Director, Science (Operations and Research)
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
About the job
Job summary
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) plays a nationally important role in protecting the UK’s biosecurity.
At APHA, we have one mission which is to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of everyone in society, the environment and the economy. More than ever before, the health of our environment, plants, animals and bees matters.
Job description
The Director, Science (Operations and Research) is a key part of our Executive Team and is pivotal to ensuring the delivery of our ambitious science strategy. Reporting to the Director of Science and Transformation, they will provide vision and inspiring leadership to circa 800 scientific and technical staff, ensuring the quality and integrity of the Agency’s science services.
The post-holder will work closely with other members of the Executive team to ensure that key stakeholders and customers are provided with high quality, user tailored scientific advice, evidence and services to support policy development. If you join us you will become part of an amazing, diverse team on the front line in researching, investigating, and acting to protect the UK’s animal, plant and bee health.
Person specification
Our next Director, Science (Operations and Research) will be a highly capable science leader able to work effectively across a diverse range of areas concurrently and with experience of managing a large scientific department, providing effective assurance across scientific and professional standards and ensuring an environment that is safe. You will have the breadth and credibility to contribute to the corporate leadership of the organisation, drawing on a track record of developing vision and strategy, and of promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
You must spend at least 60% of your working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Of the 60% office attendance, at least 2 days each week must be spent at APHA’s Weybridge HQ, the remainder of the 60% may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations.
The role will also require travel to London for meetings and other travel which may also require overnight stays. If Weybridge is not your primary base, it will be classed as your secondary office and it will not be possible to claim for travel to or overnight at Weybridge.
Security Check (SC) is required for this post and Developed Vetting (DV) may be needed in the future.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £23,220 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process no later than 23:55pm on Monday 20 May 2024.
You will be asked to submit the following:
1. Some basic personal information collected by the online system.
2. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years
3. A Statement of Suitability, (no longer than 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.
As part of the online application process, you will be asked several diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say'.
Failure to submit both a CV and Statement of Suitability will mean the panel only has limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.
Your application will be acknowledged by GatenbySanderson. Please ensure that both documents contain your full name.
Key Dates
Closing date – 23:55 Monday 20th May 2024
Longlist Meeting – w/c Monday 27th May 2024
Preliminary discussions with GatenbySanderson – w/c Monday 3rd and Monday 10th June 2024
Shortlist meeting – w/c Monday 17th June 2024
Assessments – w/c Monday 24th June and Monday 1st July 2024
Final Panel Interviews – w/c Monday 8th July 2024.
For a confidential discussion please contact out recruitment advisers at GatenbySanderson:
Khadeeja Khalid – khadeeja.khalid@gatenbysanderson.com
Julie Myers – Julie.myers@gatenbysanderson.com
Olivia Robinson – Olivia.robinson@gatenbysanderson.com
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.