Veterinary Receptionist, Cottenham

Job Title: Client Care Assistant

Location: Village Vet Cottenham
Job Type: Permanent part-time
Hours: 19.42 hours per week

Shifts: Monday and Tuesday 3-7.15, Thursday 8.30-1, Friday alternate 8.30-1 and 3-7.15, plus 1:6 at Milton practice on Saturday 9-5

We are currently seeking a Client Care Assistant to join our friendly and dedicated team at Village Vet Cottenham. This is a front-of-house role where you will be the first point of contact for our clients and their pets, playing a vital part in delivering an exceptional client experience.

Village Vet Cottenham is a small, welcoming veterinary practice with a strong community focus and a personal, caring approach. We take great pride in the high level of service we provide to our loyal clients and their pets.

This role would suit a proactive, enthusiastic, and customer-focused individual who is confident communicating with people and passionate about delivering excellent customer service in a community-based practice

The rota is flexible and is mainly based at Cottenham, with occasional shifts at Longstanton and weekend work on a rota at our 24-hour practice in Milton.

There is a requirement to work one bank holiday per year at Milton
.

Key Responsibilities

• Welcome clients and their pets into the practice, ensuring a warm and professional first impression

• Manage appointment bookings efficiently and professionally

• Answer and make calls to clients, insurance companies, and other veterinary practices

• Provide administrative support across the practice

• Maintain accurate client and patient records with a high level of attention to detail

• Manage the daily practice diary, proactively filling appointment gaps where possible

• Serve customers, process payments, and advise on products and services

• Follow financial procedures, including discussing fees and following up on outstanding payments

• Support banking duties in line with practice procedures

• Maintain excellent communication with referring vets, colleagues, and neighbouring branches

• Ensure the highest professional and ethical standards are upheld at all times

• Maintain cleanliness of consultation rooms and waiting areas throughout the day

• Assist with stock rotation and replenishment to avoid out-of-date products

• Support pharmacy management, including unpacking deliveries, stock rotation, and monitoring environmental temperatures

• Work closely with the veterinary team to ensure consistently high standards of client care
   

Essential Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Previous experience in a customer-facing role

• Veterinary practice experience desirable but not essential

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Strong organisational, administrative, and time-management skills

• High attention to detail and a professional approach to work

• Confident using IT systems, including Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel

• Ability to adapt quickly to learning new systems

• A proactive, positive mindset with a strong team-focused attitude

• Able to work efficiently in both busy and quieter periods, including lone working

• Highly motivated to deliver excellent service to clients and the practice
   

Benefits

• 5 weeks’ holiday plus bank holidays and Birthday Leave

• Career progression opportunities

• Staff discount schemes

• Life assurance

• Enhanced sickness pay

• Enhanced equal family leave

• E-car salary sacrifice scheme

• Employer contribution pension scheme

• Wellness programme including:

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Eyecare voucher scheme

• Free annual flu jab

• Cycle to Work scheme
   

About Us

We are a well-established, RCVS-accredited small animal primary care practice operating across London, Hertfordshire, and Cambridgeshire. Alongside our primary care services, we also run a 24-hour continuous care hospital, supported by highly qualified specialists and general practice staff, ensuring the highest standard of veterinary care for our patients and clients.

Village Vet is part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, the largest family-owned veterinary company in the world. Being privately owned, we can truly be driven by our purpose, to create a better world, and think long-term as opposed to being focused solely on short-term profits.   

At Linnaeus, A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS starts with a better world for our people. Our Associates are over 6000 strong and empowered to speak up, step up and deliver quality services. You’ll have access to a huge network of specialists, worldwide development opportunities and an easily accessible, comprehensive wellbeing package that prioritises your physical and mental health, allowing you to focus on what you do best – care for pets.   

We are committed to fostering a culture that is inclusive and diverse, we care about you and want you to be authentic, with everything you need to perform at your best. We are all individual but two important things bring us together: a commitment to excellence and our passion to achieve our purpose.  

All applications with the relevant skills and qualifications will be carefully considered. If you need any support in completing your application or simply want to find out more about Village Vet, Linnaeus or the role, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at careers@linnaeusgroup.co.uk. 

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