TO APPLY FOR THIS ROLE VIA THE GOV.UK SITE, CLICK HERE.

Implementing and managing our Imports Assurance delivery programme, your work will have far-reaching impact that will enable consumers around the world to have confidence in the quality of their food.

Delivering import assessments that determine the safety of foods produced overseas, your team will provide key assurance that you will manage and implement. You’ll work closely with colleagues in Food Standards Scotland and DEFRA, amongst other stakeholders, making recommendations and supporting the development of operating systems that will further our ability to keep food safe.

You’ll also work to ensure that our Veterinary Import Audit Team has the capacity to adapt to changing demands while continuing to deliver high quality work. You’ll make sure that we are able to adequately assess food safety in other countries looking to export goods to the UK, while supporting export audits of UK businesses by third countries.

At its core, this role is about empowering the FSA to deliver consistent, high-quality food -whether it has been exported from or imported to the UK. Your leadership will define the capabilities of a dedicated team that works hard to deliver ‘food you can trust’, and you’ll need to be able to make the right decision to support them while offering informed and educated recommendations to a range of stakeholders.

This is an opportunity to make a real difference to millions of lives, and work alongside a talented team with an important goal. If you are excited to use your skill and expertise to support this important work, apply today for the Head of Veterinary Audit and Assurance role.

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others

Qualifications
An advanced qualification or training in suditing e.g. Quality Assurance Management, ISO Lead Assessor course or HACCP auditing, IRCA Registration
HACCP Training to at least level 3

Licences
Full UK Driving Licence

Memberships
Membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Our candidate pack (see Attached File at the bottom of this page) details the benefits that the FSA has to offer. Please also refer to the attached Terms and Conditions statement.

Location
Multi-location from one of our FSA Offices (Belfast, Cardiff or York), or home based in the UK.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas. Travel across the UK will be required on an occasional basis, possibly with overnight stays.

TO APPLY FOR THIS ROLE VIA THE GOV.UK SITE, CLICK HERE.

Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack (see Attached File at the bottom of this page)

Application and shortlisting

This will consist of an application that will be shortlisted against the essential person specification criteria stated in the candidate pack (see Attached File at the bottom of this page)

Lead Criteria

An initial sift may take place on just the identified Lead Criteria indicated below:

• Experience of third country audit and approvals

In the event that we receive a large number of applications, the minimum pass mark for the Lead Criteria may be raised at shortlisting stage. Candidates who apply under the DCS, GPTW or RIS schemes and meet the minimum requirements will be unaffected by the pass mark raise.

Interview

If successful at the shortlisting stage, you will be invited to a final interview in which we will assess you against the following Civil Service Behaviours Level 4

Behaviours

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others

As part of the interview process, you will be asked to prepare a seen presentation. Further information will be provided to you on the day/invite to interview email.

Expected Timeline

• Advert closes: 11/06/23
• Sift: Expected to take place 12/06/23
• Final panel interview: Expected to take place 26/06/23.

Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams. (If you do not have the Microsoft Teams application installed on your computer, you can join on the web without installing the application.)

Please note that indicated dates may be subject to change.

The FSA is dedicated to a policy of equal opportunity for all.

Being truly reflective of our society and building a culture where everyone can perform at their best is critical to the work of the FSA. We are looking to recruit from the widest possible talent pool and encourage candidates to apply from a diverse range of backgrounds. We are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer and are committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment and selection process and beyond. All appointments are made on merit.

Please be assured that diversity or socio–economic information requested during the course of your application plays absolutely no part in our selection processes and is not seen by anyone assessing applications. Any information provided is anonymised and used for statistical purposes only.

We actively review the deployment of talent on a periodic basis in the interests of optimising personal development and the achievement of business plans.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to the Food Standards Agency 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.

Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reserve List

A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Candidates that do not pass the interview, but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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 Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements.

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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.

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.

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: Richard Wynn-Davies
Email: richard.wynn-davies@food.gov.uk

Recruitment team
Email: hr.recruitment.campaigns@food.gov.uk

Team structure

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that the FSA does not hold a licence to sponsor any visa applications.