Lead Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal
Barna Veterinary Clinic, Barna
Discipline: Small Animal
Full Time
Lead Veterinary Surgeon
Barna & Moycullen Vets, Galway
Full-time | Permanent
Salary up to €76,000 DOE
Lead, Grow & Shape Two Thriving Clinics on the West Coast
This is a fantastic opportunity to step into a Lead Veterinary Surgeon role where you can truly make an impact not just clinically, but across two well-established, small animal practices in one of Ireland’s most beautiful locations.
At Barna & Moycullen Vets, you’ll have the chance to lead, develop, and inspire a close-knit team, while maintaining a hands-on clinical role in a supportive and positive environment.
A Leadership Role That Still Keeps You Clinical
This position blends clinical excellence with leadership responsibility. You’ll continue to enjoy a varied small animal caseload (from consultations and diagnostics to routine surgery) while also playing a key role in:
Supporting and mentoring your team
Driving clinical standards and best practice
Helping shape the future direction of both sites
Creating a positive, collaborative team culture
You’ll have the autonomy to lead, with the backing of a wider support network to help you succeed.
A Balanced Rota in a Lifestyle Location
Working on Ireland’s west coast means your downtime is just as rewarding as your working day. Think coastal walks, Connemara scenery, and Galway City on your doorstep.
The role offers a balanced, structured rota, typically across a 4-day week, with a shared and manageable commitment to weekends and on-call. The focus here is on sustainable working and long-term wellbeing.
Two Modern, Well-Equipped Clinics
You’ll lead across both Barna and Moycullen sites — modern, purpose-built clinics with excellent facilities, including digital X-ray, ultrasound, IDEXX lab suite, and dental X-ray (coming soon).
With a loyal client base and a steady caseload, you’ll have the time and resources to deliver high-quality, patient-focused care.
A Team You’ll Be Proud to Lead
You’ll be working alongside a dedicated team of vets, nurses, and a practice manager, all committed to delivering excellent care in a friendly, collaborative setting.
This is a practice where people genuinely enjoy coming to work, and as Lead Vet, you’ll play a key role in nurturing that culture and supporting the team’s ongoing development.
Who This Role Will Suit
This opportunity is ideal for an experienced vet who is:
Confident in small animal general practice and routine surgery
Interested in progressing into (or further developing) a leadership role
Passionate about team development and clinical standards
A strong communicator who leads with kindness and professionalism
VCI registered and experienced in first opinion practice
Previous leadership experience is welcome but not essential — what matters most is your approach, mindset, and enthusiasm to lead.
A Benefits Package That Supports You
Alongside a competitive salary, you’ll benefit from a package designed to support both your professional growth and personal wellbeing including:
Work Life Balance & Employee Wellbeing
22 days Annual Leave & Birthday leave
Paid Maternity, Paternity & Adoptive Leave Packages
Cycle to Work Scheme
Full access to EAP and Wellbeing Centre
Paid Bereavement Leave & Company Sick Pay
Development
€1300 annual CPD allowance with 5 days paid CPD days pro rata
Funding of any Certificates / Diplomas / PhD’s you may want to pursue
Career Progression Opportunities, both clinical and non-clinical
Professional Memberships
VCI membership paid
VDS cover paid
Additional Benefits
Annual Pay Reviews
Dedicated CARE fund – annual contribution of €1,100 from IVC Evidensia for each Vet to use on a case of your choice to ensure successful outcome with your patient (T&C’s apply)
Pawesome Benefits - reward gateway giving discounts and cashback with hundreds of retailers
Employer Pension Contributions
Free Flu Inoculations
Discounted Veterinary Fees
Opportunity to join company programmes (LGBTQ+, Wellbeing Champions, Nurses Committee, Clinical Board and many more)
Your Next Step Starts Here
This is more than a clinical role - it’s an opportunity to lead, influence, and grow two fantastic practices, while enjoying an exceptional quality of life on the west coast.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career and want a role where you can make a real difference: to your team, your clients, and your patients. We’d love to hear from you. 🐾
Barna Veterinary Clinic
Apartment 5, An Coirnéal, Barna, H91 V6KV, Ireland
Animals treated
Dogs, cats & small pets
Exotic Friendly
Rabbit Friendly
At IVC Evidensia we are a committed to Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.
Any questions before applying?
Speak to Shonagh Dawson from our recruitment team who would be happy to help you with any questions you have before applying for this role.