Chief Operating Officer Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Defra

Job summary

The Chief Operating Officer is the senior operational leader responsible for ensuring APHA is a high-performing, resilient and well-governed organisation. The post-holder leads all enabling and corporate services, compiled of approx.300 staff, including:

• Health and Safety
• Digital, Data & Technology
• Estates, Security & Business Continuity
• Risk & Assurance
• Performance & Operational Delivery Systems
• Finance Business Partnering (in partnership with Defra Group Finance)
• Programme Management & Corporate Transformation

The COO provides executive leadership across the whole organisation, ensuring effective strategic and operational delivery.

The role also provides operational support and leadership during major incidents, ensuring APHA’s systems, resources, and corporate capabilities mobilise quickly and safely. This is a critical senior role aligned to the Operational Delivery Profession, driving service excellence, operational resilience, robust governance and streamlined corporate systems to support APHA’s statutory functions.

The COO provides visible corporate leadership and executive accountability for health, safety and wellbeing across APHA’s diverse and high-risk operating environment.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Executive Leadership & Deputy CEO Role

• Supports CEO in providing strategic leadership across APHA and representing the organisation within Defra Group and across government.
• Support the CEO in setting overall direction, organisational strategy, and performance priorities.
• Lead corporate decision-making, executive governance and delivery of the APHA business plan and strategy.

Corporate Leadership for Health, Safety and Wellbeing

• Provide visible corporate leadership and executive accountability for health, safety and wellbeing across APHA’s diverse and high-risk operating environment.
• Environment includes high-containment laboratory facilities, complex field delivery across inland and port activities, and business-as-usual office and organisational settings.
• Leading teams of H&S expert leads, the role sets the strategic direction, governance and tone from the APHA Board, ensuring statutory compliance, effective risk management and proportionate controls that enable safe delivery of APHA’s priorities. Close working with teams working on the design and development of the NBC site at Weybridge.
• As a member of the senior leadership community, the postholder will provide assurance to the Executive Board and Defra Group, champion a positive safety culture, and ensure health and safety considerations are fully integrated into corporate decision-making, investment planning and organisational change.

Leadership of APHA Enabling Functions

Lead and develop of the following enabling and corporate functions to deliver a cohesive, modern and efficient operational backbone for APHA ensuring these functions

Oversee delivery of:

• Organisational performance management
• Digital/IT infrastructure and services
• Data architecture, analytics, insight
• Operational governance, risk management and assurance
• Estates, security and business continuity
• Programme delivery, transformation and major change initiatives
• Corporate planning, business support and process improvement
• Provide administrative function oversight for the People and finance working closely with the HR and Finance Directorate

Operational Delivery, Performance & Service Excellence

• Drive APHA-wide operational performance improvement, using data-driven insight, KPIs, customer metrics and strong assurance frameworks. Create a drum beat of performance management to enable the organisation to make real time decisions on resource deployment.
• Champion high-quality, efficient and customer-focused services in line with ODP professional standards.
• Ensure APHA complies with statutory requirements, government standards and Defra Group governance expectations.
• Build capability and systems that enable accurate forecasting, workforce planning and operational resource allocation.

Outbreak & Incident Response Leadership

• Serve as a senior commander and executive lead for mobilisation of corporate systems, IT, data, logistics, workforce and governance during outbreaks.
• Support the organisation prepare for outbreak, ensuring resilience and surge capacity plans.
• Provide strategic oversight of incident command structures and operational risk.
• Represent APHA at ministerial and cross-government emergency coordination meetings as required.

People Leadership & Organisational Culture

• Lead, motivate and develop a large multi-disciplinary enabling workforce.
• Build professional capability across corporate functions, with clear development pathways aligned to ODP standards.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing organisational culture.
• Drive continuous improvement, modernisation and digital transformation across APHA.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, innovation and collaboration.
• Lead people-centred change, ensuring staff are engaged, supported, trained, and equipped for new ways of working.
• Promote diversity and inclusion and embed Civil Service values.

Stakeholder, Partnership & System Leadership

• Work closely with Defra Group Digital, Group Finance, HR, Commercial, Security and Estates teams to ensure alignment and effective delivery.
• Build strong relationships with OGDs, regulators, delivery partners, external auditors, suppliers and emergency services.
• Lead effective engagement with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure APHA is well positioned to deliver its statutory and strategic responsibilities.

