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Government Recruitment Service; Perth; On-site; AUD 131,000 - 147,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Disability Confident employer scheme

Job summary

The Veterinary Lead Scotland role at Government Recruitment Service in Perth, Scotland, leads geographically dispersed, multidisciplinary teams during animal disease outbreaks and emergencies. You will shape strategy, drive policy delivery and build partnerships with government and industry to safeguard animal health and welfare.

This senior leadership post requires credibility, resilience and the ability to manage complex change, with line management of Veterinary Advisors and engagement across

Responsibilities

• Leading geographically dispersed, multidisciplinary teams during animal disease outbreaks and other emergencies.
• Setting direction and priorities to deliver APHA policy and animal health & welfare strategies.
• Building relationships with stakeholders across government, industry and partners to influence outcomes.
• Overseeing governance and ensuring quality and safety standards across operations.
• Managing a senior leadership team of Veterinary Advisors and contributing to national policy initiatives.

Job description

Veterinary Lead Scotland

Company: Government Recruitment Service Salary: £69,931 to £78,115 a year Hours: Full-time Location: Perth Job type: Permanent Posting date: 21 Sept 2026 Closing date: 8 Oct 2026

Are you an experienced veterinary leader with the vision, credibility and resilience to lead Scotland's animal health and welfare delivery services, influencing policy and decision-making at the highest levels? Do you thrive in strategic leadership roles, inspiring high-performing teams and building strong partnerships across government and industry to safeguard animal health, welfare and biosecurity? If so, we would love to hear from you!

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (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 Veterinary Lead Scotland is a senior strategic leadership role responsible for leading geographically dispersed, multidisciplinary teams during and between animal disease outbreaks and other emergency situations. The postholder must quickly establish credibility with staff and stakeholders, provide clear direction and priorities, and support the delivery of Scottish Government animal health and welfare policies while continuing to build a positive, supportive, and sustainable organisational culture.

The role provides high-level veterinary leadership, including contributing to the implementation of APHA's veterinary and technical strategy, overseeing clinical governance across a range of operational settings, and representing APHA at strategic boards and national, and occasionally international, forums. The successful candidate will also lead key relationships across APHA, government, and external stakeholders while undertaking significant line management responsibilities as a senior leader within the agency.

A key aspect of the role is driving organisational change and modern ways of working. The Veterinary Lead Scotland will be expected to role model APHA values, embed cultural improvements, and support a flexible, agile, and digitally enabled approach through effective matrix management and collaborative leadership.

Your responsibilities will also include, but are not limited to:

• Ensuring that all veterinary and technical activities are prioritised and delivered to the highest standards, in accordance with desired policy outcomes, business plans and standard operating procedures.
• Working with the relevant, Heads of Field Delivery (HoFD) to address performance and quality, using risk management and adhering to budgetary controls to ensure value for taxpayers' money.
• Leading on veterinary decisions that have the potential for high impact with high uncertainty. Deploying risk assessments that are based on the most accurate available evidence, making informed decisions that have included policy considerations.
• Building effective relationships with local senior stakeholders and partners to influence end user behaviour regarding compliance with animal health and welfare strategies and policies.
• Working with APHA colleagues to monitor and assure consistency of compliance with quality and safety standards of the Veterinary Development Partnership contractors in their area.
• Delivering the APHA vision to all staff and contributing to the corporate leadership of the Agency.
• Contributing to the design, development and implementation of national policy initiatives and reforms, undertaking important roles on programme boards, project teams and working groups.
• Contribute to and promote directly or indirectly, training initiatives, staff development opportunities and ensure appropriate succession planning.
• Line management of a team of Veterinary Advisors

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.