Details
Reference number
423050
Salary
£62,000
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Grade 7
Contract type
Fixed term
Loan
Secondment
Length of employment
Until 31/12/2027
Business area
Research, Innovation, Sustainability and Evidence Team
Type of role
Operational Delivery
Working pattern
Full-time, Job share, Part-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
This role will be contractually based at the VMD, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3LS. This is a fixed location; the VMD does not use hubs located elsewhere in the UK.
You will be expected to spend at least 60% of your working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Organisation workplace includes the VMD office as well as time spent at other locations for meetings, conferences, and field-based activities. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.
This role is not suited to a homeworking contract.
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.
The successful candidate will be required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location unless they have permission to do so.
About the job
Job summary
About the VMD
You may not have heard of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), but have you ever:
* eaten meat, eggs, fish or honey
* drunk milk
* owned a pet or animal
* taken antibiotics
If you said yes to any of the above, you are directly affected by what the VMD does.
The VMD is the regulatory and policy lead responsible for issues concerning the authorisation, use, and manufacture of veterinary medicines in the UK.
Our aim is to protect public health, animal health, and the environment, and promote animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality and effectiveness of veterinary medicines.
Find out more at: About us - Veterinary Medicines Directorate - GOV.UK
Animal diseases and health challenges are constantly evolving, due to factors such as global movement of animals and their products, climate driven shifts in disease vectors, and changing expectations on the role and treatment of animals. In particular, the rise in antimicrobial resistance demands new ways to manage infection to protect both animal and human health.
Regulators need to be proactive to keep pace with the evolving innovation landscape. This involves spotting new trends and technologies early, so we can create clear guidance to help bring safe, effective novel products to market.
This exciting new role will aid VMD to transition to a more proactive approach to innovation, ensuring that our regulatory frameworks and guidance evolve to enable new technologies, and that this guidance is accessible to innovators.
The role will support delivery of the VMD Science Strategy and help ensure that our scientists have the knowledge and skills to deal with current and future challenges and innovations. It will facilitate knowledge exchange with the wider scientific and research communities, other regulatory bodies (national and international) and government departments, and the wider animal health sector.
Job description
Reporting to the Principal Veterinary Advisor, the successful applicant will:
* Expand and enhance organisational awareness and understanding of emerging veterinary novel therapies and technologies.
* Build internal and external stakeholder networks and processes to implement effective horizon scanning and response. Embed these novel processes into existing organisational structures, working with and through technical experts
* Identify where updated or new guidance is required to accommodate innovation. Coordinate across relevant scientific and policy teams to develop this guidance, bringing in additional external expertise where required.
* Conduct task and finish deep dive reviews into categories of products that currently do not come within the scope of Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 as amended. Identify the benefits and risks associated with these types of products and work with legislation and policy colleagues to inform future organisational strategy and approach to regulation of these products.
* Work with the vaccine availability team to identify and implement activities that support innovation in vaccines and vaccine technologies. Contribute to delivery of the Statement of Intent on veterinary vaccine availability.
* Liaise across Government to include innovation priorities in relevant strategies and funding streams.
* Convene innovators and academia with regulators and end users to shape innovation in alignment with therapeutic gaps.
* Create and maintain national and international stakeholder networks and host stakeholder events.
* Lead associated communication activities e.g. creating media content and working with VMD communications team to disseminate via social and other media outlets.
* Comply with ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO information security) standards, and GDPR and record management requirements.
* Act corporately – meeting, role-modelling, embedding, and championing the corporate objectives set by the VMD.
Person specification
Experience
We require experience, or awareness and a demonstrable ability to get up to speed rapidly, in the following:
* the process of pharmaceutical and/or vaccine product development and/or regulation
* application of artificial intelligence in medicines development, diagnostics, or healthcare apps
* research in a relevant scientific discipline
* successful development of research and/or funding applications
* developing and implementing process improvement
* personnel management and development, as the post may involve line management of one or more junior staff
* self-directed working within a fast-paced environment where excellent time management and prioritisation have been important for doing the job effectively
* in animal health, farming, or biological science, either through experience of working in one or more of these areas, or through a related degree.
Skills
We require someone with the following skills:
* ability to grasp complex concepts quickly and apply them within a policy context
* ability to engage, influence and negotiate with stakeholders at all levels
* excellent communication skills - both written and oral
* application of project management principles
* IT skills:You must be proficient in the use of academic research libraries such as OpenAthens and use of Microsoft Office packages, particularly Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook. You must be able to navigate the internet and learn to use the VMD's bespoke IT systems.
