Head of Bacteriology (ID4516)

Job summary

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare?

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.

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, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.

As Head of Bacteriology you will provide leadership for the Department and Discipline of Veterinary Bacteriology across APHA. This includes the initiation and development of strategic partnerships to deliver our work. You will be using your in-depth awareness of the area in which Bacteriology works to allow translation and delivery of strategic priorities. You will be planning and delivering the work for the department to time, to budget, ensuring adherence to quality and safety standards and ensuring high ethical standards are safeguarded. You will work closely with policy customers across UK government and relevant Lead Scientists to develop policy-related projects and solutions whilst also maintaining, and leading, a scientific area of interest.

Job description

• To provide proactive and visible leadership and resource management, including strategic planning, staff and financial planning and management, safety, compliance with Specified Animal Pathogens and Animal Procedures Act legislation and quality standards (ISO17025, ISO9001) as appropriate.
• To develop the capability and resource base (skills and facilities) of the Bacteriology Department to ensure the provision of appropriately trained staff and resources/facilities to meet/ support the needs of key activities ensuring risks are identified at an early stage and addressed. You will be responsible for succession plans, inspiring and developing staff throughout their careers to ensure that the Bacteriology discipline is maintained and developed as a strong scientific entity. This will involve liaison with other areas practising Bacteriology across the agency and identification and nurturing of important strategic collaborations for the Department and APHA.
• To represent APHA on national and international scientific and technical committees.
• To seek collaborative research opportunities across the Agency and with external collaborators and develop multidisciplinary links to provide appropriate research solutions to relevant scientific problems.
• To be proactive in ensuring a safe working environment through continual improvement to ensure performance within the department meets the required standards for safety.
• To be responsible for ensuring the business continuity plans are in place for the Bacteriology Department and liaison with other areas which the Bacteriology Department relies on to deliver services.
• To create an environment where all (scientific, veterinary, administrative and technical) staff can and do contribute effectively and in which different perspectives are heard and channelled towards achieving agency objectives.
• Ensure proactive management of performance, conduct and attendance, role modelling effective behaviour and providing feedback and coaching to direct reports.
• To provide input into corporate thinking and development of high-level strategy including relationships with other institutes and departments by discussion with the Lead scientists and Science Directors and provide appropriate guidance to staff and students.
• To represent Bacteriology at several directorate/agency meetings such as the Science Directorate Operational Meeting, Biological Agents Safety Committee, Disease Emergency Response Committee, Knowledge Assets & Innovation Committee, Science Directorate Quality Committee and budgetary oversight meetings (‘Star Chambers’).
• To oversee Bacteriology estate issues and represent the Department’s interests and activities related to site redevelopment (National Biosecurity Centre) and the intermediary transition plans.
• Lead and maintain a significant programme of research, sustain an extensive track record of published research findings in appropriate research journals, enhance expert reputation in own subject area, to lead on funding bids that develop and sustain research support for the specialist area and advance the reputation of APHA, providing consultancy across the Agency and for Defra in the specific area.

Position & Key Relationships:

Reports to: APHA Director of Scientific Operations & Research

Responsible for: c 110 staff.

Key Relationships

• Lead Scientists (especially Bacterial Diseases & Food Safety; Bovine TB and Surveillance)
• Heads of APHA Science Departments
• Head of Safety and Quality teams
• APHA Directors
• Workgroup leaders in the Bacteriology Department
• Policy Customers
• Strategic partners in Universities and Research Institutes nationally and internationally

Line manages Workgroup Leaders in the Bacteriology Dept., Dept. Safety Officer, and Dept. Quality Manager.

Functional management of the Departmental Business Manager (shared with Virology), National Biosecurity Centre Transformation Officers for Bacteriology, and project support officers involved in bacteriology projects. As Discipline champion, some functional management of bacteriology specialists across APHA.

Person specification

You will need to demonstrate the following:

• Experienced bacteriologist with direct experience of a range of bacteriological procedures including working safely in a high containment environment with bacterial pathogens.
• Experience of research & development (R&D), testing & consultancy; including working within a quality system.
• Outstanding record of achievement in research at a national and international level.
• A significant publication track record in veterinary bacteriology with evidence of income generation.
• Proven leadership skills in a scientific area at a senior level with strengths in resource, people & change management.
• Proven administrative ability at a senior level.
• Experience of Specified Animal Pathogens and Animal Procedures Act legislation.
• Experience of developing strategy.
• Experience of working with a variety of different policy customers.
• Strong interpersonal skills and evidence of ability to lead and engage large teams.
• To be currently resident in the UK & have at least three years continuous UK residency as this is a requirement of the mandatory counter terrorism checks (CTC) that are required to work at the Weybridge site where the team and work is situated. Once in post, Security Check (SC) clearance is needed and the UK residency requirement is 5 years.

Ways of Working
Visibility is critical in this leadership position, and as such the post requires you to be working at the Weybridge site up to five days per week. This role is full-time and based at the Weybridge site only. We may consider two part-time staff on a job-share basis if continuity can be arranged. Salary will be pro-rata for job share.

