Plant Variety and Seeds Certification Delivery Manager

Job summary

The PVS Certification HEO plays a key operational leadership role within the APHA Plant Variety and Seeds (PVS) team, leading the delivery and assurance of statutory plant certification and marketing schemes across England and Wales.

The postholder will work closely with colleagues across APHA, Defra, the Devolved Authorities and industry stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of certification legislation and standards covering seed, potato, vegetable, cereals and fruit for England and Wales, while supporting UK‑wide consistency through the PVS Common Framework. Acting as Deputy to the SEO Certification Manager, the role focuses on maintaining delivery performance, overseeing resources, supporting staff wellbeing and driving operational improvements that facilitate trade while maintaining confidence in certification systems and regulatory compliance.

The postholder will provide leadership across a range of certification activities including certification inspections, licensing of authorised persons and businesses, technical auditing, stakeholder engagement, contractor management, performance reporting and the development of certification processes and guidance.

The role also supports UK engagement with international certification frameworks and organisations, helping to ensure alignment with international standards and best practice.

This role is suited to an experienced delivery manager with strong leadership, communication and organisational skills, capable of managing complex regulatory services and working effectively with domestic and international partners.

Job description

The postholder will provide operational leadership within the APHA Plant Variety and Seeds (PVS) team, ensuring the effective delivery of statutory plant certification and marketing schemes across England and Wales.

As Deputy to the SEO Certification Manager, they will lead delivery planning, team performance, stakeholder engagement and continuous improvement activities, working closely with APHA, Defra, Devolved Authorities, industry stakeholders and international partners to maintain high standards of regulatory compliance and service delivery.

Responsibilities

The postholder will:

• Lead and develop a team delivering statutory certification and marketing schemes.

• Manage resources, workloads, performance and KPIs to meet statutory and business requirements.

• Oversee certification, inspection, audit and licensing activities, working with APHA PHSI and delivery partners.

• Develop and maintain operational guidance, procedures and communications.

• Support staff training, competence development and wellbeing.

• Lead or contribute to projects that improve certification processes, systems and service delivery.

• Manage stakeholder relationships across government, industry and international organisations.

• Support contract management, performance reporting, customer enquiries and complaints.

• Contribute to policy implementation, fee reviews and legislative changes affecting certification schemes.

• Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade

On appointment, all postholders will be required to work towards relevant UPOV technical qualifications appropriate to their role, including:

• DL205 – Introduction to the UPOV System of Plant Variety Protection

• DL305A – Administration of Plant Breeders’ Rights

• DL305B – DUS Examination

The successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain expertise in statutory certification and marketing schemes relevant to their area of responsibility. Training and support will be provided.

Travel Requirements

The role involves occasional travel to attend meetings, training, and stakeholder engagement activities across England, Wales and the UK.

A full UK driving licence is desirable, or the ability to travel using suitable alternative means.

Person specification

Experience and Ability

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience working within agriculture, horticulture, plant health, seeds, biology, regulatory services, or a similar operational environment.
  
  
• Experience leading teams, projects or operational delivery activities, including managing performance, resources and competing priorities.
  
  
• Strong organisational and analytical skills, with the ability to make sound decisions and deliver against targets, KPIs and statutory deadlines.
  
  
• Experience building effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver complex services and achieve shared outcomes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including producing reports, guidance, briefings and stakeholder communications.
  
  
• Confidence using Microsoft 365 applications and adapting to new systems, processes, legislation and delivery models.
  
  
• Knowledge of, or the ability to quickly develop, expertise in certification, assurance, compliance or inspection-based schemes, with awareness of plant, seed or agricultural certification frameworks viewed favourably.

Licences

Full UK Driving Licence

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,765, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes £10,071 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).

• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities tailored to your role
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts
• A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 60% of their time in the office (minimum 60%)

Office attendance

Successful candidates are expected to work from one of the office locations listed in this advert. Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice.

Please refer to the Candidate Information Pack for more detail around offered benefits.

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 disc