Home Office

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Remote working (anywhere in the UK)

About the job

Job summary

The Home Office works to build a safe, fair and prosperous UK. We achieve this through our work on counter-terrorism, policing, fire, crime, drugs policy, immigration and passports.

The Science, Technology, Research and Analysis (STAR) Group sits at the heart of the Home Office. The group ensures the best evidence and analysis are used to address the strategic issues facing the department. We also provide the science, technology, data, and international insights and collaboration capabilities to drive delivery.

We are looking for up to three individuals to play a key part in protecting animals through bringing regulatory expertise to the Animals in Science Regulator. Role holders will work alongside veterinary and medical inspectors to visit establishments which test on animals to check these establishments are complying with their legal duties to protect animals. Role holders will also drive forward other regulatory activities such as licencing establishments and investigating instances of non-compliance with the law. You will assess evidence and exercise impartial judgements to improve animal protections and influence the Regulator to continuously improve its operations. This will involve varied interaction with and exposure to scientific establishments and stakeholders.

Through providing a timely, efficient service to the science sector and adopting a mindset of continuous improvement, you will help to facilitate scientific progress such as medical developments.

Job description

The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) is responsible for regulating the use of animals in scientific testing. ASRU seeks to protect animals in science through assuring that animals are only used in scientific research and testing where there are no alternatives and reducing harm to animals where they are used. The regulator also strives to deliver an excellent service to the science sector to facilitate progress on critical scientific research. For example, animal testing played a crucial part in the development of Covid-19 vaccines. 

You will be joining ASRU at an exciting time. We are currently progressing a programme of reform enhance ASRU’s delivery for the regulated community, animals and the public. You will be part of ASRU’s journey of change and will support the unit to adopt its aspirational cultural traits: data driven; customer focused; lean mentality; future focused; comfortable with risk; and team performance. 

Key Responsibilities

Audit

• Coordinating the end-to-end process for on-site and remote audits of regulated establishments to assure they are performing their duties to protect animals in accordance with the law.
• Assess whether establishments are meeting their duties to protect animals, working with veterinary or medical inspectors, through interviewing and supporting interviews at establishments, reviewing establishment documentation, and analysing information collected about establishments against legal requirements.
• Contribute to written audit reports detailing findings about establishments, including areas for improvement.
• Ensure establishments receive audit outcomes and take required actions during agreed timescales.
• Organise the full programme of ASRU audits which employs the team’s risk profiling approach.
• Seek feedback on the audit process to identify improvements and deliver improvements where appropriate.

Licencing

• Undertake initial review of licencing applications based on defined criteria, prior to medical or veterinary review. This may include conducting initial triages of licence applications to determine how they can be most efficiently and effectively processed.

Enforcement

• Contribute to the investigation and resolution of incidences of noncompliance by reviewing evidence, managing logistics, monitoring the overall process and communications.

Wider responsibilities

• Employ knowledge of best practice regulation to proactively identify and propose possible improvements to ASRU operations and take forward agreed improvements.
• Address enquiries from the regulated community about how to comply with the law to protect animals.
• Gather, assess, and analyse data and evidence from various sources to enable effective and informed decision making.

Work pattern

These roles are available on a full-time basis with the option of compressed hours. They are also suitable for part-time working hours, with a minimum requirement to work 2 days per week due to business requirements.

These roles are suitable for home working. There may be an opportunity to be based in the Croydon office, subject to estates capacity. If Croydon based, there will be a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office.

Travel

These roles require some travel within the UK, including overnight stays, to visit licensed establishments; this is likely to be in the range of 1-2 visits per month but could be more. Where possible these visits will be in the post holder's home region, but they could be anywhere in the UK subject to business need. Personal protective equipment will need to be worn in establishments, as appropriate. 

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Ability to quickly learn and apply legal information and associated frameworks. The role holder will need to have or develop a strong understanding of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and related standards to assess whether regulated entities are complying with these standards.
• Experience or knowledge of regulation or governance or an ability to quickly become proficient in this area through relevant training. This could include previous work in audit, inspection, or compliance; familiarity with best practice regulatory standards such as those produced by the National Audit Office; and/or a related qualification.
• Verbal and written communication skills to conduct interviews effectively, challenge constructively, and clearly communicate findings from audit. The role holder will need to communicate technical information in a straightforward manner.
• Organisational skills to manage competing priorities and deadlines, and co-ordinate the work of others.
• Impartial judgement and attention to detail to make accurate, unbiased, consistent judgements based on evidence, which uphold regulatory and legal standards.
• Problem-solving skills to identify the causes of non-compliance and areas for improvement in the service ASRU provides.
• Collaboration and stakeholder management skills to work effectively with colleagues and project a positive impression of the Regulator to external stakeholders.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a scientific or veterinary context.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

In addition to your salary, a career with the Home Office offers a range of benefits, including:

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• In-year reward scheme for one-off or sustained exceptional personal or team achievements.
• 25 days annual leave on appointment, rising with service to 30 days.
• Eight days of public holidays, plus one additional privilege day.
• See more of our benefits on our careers website.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Home Office Resourcing Centre
• Email : HORCCampaignTeamCorporateEnablers@homeoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

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