Director of Practice
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Applications will close on Wednesday 29th October.
We're looking for an experienced and driven leader to take on the role of Director of Practice at Barrow Hill Veterinary Centre - a thriving 4-branch veterinary group in Kent. This is an exceptional opportunity to influence, guide, and grow a well-established and respected practice, working alongside a dedicated team who truly care.
Barrow Hill Veterinary Centre is part of IVC Evidensia - we are a global leader in veterinary care, investing in our people, premises and processes to deliver outstanding care in around 2500 locations across 20 countries worldwide. United by our unique values, we share a common vision, mission, customer promise, purpose and group strategy across all our clinics and hospitals.
Lead with purpose, inspire with passion
As Director of Practice, you'll be the sole accountable leader for the Barrow Hill group, setting strategic direction and overseeing all aspects of operational performance. You'll work closely with a strong leadership team - including the Lead Vet, Head Nurse, and Practice Manager - who each lead their own functions and teams.
Your role will be pivotal in maintaining high clinical standards, delivering exceptional client care, and ensuring strong commercial performance. This role reports to the Area Director and will be primarily based at our hospital in Ashford, with regular time spent across all four sites (New Romney, Hythe and a second branch in Ashford).
A full job description will be provided at telephone interview stage.
Shape the future of Barrow Hill Veterinary Centre
Barrow Hill is a trusted and respected veterinary group offering a wide range of first opinion veterinary services to the local community. Our four sites work closely together to provide outstanding care and support for pets and their owners. The main hospital in Ashford is purpose-built and fully equipped with state of the art equipment including digital x-ray, dental x-ray, orthopaedic equipment, k-laser unit, a CT scanner, and endoscopy. We are exceptionally well-connected - close to Ashford international station and shopping outlet, 15 miles from the coast and euro tunnel for access to Europe and the beautiful city of Canterbury is only a 20-minute drive.
The team is made up of over 30 employees including vets, veterinary nurses and non-clinical teams. We pride ourselves on our collaborative, inclusive culture - people genuinely enjoy working here, and it shows. Three of our vets hold a CertAVP, and we have visiting specialists in orthopaedics, ophthalmology, and cardiology which enables us to see some referral cases in addition to our varied first opinion caseload.
As part of the IVC Evidensia network, you will have the added support of your operations team, and sharing knowledge and best practice with other clinics in the group.
What you'll bring to our team
We're looking for an experienced leader with a proven track record of managing people, operations, and performance. While veterinary industry experience would be an advantage, it's not essential - what matters most is your leadership capability, strategic mindset, and emotional intelligence.
You'll need to be commercially astute, people-focused, and confident in making decisions that balance clinical, client, and business needs. Strong communication, team engagement, and change management skills are a must.
Working pattern
This is a full-time position, 40 hours per week over 5 days within practice opening hours. Regular presence across all four sites is expected, with a home base at our Ashford hospital. Flexibility requests will be considered within reason once established in the role, but it is imperative that our Director of Practice has reasonable crossover with the whole team, which will include occasional late shifts and weekends.
Because our people matter
We offer a supportive, growth-focused work environment, where you'll have a significant impact on our operations and client experience. In addition to a competitive base salary up to £55,000 per annum, you will benefit from:
Work Life Balance
* 6.6 weeks annual leave
* Additional time off for your birthday
* Increasing annual leave based on length of service
Wellbeing
* Private medical insurance
* Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity/ paternity/ adoption/ shared parental and surrogacy pay
* Cycle to work scheme
* Initiatives focused on employee wellbeing
* Non-accidental injury support
Development
* CPD Allowance
* Learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy
* Access to Vetlexicon - our encyclopaedia provider
* Infection prevention and control programme
* Quality Improvement Programme
Additional
* Discretionary performance-based bonus scheme
* Pawsome Benefits - reward gateway giving discounts and cashback with 100's of retailers
* Pension scheme
* Discounted staff pet care
£0 - £0 a year
Up to £55,000 DOE