Plant & Bee Health Compliance & Enforcement Officer

Bristol, Cardiff, Carlisle, Carmarthen, Crewe, Exeter, Leicester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Perth, Preston, Winchester, York

Job Summary Would you like to play a key role in strengthening national compliance and shaping enforcement approaches that are proportionate, robust and effective?

Are you driven to tackle complex non‑compliance issues, using your expertise to guide investigations, influence decisions and protect vital plant health and biosecurity outcomes?

If so, we would love to hear from you! The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.

Job Description We have an exciting opportunity for a Compliance and Enforcement Officer to join the Compliance and Enforcement Team.

In this role, you’ll support APHA in operating as an effective national regulator, working within the principles of the Regulators’ Code. You’ll play a key role in understanding and analysing non-compliance, shaping enforcement approaches, and ensuring activity is legally robust, proportionate and effective.

You’ll work closely with internal teams, including Border Control Posts and inland delivery teams, alongside policy colleagues, enforcement partners and other agencies. Acting as a central point of expertise, you will provide advice on enforcement cases and legislative interpretation, while supporting a consistent and coordinated approach to compliance across APHA.

The Role Involves a Wide Range Of Work, Including:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with enforcement partners, stakeholders and policy colleagues to support a coordinated approach to cases and wider non-compliance issues
• Acting as a central source of expertise on compliance and enforcement, advising operational teams on appropriate actions and supporting consistent, proportionate decision-making
• Providing guidance and support to APHA staff undertaking investigations, including evidence gathering, witness statements, court preparation and, where required, attending court
• Coordinating Plant and Bee Health compliance and enforcement activity, working with Border Control Posts and inland teams to strengthen delivery capability and consistency
• Reviewing and improving processes, guidance, templates and instructions to ensure they are clear, effective and fit for purpose
• Identifying high-risk areas of non-compliance and developing plans, procedures and targeted enforcement activity to prevent or mitigate risk
• Contributing to and leading case conferences, site visits and investigations, including complex cases requiring multi-agency input
• Supporting the development and implementation of civil sanctions, working with policy colleagues and enforcement partners to embed new approaches
• Raising awareness of the impact of non-compliance on the delivery of plant health import controls and wider policy outcomes
• Monitoring emerging compliance issues and reporting insights to APHA colleagues, national policy makers and enforcement partners
• Supporting field teams to build capability and understanding of enforcement principles and practices
• Acting as a key point of contact during disease outbreaks for issues relating to non-compliance with prevention and control measures

We have an exciting opportunity for a Compliance and Enforcement Officer to join the Compliance and Enforcement Team.

In this role, you’ll support APHA in operating as an effective national regulator, working within the principles of the Regulators’ Code. You’ll play a key role in understanding and analysing non-compliance, shaping enforcement approaches, and ensuring activity is legally robust, proportionate and effective.

You’ll work closely with internal teams, including Border Control Posts and inland delivery teams, alongside policy colleagues, enforcement partners and other agencies. Acting as a central point of expertise, you will provide advice on enforcement cases and legislative interpretation, while supporting a consistent and coordinated approach to compliance across APHA.

The Role Involves a Wide Range Of Work, Including:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with enforcement partners, stakeholders and policy colleagues to support a coordinated approach to cases and wider non-compliance issues
• Acting as a central source of expertise on compliance and enforcement, advising operational teams on appropriate actions and supporting consistent, proportionate decision-making
• Providing guidance and support to APHA staff undertaking investigations, including evidence gathering, witness statements, court preparation and, where required, attending court
• Coordinating Plant and Bee Health compliance and enforcement activity, working with Border Control Posts and inland teams to strengthen delivery capability and consistency
• Reviewing and improving processes, guidance, templates and instructions to ensure they are clear, effective and fit for purpose
• Identifying high-risk areas of non-compliance and developing plans, procedures and targeted enforcement activity to prevent or mitigate risk
• Contributing to and leading case conferences, site visits and investigations, including complex cases requiring multi-agency input
• Supporting the development and implementation of civil sanctions, working with policy colleagues and enforcement partners to embed new approaches
• Raising awareness of the impact of non-compliance on the delivery of plant health import controls and wider policy outcomes
• Monitoring emerging compliance issues and reporting insights to APHA colleagues, national policy makers and enforcement partners
• Supporting field teams to build capability and understanding of enforcement principles and practices
• Acting as a key point of contact during disease outbreaks for issues relating to non-compliance with prevention and control measures

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following skills and experience:

• Legislation, Compliance &​ Enforcement Expertise: Ability to interpret legislation and apply it to practical situations using sound judgement and strong analytical skills, with experience of working within a regulatory regime, managing complex or large-scale cases of non-compliance, and understanding the impacts of non-compliance on plant/bee health, industry and trade.
• Communication &​ Influence: Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to produce clear reports and brief senior management on complex issues, and to communicate and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
• Planning, Prioritisation &​ Judgement: Strong organisational and team working skills, with the ability to make sound judgements under pressure, manage competing priorities, and deliver to tight timescales.
• Working Independently: Ability to work with minimal supervision, respond to conflicting priorities, and recognise when to escalate or seek input.
• Leadership &​ Delivery: Effective leadership skills with the ability to deliver through others and support team outcomes.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficient in the use of a range of IT tools to support delivery and communication.

Licences

Full UK driving licence

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Regulatory and controls used to manage the risk of quarantine pests, from detection through to managing non-compliance.

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).

Further Benefits Offered Also Include:

• 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.
• Staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme.
• Three days special leave with pay, per year, for volunteering (pro-rata for part time employees).
• Making it work for you - With so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.

These are just a few of our benefits we offer. To find out the full range of what we offer refer to the Information Pack attached for more detail. Learning and Development Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.

In return for your dedication, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, support and the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA.

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