Job Description

Applications will close on Sunday 14th September.

Following an internal promotion, we are delighted to open applications for the position of Clinical Nurse Manager at Swift Referrals - someone to lead our team with vision and compassion, and ensure the smooth and efficient running of our multidisciplinary referral hospital.

Discover a world of opportunity at Swift Referrals

Reporting into the Hospital Director, our Clinical Nurse Manager will lead a dedicated team of around 40 RVNs and 15 Animal Care Assistants. You will oversee the direct line management of our three Clinical Team Leaders in Wards, Medicine and Surgery, supporting and motivating them with the leadership and development of their own teams.

This role presents an opportunity to impact the strategic and clinical vision of the hospital, playing an integral role in influencing the overall team culture whilst providing opportunities for nurses and ACAs to recognise and fulfil their personal and clinical potential. You will utilise strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain excellent working relationships with referral clinicians and the front of house team, ensuring impeccable communication and smooth transitions of patients through the hospital.

Duties will include...

Leading, supporting, and developing the nursing and ACA teams to deliver high-quality clinical and client care in a profitable and sustainable manner. Managing the clinical floor to maintain effective and efficient workflow, ensuring the timely completion of procedures and fostering collaboration across all services. Overseeing team rotas, staffing levels and workflow planning to balance clinical priorities with wellbeing and sustainability. Recruitment of RVNs and ACAs, with the support of the Talent Team, including interviewing, onboarding and induction of new hires. Conducting and reviewing health and safety risk assessments, ensuring compliance with policies and legislation. Acting as a visible and approachable leader on the floor, providing clinical support where needed. Proactive and reactive problem-solving to keep the hospital running smoothly. Working with the senior leadership team to continually improve processes and patient care. Representing Swift Referrals within the wider organisation, shaping the future of referral nursing within IVC Evidensia by collaborating with the Referral Leadership team and other Clinical Nurse Managers across the network.


Leading a team you're proud to be a part of

At IVC Evidensia, we have over 100 referral sites that have joined our UK & Ireland network over the years. Opened in 2019 and purpose-built to industry-leading standards, Swift Referrals is a multidisciplinary referral hospital offering the very best in veterinary excellence.
We specialise in orthopaedics, neurology, internal medicine and soft tissue surgery, housing world-class facilities including a 1.5T Siemens MRI scanner, 128 Slice GE CT scanner, doppler ultrasound, endoscopy, arthroscopy, state-of-the-art operating theatres, and separate cat and dog wards - we are proud to hold our Gold Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation. Our dedicated ECC and OOH centre includes a large ICU for critical patients, alongside cases from Swift Emergencies - our first opinion emergency service established in 2021 as part of a major expansion project.

We are fully committed to the wellbeing of our team of over 80 employees, reflected in consistently positive feedback from our team satisfaction surveys. Conveniently located just outside the historic market town of Wetherby, between York and Leeds, we benefit from easy access to the A1 and the wider Yorkshire region.

The qualities we're looking for

We are seeking a people-focused and compassionate leader with proven experience of managing a large team in a busy hospital environment. You will bring strong organisational and problem-solving skills, balancing compassion with accountability to maintain high standards while supporting and developing your team. Excellent communication is essential to foster collaborative relationships across the hospital.

You will be a Registered Veterinary Nurse with leadership experience, ideally in a referral setting. We also welcome applicants from larger first opinion hospitals, provided you have strong clinical foundations and the drive to develop your expertise to referral standards. Most importantly, you will have a clear vision for the nursing team and a commitment to delivering exceptional patient and client care in line with IVC Evidensia values.

Working pattern

This is a full-time position consisting of 36-40 hours per week, worked over 4 or 5 days at your preference. Flexibility will be required to attend meetings that may fall outside of your regular shift times, and we would expect our Clinical Nurse Manager to facilitate crossover with the whole nursing team to ensure adequate visibility and support is in place. There are no planned weekend or OOH shifts with this position, however you will partake in the management on-call rota which works out at approximately 1 in 6 weekends.

Because our people matter

We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a competitive base salary up to 47,500 DOE, you will benefit from -

Work-life Balance6.6 weeks annual leave pro-rata Increasing holiday allowance based on length of service Your birthday as a paid day off Relocation allowance


WellbeingEnhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay Private Medical Insurance Cycle to Work scheme Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing, including discounted gym membership Non-accidental injury case support


Development550 CPD allowance with 3 days paid pro rata Certificate, Diploma and VTS support Learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy Access to Vetlexicon - our online encyclopaedia provider All our Vets & Nurses can apply for research funding Infection Prevention and Control Programme Quality Improvement Programme


Professional MembershipsVDS cover RCVS fees


AdditionalPawsome Benefits - reward gateway giving discounts and cashback with 100's of retailers Pension - 5% Employee/3% Employer Discounted staff pet care




Up to 47,500 DOE