Veterinary Receptionist
Handforth, ENG, SK9 3RN
Veterinary Receptionist – North Tyneside
38.5 hours per week | 3-day working week | 1:3 Saturdays | No Sundays | No Bank Holidays
We’re looking for someone exceptional with people to join our reception team.
Previous veterinary experience is welcome, but it isn’t essential.
What matters much more to us is that you’re hard-working, an excellent communicator, passionate about delivering brilliant customer service and, of course, an animal lover.
If you’ve built your customer-service skills in hospitality, retail, healthcare or another people-focused environment, we’d absolutely encourage you to apply.
Reception is a hugely important part of our team
For many of our clients, our receptionists are the first person they speak to when they’re worried about their pet and the last person they see before they leave.
We don’t see reception as simply answering phones and booking appointments.
Our reception team plays a fundamental role in the experience our clients have with us, and we’re looking for someone who genuinely enjoys building relationships with people.
You’ll need to be able to remain friendly and professional when the practice is busy, communicate sensitively with people who may be worried or upset, work closely with our clinical team and be willing to muck in when your colleagues need you.
What will your week look like?
This is a full-time, 38.5-hour position worked across three long shifts each week:
- 1 x 7am–7pm shift
- 2 x 9am–9pm shifts
- 1:3 Saturdays
- No Sundays
- No Bank Holidays
That means your full-time hours are concentrated into three working days during the week, rather than a traditional five-day working week.
What are we looking for?
We’re looking for someone who:
- Has exceptional customer-service skills
- Genuinely enjoys talking to and helping people
- Is hard-working and reliable
- Communicates confidently and compassionately
- Can remain calm when things get busy
- Works well as part of a team
- Is comfortable supporting people who may be worried, upset or emotional
- Takes pride in doing things properly
- And is, naturally, an animal lover
Veterinary experience would be useful, but we can teach you how a veterinary practice works.
It’s much harder to teach someone to genuinely care about people.
Who will you be joining?
We’re a busy and growing North Tyneside veterinary practice with:
7 vets | 9 nurses | 6 receptionists
Our practice is owned and run by clinical people — a vet and an RVN — who understand what it’s like to work on the floor in veterinary practice.
Our greatest strength is our team and how well we work together.
You’ll work closely with our vets, nurses and wider reception team, and we want you to feel just as much a part of that team as anyone working clinically.
Our reception team is involved in our daily morning huddles and inpatient rounds, helping everyone start the day with a shared understanding of what’s happening across the practice.
We also hold biweekly team huddles, giving everyone regular time to communicate, raise ideas and work together on how we can continue improving.
We take mental health seriously
Veterinary practice can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be emotionally demanding — and that includes our reception team.
We want looking after our people to mean more than simply saying that wellbeing matters.
Every member of our team has access to confidential therapy with a qualified counsellor, completely free of charge, should they ever wish to use it.
There is no expectation to engage with the service. It’s simply there if and when someone needs it.
We’re part of our community
We don’t want to simply be a business that happens to be based in North Tyneside. We want to contribute to the community around us.
We support local businesses, children’s football teams, charities and community initiatives, and work alongside Wag & Company and the RSPCA.
What kind of practice are we trying to build?
Our vision is simple:
To be the change people hope to see in the veterinary industry.
Our missions are:
- To be known for having the highest standards of patient care.
- To provide every team member with the time and resources to reach their full potential.
- To always do our best to ensure every client leaves on a positive note.
- To develop further as a nurse-led practice.
- To actively engage with our local community and support initiatives that improve the lives of people and animals.
Our values:
Compassionate | Integrity | Progressive
If you’re someone who loves working with people, loves animals and wants to be part of a team that genuinely cares about doing things well, we’d love to hear from you.
- North Tyneside
- National Minimum Wage
- 38.5 hours per week across three long shifts
- 1:3 Saturdays
- No Sundays or Bank Holidays
- Free confidential therapy available to all team members
- Veterinary experience welcome but not essential
Interested?
We’d love to have a conversation Sach.sood@vetsforpets.com
We take our inspiration from pets in embracing people from all walks of life, and we value, respect and celebrate difference. We encourage our people to be their best selves so that we can create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People. Our ambition is to reflect the diversity of the communities we operate in, and we are intentional in addressing and removing barriers to create opportunities for the exceptional talent and potential in our communities. Even if your skills and experience don’t perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you!