Governance, Risk & Assurance

• Ensure robust corporate governance, risk management processes, internal controls and assurance frameworks.
• Oversee audit responses, compliance obligations and continuous improvement in operational assurance.
• Provide the APHA Board and Defra Group with clear and reliable performance, risk and governance reporting.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following –

Essential Criteria:

• Extensive experience leading large, complex operational or corporate service environments.
• Strong track record of transforming and modernising organisational systems, processes and infrastructure.
• Demonstrable ability to drive operational performance, customer service excellence and service standardisation. Deep understanding of governance, risk management, assurance and corporate control environments.
• Experience working at Board level with senior stakeholder and senior officials.
• Exceptional leadership qualities, with a track record of developing and motivating multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to use data, digital tools and performance insight to inform decisions and improve service delivery.

Desirable Requirements:

• Senior experience in animal/plant health, public health, biosecurity or other regulatory operational environments.
• Experience leading significant digital transformation or IT modernisation programmes.
• ODP accreditation or other relevant professional membership.
• Risk, Assurance & Compliance
• Delivering Change and Continuous Improvement
• Experience of leading Health and Safety organisationally

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,000, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £23,465 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 with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Office Attendance

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.

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

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

Application Process

As part of the application process, candidates are asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement (no more than 1250 words) on how your relevant skills and experience meet the essential criteria. You will also be asked to complete a separate statement of (no more than 250 words) for the Desirable criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the Vacancy Holder where candidates have the same score at interview. Completed applications must be submitted no later than the closing date of 23:55pm, Monday 13th April 2026.

Candidate information session

This briefing session will provide a chance for you to learn more about the role and ask any questions. The call will take place on Thu 2 April 2026 11am – 11:30am and a recording will be made available for anyone unable to attend.

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/366391173344450?p=OHaZ2zpnxW4sspg5hB

Meeting ID: 366 391 173 344 450

Passcode: C6Vp3rt9

Selection Process Details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

You will be assessed on the following behaviours throughout the selection process:

• Seeing the big picture
• Making effective decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and influencing

Sift

A sift will be conducted against the key criteria above and will assess your experience.

Applications will be assessed by the selection panel and shortlisted.

Staff Engagement Exercise (SEE)

This assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision.
Rather, they are designed to support the panel’s decision-making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Full details of the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates at the earliest opportunity.
For further information regarding the assessments please visit - https://scs-assessments.co.uk/

Interviews

You will be asked to attend a panel interview, in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the essential criteria for the role. As part of the interview, we may ask you to prepare and present a short presentation or undertake a practical desktop exercise. This will be confirmed in the interview invitation.

Interviews will be held face to face in Weybridge.

Timeline

Please note that this timeline is indicative at this stage and could be subject to change.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Briefing call: 11.00am-11.30am Thursday 2nd April 2026

Application Closing Date: Monday 13th April 2026

Shortlisting Outcomes: W/C 20th April 2026

SEE Assessments: W/C 4th May 2026

Interview: W/C 18th May 2026

Final Outcomes: W/C 1st June 2026

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process as it may not be possible to offer any alternative dates for assessments or Interviews.

Security Clearance

This role requires Developed Vetting (DV). Candidates may begin the role with SC clearance but will be expected to undergo DV clearance once in post. If DV clearance cannot be obtained, the department will work with the individual to consider suitable options in line with business needs and departmental policy.

Other Information

Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be offered similar roles across the department.

Defra Is committed to ‘name blind’ sifting. That means that identifying characteristics such as your name, gender, age, or address are removed from your application until after shortlisting for interview has taken place.

Please let us know what adjustments we can put in place to help you through the recruitment process if you are disabled.

What reasonable adjustments can be made if I have a disability?

Defra is a Disability Confident Leader and therefore part of the Disability Confident Scheme. For further information on the Disability confident scheme, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/disability-confident-campaign

If you have a disability defined by the Equality Act 2010, you are eligible to be considered for the Disability Confident Scheme. In order to qualify, you must have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day to day activities.

For further information regarding disabilities covered under the equality act please visit the website.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

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 developed vetting (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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

Attachments

APHA Chief Operating Officer 452702 Opens in new window (pdf, 1958kB)