Receptionist/Animal Care Assistant

Job Overview

Our aim within the practice is to treat our patients as though they were our own animals, and to treat our clients in the way we would wish to be dealt with ourselves. This philosophy should be carried through all levels, in terms of our demeanour, appearance, professionalism and communication (between vets, clients, external providers such as laboratories and staff). We all have a part to play in ensuring the smooth running of the various aspects of the practice.

Roles & Responsibilities

To provide assistance to the veterinary nurses in the care of our patients and general maintenance of the surgery premises. To provide a professional, effective and organised client reception.

Main Duties

• Greet clients with a smile and engage in “small talk” to put clients at ease, respond effectively to client enquiries via the telephone or in person and relay accurate messages to other staff.
• Make client appointments, book ops, process enquiries, requests and messages. Create new client files, update and monitor existing files, keep computer records updated.
• With the help of senior members of the reception team, organise veterinary appointments and liaise with the vets to ensure the day runs as efficiently as possible.
• Be aware of worming and vaccination policies. Accurately assess client needs and offer appropriate services or products, liaising with the vets and nurses as required. Pass on queries to other members of staff when they fall beyond the limits of your knowledge.
• To support stock control within the practice to ensure that products are used in a timely and efficient manner.
• Take payments at time of sale to prevent debt from being generated, having the ability to call clients after their visit if they have not paid or monies are outstanding which will include issuing statements and reminders to clients according to set protocols.
• General clerical duties including ordering stationery, photocopying and sending faxes, dealing with the mail and reminders as required.
• In the absence of your practices’ nominated insurance administrator, you may be required to process claims. Full training and support will be given in order to process insurance claims according to set procedures.
• Complete all daily and weekly financial tasks and records which includes cashing up and banking procedures.
• You will be required to provide care to our patients under the instruction of a Registered Veterinary Nurse or Veterinary Surgeon. With the appropriate training tasks may include: General Care, Feeding, Exercising, Restraining patients, Medicating patients topically / orally / and via the subcutaneous route, Completing hospital sheets and writing up notes, Ensure high levels of cleanliness and hygiene in all areas of the practice at all times, Assist Veterinary Nurses and Veterinary Surgeons, Operate computer systems as directed to access patient records, update records, generate invoices and day-to-day procedures, Observe and monitor in-patients, Supply products according to training and authorisation by a suitably qualified person (SQP), Assist the veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons with administrative duties such as replacing theatre and prep stock as requested, Preparation of theatre kits including cleaning and packaging, autoclaving drapes and swabs.
• Additional notes: Dependent upon suitability and academic qualifications held, animal care assistants may be required to undertake the veterinary care assistance qualification (VCA).
• To undertake such duties as may, from time to time, be reasonably requested within the flexible definition of this post or as requested by the management team.

Person Specification

• Relevant Qualifications: Educated to GCSE level to include Maths, English and Science to a C or above grade (Essential)
• Relevant Experience, Skills and Knowledge: Previous animal handling experience (Essential), Previous experience in a customer service role (Essential), Computer literate and prior experience of working with Microsoft Office Packages, Outlook and Internet (Essential), Prior experience of working in a veterinary practice (Desirable)
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Confident communicator, both on the telephone and face to face (Essential), Flexible team player (Essential), Driving licence and own vehicle insured for business use (Essential)

Additional Information

As the [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] Group has many branches it might be necessary for you to support other practices and be considerate of their needs as well as the needs of your own branch. Occasionally due to un-foreseen circumstances, staff may need to be seconded to facilitate cover at other surgeries, and your co-operation in supporting the logistics of this may be required. Our small and friendly team at Orford Lane ensure that their clients and their pets feel like part of the family – community is at the heart of what we do. The team work closely with our Birchwood Vets and Beech House practices in Warrington which are both within 6 miles of Orford Lane and the role may include working flexibly across all 3 sites. This is a full-time role working 37.5 hours a week 3:4 on a rota between 8:30 am to 6:00 pm at Orford Lane, 1:4 2:00 pm to 10:30 pm at Beech House: plus 1:4 full weekends Sat and/or Sunday for 7.5 hours per day which is taken back as time off in lieu plus up to two Bank Holidays per year at Beech House. An enhanced payment is made for the twilight week at Beech House. Full training will be provided to the successful candidate who will have experienced members of the team available to support them. Holiday entitlement is 30 days per year (including Bank Holidays) plus the opportunity to buy or sell extra holidays. Benefits also include a workplace pension scheme, uniform, life insurance @ 1 x annual salary, enhanced maternity and paternity benefits and colleague pet discounts. We also offer Healthshield benefits which cover the everyday health needs of our teams by providing cashback for dental, optical and physiotherapy costs, alongside offering wellness services such as a Virtual GP Surgery and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). CPD allowance is in place (one day, £250 per year) and encouraged. Opportunity to be paid for a volunteering day at a charity each year.

How to Apply

Apply by sending a cover letter and CV to [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] quoting job reference 148 which must be received by the closing date of 5 pm on Sunday 3rd May 2026.