Vacancy -- Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales

This unique veterinary role in the Welsh Government offers outstanding opportunities for a leader to bring about sustainable and tangible change for the rural communities and farming sector in Wales. The role required has a visible, high-profile presence in Wales, the UK and at times internationally.

In essence, the purpose of the post is to provide professional advice and senior support direct to the Minister for Rural Affairs.

In addition, as a Director in the Welsh Government, the role is also to be an active member of the senior leadership of the Climate Change and Rural Affairs Group as well as corporately across the Welsh Government.

Key Responsibilities

The post holder will work on a cross-government basis in support of the Minister for Rural Affairs:  

• Providing strategic professional advice to Ministers and senior officials across Welsh Government.
• Acting as the Welsh Government’s professional spokesperson on animal health and welfare matters including addressing the media.
• Designing and delivering credible evidence-based animal health protection and disease eradication programmes focussed on the key principles of infectious disease control, taking full account of associated welfare implications, contributing to the protection of public health through the One Health agenda.
• Leading the Government response to outbreaks of exotic animal disease.
• Providing expert veterinary advice on the basis for Government intervention on animal disease and on action necessary to mitigate animal disease and/or eradicate disease.
• Provide strategic direction to policy development for the improvement and promotion of animal welfare in all kept species, recognising the One Welfare agenda which makes the link between human well-being and animal welfare.
• Providing leadership and direction to APHA in Wales, ensuring delivery of animal health and welfare policies through a Service level Agreement providing challenge and support especially during emergency response and disease risk mitigation.
• Working in partnership with other governments across the UK, ensuring policies are as consistent and coherent as possible, whilst respecting devolution of animal health and welfare powers, with a shared understanding and representation of the evidence on which those policies are based.
• Acting as Head of Profession for Welsh Government veterinary surgeons, building capability and capacity.
• Engaging proactively at senior level with external veterinary bodies, both on professional standards/capability and capacity, and on the Government’s animal health and welfare policies.
• Collaborating with colleagues in other UK administrations promoting interests specific to Wales in the context of UK and EU positions, ensuring governance structures post EU departure, across the UK are effective; with animal health (SPS) and animal welfare standards upheld, through the UK Animal Health and Welfare Common Framework.
• Supporting international trade in animals and products of animal origin, by providing animal health and welfare assurance to trading partners; advising Government on animal health and welfare standards and requirements to protect the livestock population and farming industry now trading as a third country.
• Engaging with delivery partners, veterinary profession, and stakeholders including acting as the prime link between Welsh Government and the School of Veterinary Science, University of Aberystwyth.
• Being an active member of the senior leadership of the Climate Change and Rural Affairs Group as well as corporately across the Welsh Government.
• Working in collaboration with Marine and Fisheries Division, and delivery partner CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science) leading Welsh Government’s response to incidents of fish disease.
• Acting as senior policy customer to the Livestock Identification and Movement Recording programme within the Rural Affairs department.

The Welsh Government is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. This is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and will be adhered to at each stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are also embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and increasing diversity in the Welsh Government by removing barriers and supporting all our staff to reach their potential. We are committed to recruiting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and disabled people who are currently under-represented in Welsh Government.

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, marriage and civil partnership (both same sex and opposite sex), impairment or health condition, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, gender identity or gender expression.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) organisation. Key to supporting this work and providing peer support are five Board sponsored Staff Networks (Disability Awareness and Support (DAAS); Minority Ethnic Support Network (MESN); Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and Women Together.

Welsh Government accepts the social definition of disability, in which it is recognised that barriers in society act to disable people who have impairments or health conditions or who use British Sign Language. We are committed to removing barriers so that all (or potential new staff) can perform at their best. The Equality Act 2010 uses the medical definition of disability (“a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term impact on a person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities”).

We guarantee to interview anyone who is disabled whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. By ‘minimum criteria’ we mean that you must provide us with evidence in your application which demonstrates that you generally meet the level of competence for the role and any qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential. We are committed to the employment and career development of disabled people.

If you have an impairment or health condition, or use British Sign Language and need to discuss reasonable adjustments for any part of this recruitment process, or wish to discuss how we will support you if you were to be successful, please email SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales as soon as possible and a member of the team will contact you to discuss your requirements and any questions you may have.

The Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation and Welsh language skills are considered an asset to the organisation. We encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace. 

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the line manager on behalf of the Welsh Government of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:
•         PCS
•         Prospect
•         FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:
•         pay
•         terms and conditions
•         policies and procedures
•         organisational change.

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We encourage staff to get involved. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. and to learn more about trade unions and partnership working.

Completed application form, an up to date CV, together with a personal statement of suitability for the post should be submitted by the closing date.  All applications for this vacancy should be made online via the Welsh Government's online application system.  If you have an impairment which would prevent you from applying on-line, please e-mail SCSrecruitment@gov.wales to request an application pack in an alternative format or if you need to request a reasonable adjustment related to an impairment in order to submit your application.

To apply, you'll need to have an account on our online application system.  Click the 'Apply' button below, and you'll be asked to 'Log in' if you already have an account, or 'Register' if you don't yet have an account.  Registration takes just a few minutes to complete.  You'll need an e-mail address to be able to register.  Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form, which you'll need to fully complete and submit before the deadline on the closing date.  

If you’d like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

For further information regarding the Senior Civil Service recruitment process within the Welsh Government, please see the SCS Recruitment Guidance for External Candidates (link). Further guidance on Preparing Your Personal Statement (link) is also available.

When evidencing your suitability for the post, it is recommended that you refer to the Civil Service Competency Framework (link)