Head of Enforcement Section

Salary: £62,000 + 25 days Annual Leave + Pension Scheme with an average employer contribution of 28.97%

Job Reference: 445679

Location:
Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3LS

The closing date for applications is 23 March 2026

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and is responsible for ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of veterinary medicines in the UK.

We have a vacancy for the Head of Enforcement Section.

As the Head of the Enforcement Section, you will be responsible for leading a team of enforcement officers dealing with breaches of the regulations. A key skill will be in ensuring the team takes proportionate action depending on the type of breach that may have been committed. We aim to work with stakeholders when possible to address issues and concerns. However, stronger and more formal enforcement action will be necessary in some cases.

It is important to be able to identify when that may be required, and empower the team to take that action. The role also requires the person to spend a small amount of time away from home on occasions when enforcement action may be required in another part of the country.

Veterinary medicines regulation has undergone a period of significant change due to the introduction of updated legislation in Great Britain in 2024.

Licences

Full Driving Licence

The emphasis for this role is on experience in an enforcement setting, leadership skills of enforcement officers and decision making.

We are looking for you to have experience of / in:

• Conducting enforcement activities in a regulatory setting
• Leading a team and ensuring they are adaptable to change
• Delivering difficult messages with authority and persuasiveness
• Being confident when challenged over the action you or the team has taken to address a breach of regulations
• Developing strong working relationships with others

We’re looking for someone that:

• Has good leadership skills and line management experience
• Has the ability to quickly develop a sound working knowledge of a subject and / or complex issues.
• Can present complex information confidently and in an engaging manner
• Is able to cope under pressure when faced with a challenging stakeholder who is querying an unpopular decision.
• Is proactive, energetic and feels comfortable in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
• Is proficient in the use of Microsoft Office 365 packages, particularly Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, and can learn in-house packages quickly
• Is fluent in English language (spoken and written)

How to Apply

If you're interested in applying for this position, we would love to hear from you! Please submit your application via the Civil Service Jobs website, where you will find a full job description including salary details.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate is an Equal Opportunity employer.

No Recruitment Agency, Newspaper or Publication calls please.