Team Leader - Regulatory Operations

Job summary

About the VMD

The VMD is the regulatory and policy lead responsible for issues concerning the authorisation, use, and manufacture of veterinary medicines in the UK.

Our aim is to protect public health, animal health, and the environment, and promote animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality and effectiveness of veterinary medicines.

Find out more at: About us - Veterinary Medicines Directorate - GOV.UK

About the Job

As Team Leader of Regulatory Operations, you will be responsible for leading the team in a target driven environment where quality of service is essential. You will lead key areas of operational delivery, as well as ensuring that VMD’s internal databases remain fit for purpose, highlighting areas for improvement and working with IT colleagues to implement them. A key skill will be your ability to lead the team, collaborate and review systems, processes, and ways of working to gain maximum efficiencies. The Regulatory Operations Team is part of the wider Regulatory Affairs Section, and so you will work with and provide support to the wider function.

Job description

Main duties of the role

• Manage the work and performance of the Regulatory Operations Team to ensure high delivery of performance in a target driven environment, supporting the team to ensure that they are appropriately trained, motivated and focused to achieve the aims of the team and the VMD.
• Act as data-owner for the in-house databases, ensuring they remain accurate and fit for purpose. Collaborate with the Project Team during the programme of IT review to define business requirements and drive system improvements.
• Oversee veterinary medicine packaging assessment to ensure compliance with published standards, design and manage a market surveillance scheme, and develop related procedures, such as implementation of electronic package leaflets.
• Manage new product registrations and annual confirmation of products marketed under the Small Animal Exemption Scheme.
• Provide secretariat oversight for corporate VMD meetings, including quarterly Licensing Business Focus Group and Packaging Surveillance Advisory Group meetings. Ensure that the quality management policies and procedures are embedded within the team, and that these are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance.
• Oversight of the administrative functions and processes in relation to Product Defects and Borderline Products
• Be responsible for the team’s training and standard operating procedures (SOPs) ensuring that documents are accurate and updated in accordance with internal policy.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and efficiencies, raising these through appropriate channels and implementing agreed new ways of working to maximise the resource.
• Provide support to the Head of Section where necessary, highlighting the successes the team achieves and flagging any risks to delivery at the earliest opportunity.
• Ensure compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 27001, GDPR, and information management standards.
• Act corporately – meeting, role-modelling, embedding, and championing the corporate objectives and expectations set by the VMD.

Person specification

We're looking for you to have experience of:

• Leading teams and effectively managing change
• Working within a regulated or policy‑driven environment
• Operating in a complex and evolving policy setting
• Engaging constructively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• Developing strong working relationships with others.

We’re looking for someone that;

• Has strong leadership skills and line management experience
• Has the ability to quickly develop a sound working knowledge of regulatory processes, systems and frameworks
• Can present complex information confidently and in an engaging manner
• Can cope under pressure when faced with challenging stakeholders
• Is proficient in the use of Microsoft Office 365 packages and can quickly learn in-house software products.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,000, Veterinary Medicines Directorate contributes £17,961 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension is one of the best workplace pension schemes in the UK public sector, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Free onsite parking
• Free eyesight test
• Onsite gym
• Access to a prayer room

Awork-life balance is key for us all. We offer flexible working as well as health, well-being and discount schemes. The annual leave package starts at 25 days per year and increases to 30 days over five years. We offer generous maternity, paternity, shared, and adoption leave.

This gives you a flavour of what’s available, but there is so much more we could mention – see Civil Service Employee Benefits , Civil Service Careers for further information.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your experience and will be asked to complete:

• A CV. This should include your job history, qualifications, skills and experience.
• A 750-word personal statement: "Referring to the 'Job Description' and 'Person specification' sections 'responsibilities and 'skills and experience' sections of the job advert, please demonstrate how you are suitable for the role by providing relevant examples."

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.