Head of Property
Location: London & South East (hybrid, with regular site travel across the estate)
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer | Type: Full-time, permanent
About DNA Vetcare
DNA Vetcare is an independent, founder-led veterinary group of around 50 first-opinion practices across London and the South East. We have grown quickly through acquisition and organic development, and we care deeply about the quality of the environments our teams work in and our clients visit. We are now building a dedicated in-house property function to match the scale and ambition of the group.
The opportunity
This is a newly created, senior role owning the strategic property agenda across our entire estate. You will be the in-house chartered-surveyor authority on everything from lease events and landlord negotiations to the commercial oversight of our capital building projects. You will work alongside our Associate Director of Facilities — who leads maintenance and delivery — with you owning the strategic, commercial and professional property side. You will report directly to the CEO and have the autonomy to shape the function from the ground up.
What you'll own
Estate & lease advisory
- Managing all lease events across ~50 sites — rent reviews, renewals, break clauses and security of tenure under the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954.
- Leading landlord relationships and negotiations, keeping the estate secure and well-positioned commercially.
- Owning dilapidations strategy (both entering and exiting sites) and schedules of condition.
- Maintaining the leasehold master schedule and freehold/leasehold portfolio oversight.
Acquisitions
- Leading property due diligence on acquisition targets — titles, leases, condition and risk — working with our external property solicitors and advisers.
Capital projects (client-side)
- Holding client-side commercial control of our building projects — including our new Oxford hospital, the Barton extension and the St Albans renovation — setting the brief, protecting budget, specification and finish, and managing professional and contractor appointments.
- Partnering with the facilities team, who lead on-the-ground delivery, to ensure quality outcomes.
About you
- MRICS chartered surveyor (General Practice, Commercial, or Building Surveying), with strong lease-advisory experience.
- A proven track record in commercial property — rent reviews, renewals, dilapidations and landlord negotiation — ideally across a multi-site estate.
- Genuine construction/project experience, with an eye for specification, finish and value, and the confidence to hold a budget and a contractor to account.
- Commercially minded and relationship-led — as comfortable charming a difficult landlord as reading a title plan.
- Comfortable building a function from scratch in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial business.
- Ability to use AI efficiently and incorporate usage into role appropriately
Experience in the veterinary, healthcare or retail/multi-site sectors is welcome but not essential.
What we offer
- A genuinely senior, autonomous role reporting to the CEO, with the scope to build and shape the property function.
- A varied portfolio — leases, acquisitions and landmark building projects — rather than a narrow, repetitive brief.
- Competitive salary (dependent on experience), plus benefits and support for RICS CPD.
- A supportive, ambitious and down-to-earth leadership team that values quality and looks after its estate.
To apply
Please upload your CV and a short covering note. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage early expressions of interest.
Are You Ready to Be Part of Something Extraordinary?
At DNA Vetcare, we don’t just offer jobs—we offer careers with heart, purpose, and endless possibilities. As an independent, award-winning veterinary group, we are redefining pet care across the UK. Our ethos is simple yet powerful: Caring, Professional, Service.
Our mission? To provide the highest standards of veterinary care while nurturing and empowering our teams. Whether your passion lies in clinical excellence, leadership, or personal growth, we create opportunities tailored to your ambitions.
We are expanding our exceptional team—and we’re looking for the best. If you thrive in a dynamic, well-equipped, and incredibly supportive environment, where no two days are the same and the caseload is as diverse as your interests, then this is the place for you. Whether your expertise lies in soft tissue surgery, orthopaedics, internal medicine, ultrasound, ophthalmology, critical care, dermatology, exotics, or customer service, we actively encourage further qualifications and provide the challenging caseloads to support your growth.
Founded in 2006, our surgeries remain proudly independent, and are still led by our two founders who are experienced and passionate veterinary surgeons with years of hands-on expertise. We understand what it takes to create a fulfilling, rewarding, and inspiring career in veterinary medicine.
If you are passionate about pets and progression, your journey starts here. Take the next step and join a team that truly invests in you.
