Help us shape the future of veterinary care at Barney & Bella
Are you an experienced manager who loves making things work better – for people, clients and their pets?
We’re looking for a Practice Manager to play a key role in the continued development of Barney & Bella, RSPCA Woodside’s veterinary practice. This is an opportunity to really make your mark: shaping how the practice operates, developing our people, improving systems and client experience, and identifying new opportunities for efficiency, growth and sustainability.
Working alongside our Clinical Director and veterinary team, you’ll bring strong operational leadership to the practice, ensuring we deliver an excellent service while maintaining the high standards of compliance and animal welfare you would expect from RSPCA Woodside.
If you’re an organised, people-focused manager who can see both the detail and the bigger picture, we’d love to hear from you.
Job Purpose
The Practice Manager is responsible for the effective operational management and continuous improvement of Barney & Bella, RSPCA Woodside's veterinary practice. Working closely with the Clinical Director and wider team, the post holder will ensure that the practice is well organised, efficient and sustainable, and delivers a consistently high standard of service to clients and their pets.
The role will lead and coordinate the practice's non-clinical operations, including people management, rotas and staffing structures, systems and processes, client service, finance administration, compliance and business improvement.
The Practice Manager will ensure the practice meets relevant legal, regulatory and organisational requirements, while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, client experience and long-term sustainability. Animal welfare and Woodside's values will remain central to all decisions and ways of working.
Role Responsibilities
- Design, implement and maintain the overall operational structure of the practice.
- Define and review rota structures, including staffing models, skill mix and escalation processes.
- Monitor operational performance and implement improvements to systems and ways of working.
- Ensure clear delegation of day-to-day operational tasks to on-site leads.
- Support effective billing, invoicing and pricing structures.
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency, growth and sustainability.
- Lead recruitment, onboarding, appraisals and performance management processes for relevant team members.
- Support and develop senior non-clinical staff, including the Lead Receptionist.
- Ensure compliance with RCVS requirements, GDPR, Health & Safety and employment legislation.
- Maintain relevant policies, procedures and required documentation.
- Coordinate preparations for inspections and audits and support any resulting actions.
- Oversee client service standards and complaints processes.
- Manage escalated client concerns and complaints, and ensure positive feedback is recognised and shared appropriately.
- Drive continuous improvement in client communication and the overall client experience.
Core Responsibilities
- Plan and prioritise work to support the effective and efficient running of your designated business area.
- Work to agreed functional plans and KPIs.
- Work within agreed budgets and contribute to the achievement of organisational targets.
- Create a positive and inclusive working environment.
- Model Woodside's organisational values in your day-to-day work and leadership.
- Work in accordance with all Woodside Health & Safety procedures, rules and regulations.
- Take responsibility for your own development by completing role-specific and mandatory training within agreed deadlines.
- Build and make effective use of volunteer support where appropriate to enhance service delivery.
- Ensure robust arrangements are in place for GDPR, safeguarding and compliance with relevant legal, Woodside and RSPCA Society policies, regulations and assurance requirements.
Person Specification
- Proven experience in a management or leadership role, ideally within a veterinary, healthcare or other service-focused environment.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities effectively.
- Good financial acumen, including experience of budgets, targets and KPI monitoring.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to build effective working relationships at all levels.
- Experience of veterinary practice management software would be an advantage.
- Good working knowledge of employment law and HR good practice.
- A genuine commitment to animal welfare and an understanding of the demands of delivering high-quality veterinary care.
- A degree in business management, veterinary nursing or a related field would be advantageous but is not essential.
- A recognised practice management qualification, such as the CVPM or equivalent, would be an advantage.
Benefits include free on-site parking, company pension, Employee Assist Programme, 25% discount at our charity retail shops on donated goods. 10% discount on new goods and veterinary services.
Core days will be Monday to Friday, with the occasional Saturday too. Predominantly office based.
Interviews will be taking place on 28 and 29 September.
Pay: £35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Store discount
Work Location: In person
