Are you an experienced veterinary nurse and people leader ready to take the next step in your leadership career?
This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the continued development of AREC’s growing referral services, leading and developing our nursing teams while remaining connected to clinical practice.
We are looking for a Nurse Manager – Referral Services who brings strong leadership capability, clinical credibility and, most importantly, a genuine passion for developing people.
AREC (Animal Referral and Emergency Centre) was established in 2004 and is a privately owned and operated emergency veterinary hospital led by a singular, highly regarded emergency veterinarian, Dr. David Tabrett, who continues to work within the business. We are a family-oriented, non-corporate, ASAV accredited “Hospital of Excellence” practice with a collaborative team of more than 110 employees.
Our team come from a diverse range of backgrounds and our decisions and behaviour are underpinned by our core values of Respect, Diligence, Professionalism, Excellence, Empathy, and Integrity. With a strong focus on professional development, mental health and work-life balance, our compassionate team and leadership are just a small part of what makes AREC special.
Our mission is to provide peace of mind for our clients – that is, both pet owners of the Hunter and the local vet clinics to offer relief for after-hours, emergencies, and referral services.
As Nurse Manager – Referral Services, you will be both a practising veterinary nurse and a people leader. The position is designed to keep our Nurse Managers connected to clinical practice while providing protected time, structure and authority to genuinely lead and develop their teams.
Approximately 50% of your role will consist of rostered clinical shifts, providing clinical leadership, directing workflow and maintaining visibility across the team. The remaining 50% is dedicated to supervisory and management responsibilities, including people leadership, performance and development conversations, workforce management, quality improvement, policy development and supporting the ongoing development of the referral service.
The work pattern will be established collaboratively with the Director of Nursing at the time of appointment and, once agreed, will provide consistency and stability. The role includes a 1 in 4 weekend commitment in a supervisory capacity, with additional weekend nursing shifts available to cover leave or by personal preference.
You will have formal line management responsibility for the nursing team within Referral Services and will work closely with our Director of Nursing, fellow Nurse Managers, Charge Nurses, Veterinary Specialists and the broader leadership team. This isn't simply about being an excellent veterinary nurse. We are looking for someone who wants to lead people, develop teams and help shape the future of our referral services.
We want someone with strong leadership and people management experience, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence and a genuine interest in developing people. You will be organised, proactive, accountable and solution focused, with the ability to prioritise effectively when faced with multiple competing demands.
Importantly, you will bring strong clinical credibility alongside good business literacy, sound judgement and the ability to think strategically and systemically. You understand that good leadership means balancing the needs of your people with the operational needs of the service. You will be comfortable managing change, coordinating initiatives and seeing things through to completion, while working closely and collaboratively with the broader leadership team and contributing to shared organisational priorities.
We are looking for someone who can build genuine relationships with their team while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and having the confidence to provide feedback, address performance concerns and hold people accountable when required.
You will remain calm and level headed when faced with clinical pressure or interpersonal complexity and be able to make considered decisions rather than reactive ones. Most importantly, you will genuinely care about your people and want to see them grow. A background in referral practice is not essential but would be highly desirable.
To be successful in this position, you will have:
Highly regarded but not essential:
Sally Groen - hr@arecvet.com.au
If you are keen to be a part of a highly compassionate and hard-working team of healthcare professionals, we would love to hear from you. Please apply by completing the CV Submission form below.
AREC fosters diversity and inclusion within the organisation to create an environment where all individuals are valued and included.
Note: All short-listed applicants will be required to undergo a pre-employment check to verify their identity, qualifications and experience in the form of a reference check.
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