Policy Officer

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

About the Job

As a Policy officer, you will be responsible for contributing to the development and implementation of policy and legislation on veterinary medicines including medicated feeds, specified feed additives, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and residues. This includes work on fees and charges. Veterinary medicines regulation has undergone a period of significant change due to the introduction of new legislation in Great Britain. The regulation of veterinary medicines operates slightly differently in Northern Ireland, and this adds to the complexity of the work dealt with by the VMD.

Job description

Main duties of this role :

• Line management responsibilities.
• Contributing to the legislative process from making to enacting legislation; setting out proposals for new laws and / or making changes to existing ones.
• Liaising with the Legislation and Better Regulation teams in Defra.
• Participating in the VMD’s Policy Network; Meeting current and future policy challenges in consultation with subject matter experts from the relevant business areas.
• Leading on communications that explain legislation and / or policies to internal colleagues, Ministers and external stakeholders.
• Proactively contributing to corporate aims and objectives and actively participating in meetings as part of the corporate governance structure.
• Representing the VMD at Defra, other government departments and stakeholder meetings, as required.
• Complying with ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 27001 (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

The emphasis for this role is on demonstratable policy experience with a focus on making and enacting legislation.

We are looking for you to have experience of / in:

• end-to-end policy making;
• creating secondary legislation from beginning to end; covering the full range of better regulation activities including post-implementation review and post
• legislative scrutiny;
• working in a project environment/project management; developing strong working relationships with others.

We’re looking for someone that:

• is confident in the analysis and interpretation of information, including making robust conclusions and recommendations from a wide range of sources.
• can manage a varied workload in a high-pressure, fast paced environment.
• has good leadership skills and line management experience.
• has the ability to quickly develop a sound working knowledge of a subject and / or complex issues.
• can present complex information confidently and in an engaging manner to large groups of people.
• is proficient in the use of Microsoft Office 365 packages, particularly Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, and can learn in-house packages quickly.
  
  

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,060, Veterinary Medicines Directorate contributes £13,343 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

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 and Experience.

The civil service recruits using the Success Profiles approach.

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 assessed on your experience and will be asked to complete:

• A CV. This should include your job history, qualifications, skills and experience.
• A 500-word personal statement: "Referring to the 'responsibilities and 'skills and experience' sections of the job advert, please demonstrate how you are suitable for the role by providing relevant examples."

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK

You will also be asked to give 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

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 based on your own personal experience. Submitting content that has been generated by AI or copied from others and presented as your own may be considered plagiarism. Applications found to contain such content may be withdrawn, and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please refer to our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Sift

Scoring for all criteria for the application is from 1 to 7 – A score of 4 and above will progress to interview unless there is a large number of applications, if so 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 Guaranteed Interview Scheme who scores 4 or above on all of the criteria will be offered an interview.

Interview

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

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 10 minutes.

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

When giving examples of behaviours, please use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format – see A brief guide to competencies - GOV.UK

A range of Strengths relevant to this role may be tested at interview. More information on Strengths : Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK

Sift and Interview dates

The sift will be conducted week commencing 19 January 2026.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place in person at the VMD the week commencing 9th February 2026.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

International work forms part of this role. Therefore, the successful candidate should be prepared to travel overseas if necessary.

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 VMD 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 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 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.

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.

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

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.

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 : People Services Team
• Email : people@vmd.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