Animal and Plant Health Agency
Animal Compliance & Enforcement Officer
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Bristol, Cardiff, Carlisle, Carmarthen, Crewe, Exeter, Itchen Abbas (Winchester), Leicester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Perth, Preston, York.
Job Summary
Are you someone who can lead and manage successfully in a challenging and dynamic environment?
Are you someone who thrives on solving complex problems, working with partners, and making a real difference to animal health and welfare?
If so, we would love to hear from you!
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.
Job Description
We have an exciting opportunity for an Animal Compliance & Enforcement Officer to join APHA’s Regulatory Affairs, Compliance and Enforcement Team.
The post holder provides expert regulatory and investigative support, monitoring non-compliance and coordinating proportionate enforcement action across a wide range of animal health and welfare legislation.
Acting as APHA’s primary liaison with enforcement partners, the role leads and supports investigations—from complex, multi-agency or cross-border cases to targeted interventions aimed at restoring compliance. The officer identifies high-risk and emerging issues, advises policy colleagues on legislative and operational implications, and helps shape tactical responses to regulatory risks.
This position provides a central point of expertise, promoting consistent, proportionate enforcement and strengthening collaboration across APHA, local authorities, and national policy makers.
Core Tasks Include:
- Building strong partnerships with enforcement bodies, stakeholders, and policy teams to ensure coordinated action and shared understanding of outcomes
- Reviewing and improving compliance processes, guidance, and operational approaches to strengthen APHA’s enforcement capability
- Supporting APHA staff during investigations by providing operational advice, evidence-gathering guidance, communication strategies, and assistance with statements and court preparation, including attending court when required
- Participating in and coordinating investigations through case conferences, site visits, and leading discussions on appropriate enforcement actions
- Providing investigative support to local authorities on welfare in transport, illegal landing, and bovine TB offences
- Developing mitigation plans for the highest-risk areas of non-compliance
- Acting as a central operational contact for APHA teams, offering expert advice, raising awareness of non-compliance issues, and promoting effective information-sharing with enforcement partners
- Representing APHA at external meetings with agencies and policy makers, contributing constructively on matters relating to animal health and welfare compliance
Person Specification
Experience
- Experience of working in the animal health and welfare enforcement and regulatory control environment
- Ability to interpret legislation and apply it to practical situations; using sound judgement and analytical capabilities
- Understanding of animal health and welfare legislation and regulatory controls
- Ability to communicate and engage with a wide range of people and operating in a multi-agency environment
- Report writing and presentation skills to brief senior management on complex issues in a clear and concise manner
- Strong team working skills combined with effective prioritisation and planning, with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision and confidently use a wide range of IT tools.
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Licences
- Full UK Driving Licence
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- An understanding and application of relevant legislation
Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £34,765, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £10,071 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Further Benefits Offered Also Include:
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
- An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities tailored to your role.
- Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
- Staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme.
- Making it work for you - With so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.
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.
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
Stage 1
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:
- A CV submitted through an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite; there is no requirement to upload your personal CV.
- A 750-word Personal Statement.
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 Personal specification 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.
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We encourage you to use the full 750-word allowance of the Personal Statement but not to exceed.
You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several essential criteria.
Should a high volume of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Personal Statement only.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift and/or progressed straight to interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
For further guidance and information on how to construct your application (CV, Personal Statement and Behaviours), you are encouraged to visit the Civil Service Careers website. How to write your CV, Civil Service Careers
Stage 2
Preparing for the interview
During The Interview You Will Be Assessed Based On:
- The Behaviours specified in the Job Advert, following the Behaviour criteria outlined in the Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours - GOV.UK framework for HEO positions.
- A selection of Strength based questions related to the role requirements. Following the Success Profiles: Strengths - GOV.UK framework. 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.
- The Technical Skill outlined in the advert following the Success Profiles: Technical - GOV.UK framework.
- Your previous experiences relevant to the role requirements outlined in the advert following the Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK framework.
If you are selected for interview, you will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account.
Upon receiving the interview invitation, please log into the system to schedule your interview slot in advance.
Interviews will be conducted via MS Teams, and a link will be provided in your interview invitation.
The interview
The interview will follow a blended approach and will last approximately 45 minutes.
A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation at interview, offering a more inclusive approach.
The Strength and Behaviour based questioning explores what the candidate can and has done, but also their potential.
Behavioural questions will explore what you have done in previous jobs or experiences as well as what you have achieved and/or learned.
Strength questions will explore what you enjoy and your motivations relevant to the job role.
This Is An Example Of a Strengths-based Question:
“It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”
Technical questions will explore your technical knowledge in specific areas.
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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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
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