Official Veterinary Surgeon (AO7-AO9)

East Suffolk Council; Woodbridge; On-site; GBP 54,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Woodbridge is seeking an Official Veterinary Surgeon to ensure imports of animal products are safe for distribution. The role involves conducting veterinary checks and working on a rotational shift basis. Candidates must have MRCVS registration and demonstrate strong communication and decision-making skills. This permanent position offers competitive salary and benefits, including a flexible working environment.

Benefits

Generous leave entitlement

Local government pension scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Discounts on various products and services

Qualifications

• Must be a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS).
• Possess good verbal and written communication skills.
• Have decision-making and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct veterinary checks on imports of products of animal origin.
• Ensure products are safe for distribution in the UK.
• Work on a rotational shift pattern covering various hours.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Decision-making

Negotiation

Education

MRCVS registration

Job description

• East Suffolk Council, Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority - Based at either Harwich International Port CO12 4SR or Felixstowe Port IP11 4AZ
• Up to £53,460 per annum plus 14% shift allowance and additional weekend working payments.
• Plus £2,000 introductory payment and 5% retention payment*
• 37 hours per week on a rotational shift pattern* which offers attractive work life balance
• Permanent

It is a really exciting time to be joining our Port Health team as we transform our services in response to the UK's (United Kingdom's) departure from the European Union.

The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) established the UK's future approach to border controls. Implementation of the BTOM will see SCPHA checking goods from the EU for the first time and sees the introduction of a risk based approach to checks.

Our mission is the protection of public and animal health, carrying out a range of checks to ensure imported goods are safe for all of us in the UK.

To find out more, watch our video about what our Port health skilled team do (vimeo.com) .

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a suitably qualified Official Veterinary Surgeon (OVS) (AO7-AO9) to join the team at Port Health. You will work with our existing OVSs, dealing with veterinary checks on imports of products of animal origin to ensure they are safe for distribution to the UK.

To become part of our team, you will be motivated, keen to learn and thrive on working in a fast-paced environment, and work covering our service provision at both the Port of Felixstowe and Harwich International Port.

This is a career graded post, and the responsibilities of the role will be undertaken at a level appropriate to your qualifications, experience, and competence, as laid out in the job description. You must be a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS). You must possess good verbal and written communication skills as well as decision making and negotiation skills.

*After the completion of initial training you will participate in a 7-day rotational shift pattern covering the hours of 6.30am - 10pm Monday to Friday and 6.30am - 2.30pm Saturday including weekend working which will at that point attract a 14% shift allowance on top of the base salary.

*The £2,000 introductory payment will be paid after 6 months on successful completion of probation period, and a 5% (of base salary) retention payment will be paid after an additional 12 months in employment subject to satisfactory performance.

The shift pattern will be kept under regular review to ensure it meets operational needs, which may lead to a 24/7 service.

We welcome applicants who hold active RCVS registration, but who require visa sponsorship.

Why work for us?

East Suffolk Council is a great place to work and there are lots of benefits our employees can access. To find out more about why we are so proud of East Suffolk Council, take a look at our video and hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work (youtube.com) .

Here are some of the main benefits:

• Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 25 days a year, increasing to 31 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays)
• Local government pension scheme
• Flexible working arrangements
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A wide variety of staff support networks including access to health and wellbeing initiatives and programmes
• Discounts on mobile phones, computers, holiday and travel, fashion and clothing, health and beauty and many other products and services.

For more information, please see our benefits brochure (pdf) .

To find out more

For an informal discussion regarding this post, please contact Joe Gant by emailing [e-mail] .

Closing date: 30 September 2025

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the advert and the Job Description and Person Specification (doc)

Step 2 - Complete the Supporting Statement template (docx) . Your statement needs to indicate how you meet each of the criteria contained within the Person Specification. Please use the template provided (other formats will not be accepted).

Step 3 - Complete the online application and upload your statement. Please note, CV's are not accepted.

For more information, check out the How to Apply section of our Career Site (suffolkjobsdirect.org)

East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work and a great place to make a real difference to people's lives, delivering vital services to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk.

We hugely value our staff and know that in order for us to remain successful, it is essential for us to recognise talented employees, developing and retaining them within the organisation. We are therefore committed to investing in our staff and providing first-class support to ensure a positive culture and rewarding careers.

To find out more about why we are so proud of East Suffolk Council and to hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work, take a look at our video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSWedQksWt0