About the job

Job summary

APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions. 

Can you help us protect the biosecurity of Great Britain, safeguarding plant and Bee health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy?

The Compliance & Enforcement Officer will play a vital role in developing the approach on understanding and analysing non-compliance data and dealing with enforcement issues, ensuring that the Agency operates within the legal framework.

The post holder will provide expert advice to colleagues and enforcement partners involved in cases and legislative interpretation, including accompanying inspections where appropriate and organising case conferences.

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity to join the Plant and Bee Health team as a Compliance and Enforcement officer. 

This role is required to co-ordinate Plant & Bee Health compliance/enforcement activity and to develop APHA field staff capability/ processes. There is a need to build and maintain strong links with operational delivery teams (Border Control Posts & Inland Teams) and other relevant APHA business units or external agencies key to regulatory and enforcement activity.

This includes raising awareness on the impact non-compliant behaviour has on the delivery of Plant Health imports with a view to introducing Civil Sanctions by ensuring instructions, templates, processes are fit for purpose.

There are a number of key work areas which include:

• Building effective relationships with enforcement partners, stakeholders and policy colleagues, thus ensuring a collective approach to specific cases and wider non-compliance issues and promoting a clear understanding of outcomes
• Reviewing current processes and guidance for staff on compliance & enforcement issues to identify any deficiencies and areas for improvement
• Supporting APHA staff to undertake their role whilst investigating regulatory non-compliance; including guidance on evidence gathering, non-specific witness statement creation and court preparation. Court attendance may also be required
• Being an active member of the investigations team and to participate in case-conferences, site visits and to lead discussions on appropriate actions in all cases that require APHA co-ordination or investigation
• Inputting into the identification of high-risk areas of non-compliance and to ensure the development of plans and procedures in order to prevent or mitigate them
• Being a point of contact for operational teams within the Agency in order to advise on appropriate actions where non-compliance is suspected, raise the profile of non-compliance issues and to encourage the exchange of information
• Supporting field operational teams in their understanding of enforcement principles and raise awareness of the impact on non-compliance on delivery of policies/ controls
• Considering targeted enforcement campaigns across APHA in conjunction with policy customers and enforcement partners, to address highlighted areas of risk
• Collaborating on the development of processes for the introduction of civil sanctions
• In a disease outbreak, be the point of contact for any issues arising with non-compliance with prevention measures or control activities

Learning and Development 

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role. 

In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.

Person specification

Key Skills

• An ability to interpret legislation and apply it to practical situations as well as demonstrating the application of sound judgement and analytical abilities
• A high-level of letter writing and presentation skills and an ability to brief senior management and others on complex issues in a clear and concise manner to be able to advise on appropriate courses of action
• Experience of a regulatory regime and impacts of non-compliance on plant/ bee health, industry and trade
• The ability to communicate and engage with a wide range of people often with a view to influencing desired outcomes
• Strong team working skills and an ability to make sound judgements, often to tight time scales, through highly effective planning and organisation
• The ability to work with minimal supervision, as well as responding to conflicting priorities and knowing when to consult
• Able to use a variety of IT tools confidently and accurately
• Effective leadership and ability to deliver through others
• An understanding of Plant and Bee Health processes and work areas

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,136, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £8,676 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application Process 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and a 500 word personal statement.  

Considering the Job Description and Person Specification, please demonstrate how you are most suited to this role in your Personal Statement (500 word max).

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview 

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your behaviours and strengths 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Interviews to be held via video link.

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

As part of the pre-employment process, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is 'National' the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Salary 

New entrants are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Higher Security Clearance 

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.