Animal Trust
Clinical Operations Lead (East)
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Clinical Operations Lead for East Region
We are looking for an experienced veterinary leader to strengthen our clinical operations team, working with our Director of Veterinary Services, as Clinical Operations Lead for our East region. You will provide clinical leadership across a mixed portfolio of hospital and general practice sites, helping our teams deliver safe, effective and sustainable care while supporting Animal Trust's continued growth.
Working in partnership with Area Practice Managers and site clinical leaders, you will create the conditions in which clinical teams can perform at their best. You will combine visible regional leadership with quality improvement, people development, governance and operational insight. This role is an exciting opportunity to use your clinical experience to influence clinical quality, colleague development and access to care across a growing region.
- Work with Lead Vets, Lead RVNs and operational leaders to maintain high standards of patient care, clinical quality and productivity.
- Provide matrix leadership to Lead Vets and direct management support where appropriate, including support with performance and development.
- Use clinical, operational and governance information to identify priorities and lead practical improvement plans at site and regional level.
- Oversee clinical induction, competency frameworks and development planning for veterinary surgeons and nurses.
- Support delivery of the New Graduate Programme, internal training and carefully selected external development.
- Ensure sites have appropriate plans to build and maintain key services within their agreed scope of service.
- Partner with Quality and Clinical Governance colleagues to respond to audit findings, strengthen site governance.
- Lead the clinical response to complex complaints and appeals where independence, seniority or specialist input is required.
- Work with operational leaders on improvement plans where team or individual productivity is below the Animal Trust model.
- Oversee the clinical training budget, ensuring development is effective, equitable and financially responsible.
- Contribute to Lead Vet and Lead RVN forums, clinical recruitment and wider transformation projects.
- Provide clinical leadership cover when a Lead Vet is absent and the issue requires regional support.
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About you:
- Registration with RCVS as a Veterinary Surgeon
- Substantial experience in small animal veterinary practice, with a strong understanding of clinical standards, patient safety and professional accountability.
- Experience leading, coaching or influencing clinical teams and senior clinicians across a complex service.
- The confidence to interpret performance and governance information and turn it into proportionate, achievable improvement plans.
- Strong judgement and communication skills, including the ability to manage sensitive performance, complaint and governance matters.
- A collaborative approach to matrix working across clinical and operational leadership.
- The ability and willingness to travel regularly across the East region.
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Desirable:
- Experience working across multiple veterinary sites or leading at regional level.
- Experience of clinical governance, audit, quality improvement or complaint management.
- Experience developing clinical training, induction or competency programmes.
- A relevant leadership, management, education or quality improvement qualification.
This role requires the candidate to live close to the area of Manchester or Yorkshire to allow for regular travel.
Regions to cover:
Manchester, Yorkshire, Hull and North East.
Benefits
- 6 weeks of holiday per year
- 52 weeks sickness benefit available
- Private health care - after a qualifying period
- RCVS and VDS fees paid.
- Cycle to work scheme
- E-Car Scheme
- Store discounts through Perkbox
- Staff discount 20%
- Contributory pension scheme 4%
- Enhance maternity and Paternity package
- Employee assistance programme
- Funded CPD
This role is a full-time role which will consist of 40hrs average/week. This role will require flexibility in the working hours to allow you to meet the needs of the role and meet with team members including our night service.
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