Qualifications
Candidates must have a degree in veterinary medicine or other life science discipline.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Changing and Improving
* Seeing the Big Picture
* Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £62,000, Veterinary Medicines Directorate contributes £17,961 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
* Learning and development tailored to your role
* An environment with flexible working options
* A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
* A Civil Service pension is one of the best workplace pension schemes in the UK public sector, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
* Free onsite parking
* Free eyesight test
* Onsite gym
* Access to a prayer room
Awork-life balance is key for us all. We offer flexible working as well as health, well-being and discount schemes. The annual leave package starts at 25 days per year and increases to 30 days over five years. We offer generous maternity, paternity, shared, and adoption leave.
This gives you a flavour of what's available, but there is so much more we could mention – see Civil Service Employee Benefits, Civil Service Careers for further information.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Further information about success profiles with guidance on how to complete your application form is available here - About the application process, Civil Service Careers
Application Process
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
* a CV, which should include your job history, qualifications, skills and experience
* personal statement, which should be no more than 750 words
* examples of behaviours, which is one element of success profiles - Behaviours, Civil Service Careers
When giving examples of behaviours, please use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format – see A brief guide to competencies - GOV.UK
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements must be truthful, factually accurate, and based on your own experience. Plagiarism—including presenting others' ideas or AI-generated content as your own—may result in withdrawal of applications or disciplinary action for internal candidates. Please refer to our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted on the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.
Interview
If successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on experience, behaviours and a presentation.
For experience, we will ask you to tell us – in your own words – about your relevant experience against the requirements set out in the job advert. You are asked to keep this to 15 minutes.
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the interview process:
* Changing and Improving
* Seeing the Big Picture
If selected for interview we will require you to make a short presentation on the topic of 'innovation in veterinary medicines' with or without slides.
Sift and Interview dates
The sift will be conducted week commencing 6th October 2025
Interviews are currently scheduled to take place in person at the VMD the week commencing 20th October 2025
Please note, this timeline is indicative at this stage and could be subject to change.
You cannot claim back any expenses incurred during the recruitment process.
Contract
This role isn't suited to a home-working contract.
FTA or Loans
This role is for a fixed period. It will last until 31/12/2027.
For existing civil servants, this role is only available on loan, so you must have your home departments approval to return to them at the end of the loan before you apply.
For non-Civil Servants, this role is offered as a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA).
Loan and Fixed Term Appointments
Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
This is a Fixed-term Appointment as an Innovation Facilitator. This post will therefore begin from a date we will agree with the appointee once we have completed all the necessary pre-employment checks, and will end 31st December 2027.
The post is not permanent, it is time-limited due to a fixed funding period or as part of a specific project. Your responsibilities will support delivery of the VMD Science Strategy and help ensure that our scientists have the knowledge and skills to deal with current and future challenges and innovations.
Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
If you are new to the civil service, or coming back into the civil service, you will start on the advertised starting salary. You must be in post by 1st April to qualify for that year's pay rise.
The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
Working Pattern
This is a full-time post. It may be possible for individuals to fill these roles on an 80% FTE basis, but no less due to the tight time constraints of the work commitments.
Job shares could be possible, although a degree of flexibility would be required so that the job holder(s) could take full responsibility for all aspects of their own work, including attendance at relevant meetings. For a job share to be considered, there must be two people who are successful at interview who want to work in this way.
Location and travel
This role will be contractually based at the VMD in Weybridge, KT15 3LS. This is a fixed location; the VMD does not use hubs located elsewhere in the UK.
You will be expected to spend at least 60% of your working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Organisation workplace includes the VMD office as well as time spent at other locations for meetings, conferences, and field-based activities. 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.
The successful candidate will be required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location unless they have permission to do so.
Residency Requirements and security vetting
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 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- stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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.
All posts require the successful candidate to hold Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. Job offers are based on merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer. Candidates will need to meet the residency requirements of residing in the UK for 3 years prior to the CTC application being submitted.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
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
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Near miss
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.
Passport
You must have a valid passport
This post will involve frequent travel, mainly but not limited to within UK.
Visa Sponsorship Statement
Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to DEFRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
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 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.
Feedback
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 counter-terrorist check .
See our vetting charter .
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)
* 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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 .
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
* Name : People Service Team
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email:
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here