Veterinary Surgeon (Maternity Cover) | Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon to join a friendly, independent-minded first opinion practice in the Nottingham area on a fixed-term maternity cover contract. This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a close-knit and supportive team that prides itself on delivering exceptional patient care while creating an enjoyable and rewarding working environment. With a varied caseload, excellent facilities and genuine flexibility around working hours, this role offers an excellent opportunity for an experienced Veterinary Surgeon looking for their next challenge.

Key Highlights

• Fixed-term maternity cover position.
• Salary up to £65,000 FTE depending on experience.
• Full or part-time applications welcomed.
• Ideally 3 or 4 days per week.
• Working hours 8:30am – 6:00pm (paid until 6:30pm).
• No out-of-hours.
• No Bank Holidays.
• 1 in 3 Saturday mornings (8:30am – 12:00pm).
• Varied and rewarding first opinion caseload.
• Certificate funding and excellent CPD support.

The Practice

This well-established first opinion small animal practice has built an excellent reputation within the local community for delivering high-quality veterinary care alongside exceptional client service. The team has created a genuinely friendly and supportive culture where colleagues enjoy working together, socialising outside of work and maintaining an excellent work-life balance.

You’ll be joining an experienced team of three Veterinary Surgeons, five Registered Veterinary Nurses, a dedicated Reception team and an experienced Practice Manager. The Practice Owner has over 20 years’ clinical experience, providing excellent support and mentorship across both medicine and surgery.

The practice enjoys a varied and interesting caseload, with plenty of complex medical and surgical work managed in-house. Time is allocated throughout the day for case work-ups, inpatient care, client communication and administration, allowing clinicians to fully investigate cases while maintaining continuity of care.

Facilities include:

• Digital radiography.
• Digital dental radiography.
• Ultrasound.
• ECG.
• Ultrasonic dental equipment.
• In-house laboratory.
• Blood pressure monitoring.
• Class IV laser therapy.
• Suction and cautery equipment.
• Infusion pumps.
• Air-conditioned purpose-built premises.

The Location

Located in the Nottingham area, the practice benefits from excellent transport links with convenient access to Nottingham city centre, the M1 and surrounding road networks. Excellent public transport connections, including nearby tram and bus services, make commuting straightforward while offering easy access to everything Nottingham and the surrounding area have to offer.

The Role

This flexible maternity cover position is available on either a full or part-time basis, ideally working three or four days per week.

The successful candidate will enjoy a varied first opinion caseload combining consultations, surgery, inpatient care and case work-ups. Consultations are scheduled for 15 minutes, with dedicated administration time built into the diary to support efficient case management and help ensure colleagues leave on time.

The practice is happy to consider Veterinary Surgeons with a particular interest in surgery and can tailor the caseload to reflect individual strengths and clinical interests where possible.

There are no out-of-hours or Bank Holiday commitments, with participation in a shared 1 in 3 Saturday morning rota.

The Candidate

The successful candidate will have at least three to four years’ experience within small animal practice and be confident managing routine consultations and surgical procedures.

You’ll be an approachable and compassionate Veterinary Surgeon with excellent communication skills, a collaborative approach and a genuine passion for delivering exceptional patient care. Confidence with sole charge would be advantageous, together with the ability to work independently while remaining an active member of a supportive clinical team.

For the right candidate, there is also potential to explore future partnership opportunities.

Benefits

• Competitive salary up to £65,000 FTE depending on experience.
• Fixed-term maternity cover contract.
• Full or part-time opportunities.
• Flexible working pattern.
• No out-of-hours.
• No Bank Holidays.
• 1 in 3 Saturday mornings.
• Generous CPD allowance.
• Certificate funding and support.
• Paid RCVS, BVA and VDS memberships.
• 5.6 weeks annual leave.
• Private health insurance.
• Contributory pension scheme.
• In-house career development opportunities.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Employee wellbeing and assistance programmes.
• Exclusive colleague discounts across selected pet care brands.
• Potential future partnership opportunity for the right candidate.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a welcoming practice where teamwork, clinical excellence and colleague wellbeing are genuinely valued. Whether you’re looking for a rewarding maternity cover position, the opportunity to further develop your clinical skills or the chance to join a supportive team with exciting future prospects, this role offers an excellent next step in your veterinary career.