Veterinary Lead Scotland

Animal and Plant Health Agency; Galashiels; On-site; GBP 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service Pension

25 days annual leave (increasing)

Learning & development opportunities

Employee discounts

Staff recognition programmes

Bike to work scheme

Job summary

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) seeks a Veterinary Lead Scotland to provide senior strategic leadership for dispersed multidisciplinary teams, guiding outbreak response and ongoing governance. You will align with Scottish Government policies, drive cultural improvements, and represent APHA at strategic boards and forums.

The role requires strong line management of Veterinary Advisors, stakeholder engagement, and delivery of high-quality veterinary decisions in complex, high-uncertainty

Qualifications

• Proven strategic leadership of multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed teams.
• In-depth knowledge of veterinary public health and animal health systems.
• Understanding of statutory/non-statutory disease legislation and governance.

Responsibilities

• Prioritise veterinary and technical activities to meet policy outcomes and SOPs.
• Collaborate with HoFD to manage performance, quality, and budget.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Multidisciplinary teams

Veterinary public health

Policy and governance

Stakeholder engagement

Line management

Education

Veterinary degree

Job description

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.

Job Description

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 security 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

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Experience in providing strategic leadership to multidisciplinary, geographically dispersed teams, ensuring the delivery of complex targets within constrained resources. Fostering a high-performance culture by coaching and developing leaders and teams, championing continuous learning and driving sustained organisational improvement.
• Comprehensive skills, knowledge and ability in multiple areas of applied state veterinary medicine in veterinary public health settings.
• Knowledge of statutory and non-statutory disease legislation, veterinary jurisprudence, ethics, UK livestock industry, disease diagnosis and investigation, threat characterisation, risk management, enforcement and control.
• Proven track record of strategic veterinary leadership and decision-making during incident and outbreak response, complex case work, contingency planning and business continuity.
• Experience of building effective networks with policy customers, stakeholders and operational partners.
• Ability to set up and work within an auditable system of procedures and processes, maintaining and assuring appropriate levels of quality assurance and quality control.

Why work for APHA?

Alongside your salary of £69,931, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £20,259 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Learning and Development

At APHA, we are committed to supporting you to develop your skills, knowledge and professional capability throughout your career.

From day one, you will be welcomed through a structured induction programme, helping you understand the Civil Service, our work and how we operate. You’ll work closely with your line manager to set clear priorities and develop a performance, learning and development plan tailored to your role.

Alongside formal training, you will have opportunities to apply and develop your knowledge in a practical environment, contributing to continuous improvement and innovation.

Inclusion, support and the wellbeing of our people are central to what we do, ensuring everyone at APHA can thrive both professionally and personally.

• Civil Service Pension - Defra contributes an average of 28.97% of your salary towards your pension.
• 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 from retailers such as High street coffee shops, Cinema’s, supermarkets, High street retailers and many, many more.
• Staff bonuses and recognition including appreciate vouchers of up to £200 and larger in year awards of up to £1000.
• Salary sacrifice benefit options and an employee discount scheme such as bike to work, Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme, every £8 they pay in, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 a year for each child.
• Discounted gym membership with Fitness First or Pure Gym.
• Special Leave with pay, per year, for volunteering.
• Making it work for you - With so many flexible working options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.

Closing date is 11.55pm on Thursday 8th October 2026