Periodic travel within the UK and Europe may be required to attend training courses, conferences and scientific meetings and could involve time away including weekends.

Out of hours work may be required during an outbreak, for example. When overtime or out-of-hours work is required, APHA Management reserves the right to change overtime patterns to meet requirements. You may be eligible for overtime payments and where overtime is approved you will receive appropriate payment.

The successful candidate should not keep or live on premises where there are domestic livestock or poultry.

The post will also require Health clearance. You will be expected to complete a questionnaire on your general health and have any necessary vaccinations or health surveillance, including skin sensitisers, Brucella, TB, and Q Fever. This will be arranged by the Health Team, Weybridge. It may also be necessary to undergo a pre-employment medical assessment.

Qualifications

Science Degree in a relevant area of Biological Sciences, and a higher professional qualification, normally a doctoral degree or equivalent.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• The presentation will involve delivering a clear and concise overview that demonstrates your technical knowledge of the subject area and how you would apply this in the role.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £73,165, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £21,195 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training as inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a generous employer contributory pension, staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time –if accumulated), three paid volunteering day per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.

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.

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, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process
You will be required to complete the following as part of your application:

• A CV-style application submitted through an online tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobs website. There is no requirement to upload your personal CV.
• A 750- word Personal Statement of how you match the details in the Personal Specification – the written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. We encourage you to use the full word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed it
• A 250-word Behaviour Statement for the following Behaviours: Making Effective Decisions and Working Together. Please use the STAR technique (Situation Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your application.

CV Guidance
Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements and your main responsibilities in each role and be no longer than 2 pages. Your CV will be used to provide further context on your Personal Statement and scored against the essential criteria.

Personal Statement Guidance
When completing your Personal Statement, please read and understand the Person Specification thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Please ensure you evidence the key personal qualities and experiences that align with the criteria. Consider the Job Description and look to demonstrate how your previous experience may align with the expectations and be applicable to the role. The written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc.

Scoring for all criteria of the application is from 1 to 7 – A score of 4 and above in each area will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications. In this instance, an initial sift will be conducted using the Personal Statement. The panel may agree a benchmark score higher than 4 with a rationale for the decision. Any candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who scores 4 or above on all of the criteria will be offered an interview. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV style application, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV , Civil Service Careers

Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via Science.DirectorateHR@apha.gov.uk with the vacancy reference number, your applicant reference number, and the closing date.

Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on

• Experience as detailed in the Person Specification section - Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK - Scored 1 to 7
• Behaviours: Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, and Changing and Improving. The Behaviour criteria outlined in theSuccess Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UKframework for G6 positions. Please use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide evidence of the Behaviours in your interview. Scored 1 to 7
• You will also be required to give a 5 to 10 minute presentation, without slides (notes accepted), followed by questions and answers. This will be assessed under technical knowledge of the subject area and how you would apply this in the role. The Technical Skill outlined in the advert following the Success Profiles: Technical - GOV.UK framework. Technical assessment will explore your technical knowledge in specific areas. Full details of the presentation will be given when you are invited for interview. Scored 1 to 7
• You will also be given an exercise on staff engagement relating to the People Survey with a question-and-answer session. This will be assessed under the behaviours Leadership and Changing and Improving. Scored 1 to 7.
• Strength based questions related to the role requirements. Following theSuccess Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well. These will be scored 1 to 4.

Your interview will be conducted face to face at APHA Weybridge.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

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

After the interview
Once all the interviews have been conducted, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. If you are successful at the interview stage, we will be in touch to offer you a role. Offers will be made in merit order.

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 (excluding Northern Ireland) and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

The agreed contractual workplace is the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

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. For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from an APHA workplace (specific to the team location) with working at home.

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.

This role is based at APHA Weybridge only due to the nature of the role and the duties required. This post requires you to be working on-site five days per week or less if part-time on a job share.

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

Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Working Pattern
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying. We may consider two part-time staff on a job share basis if continuity can be arranged.

NSV
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

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 (opens in a new window).

The Weybridge site is a strategically important national asset due to its role as a reference laboratory supporting the Governments response to national emergencies including disease outbreaks. For this reason, all staff based on the APHA Weybridge site must hold at least a valid Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) security clearance. Applicants must be currently resident in the UK and have at least three years continuous UK residency in order to start the mandatory Counter Terrorist Check security checks that are required to work at APHA Weybridge. If you cannot meet this criterion, CTC clearance will not be possible as this is part of pre-employment checks required before taking up the post. Once in post, Security Check (SC) clearance is required and the UK residency requirement for this is 5 years.

Should you be successful at interview you will be required to undertake this security check along with Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check. This includes: identity, employment status, nationality and immigration status, criminal records and any other essential pre-employment checks.

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.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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.

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.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 : Adrian Whatmore
• Email : adrian.whatmore@apha.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.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, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here

Attachments

APHA Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1869kB)Post 2138 HoD Bacteriology description April 2026 Opens in new window (docx, 78kB)