Head of Application Management

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 Head of Application Management, you will be responsible for leading the team in a target driven environment where quality of service is essential. You will be providing advice on regulatory pathways to a broad range of stakeholders, so strong communication skills are essential. Another key skill will be your ability to collaborate, review systems, processes, and ways of working to gain maximum efficiencies. The Application Management Team is part of the wider Regulatory Affairs Section, and 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 Application Management Team to ensure high delivery of performance in a target driven environment, supporting the team to ensure that they are appropriately trained, motivated, and focussed to achieve the aims of the team and the VMD.
• Oversee the operational management of applications received in respect of Veterinary Medicinal products, ensuring adherence and reporting performance against published standards.
• 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 Regulatory Affairs, highlighting the successes the team achieves and flagging any risks to delivery at the earliest opportunity.
• Build and maintain relationships with applicant companies, industry bodies, UK government departments, EU national Competent Authorities, the European Medicines Agency and other stakeholders, providing advice on application routes and regulatory frameworks relating to GB and NI.
• Liaise with colleagues from other regulatory jurisdictions for applications for submission for assessment under joint review processes
• Provide expert regulatory advice internally and externally, including interpretation of legislative changes affecting Great Britain and NI veterinary medicines.
• 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 require you to have experience of:

• Leading teams and effectively managing change
• Working within a regulated 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 require 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.

Further information about success profiles with guidance on how to complete your application form is available here - About the application process , Civil Service Careers

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 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. Success Profiles: Experience - GOV.UK

• You will also be asked to give examples of behaviours, which is one element of success profiles - Behaviours , Civil Service Careers W