at Vet Seekers – we look forward to supporting you!