The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is currently recruiting for a new chief veterinary officer (CVO) for Northern Ireland.
The CVO is responsible for providing strategic, professional advice not only to the DAERA minister and senior department officials, but to ministers and senior officials across NI departments and beyond.
As Northern Ireland remains within the EU Single Market for Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) eligible goods as well as the UK Single Market, the department said that this “presents a particular set of political and professional challenges”.
DAERA
The CVO leads a multidisciplinary team of over 650 DAERA staff working across field; operational; policy; and administrative functions.
As head of Veterinary Services and Animal Health Group (VSAHG) the CVO must ensure high standards of animal health, welfare and food safety which the department said supports access to world markets for agri-food products from Northern Ireland.
The CVO provides “strategic direction and leadership” on policy development and legislation and ensures the implementation of requirements set out in the Windsor Framework.
Along with leading Northern Ireland’s response to outbreaks of exotic and epizootic animal disease, the CVO also works with the chief medical officer (CMO) and government’s chief scientific advisers on relevant public health issues.
Chief veterinary officer
Candidates must be a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) or be eligible to obtain membership.
They should a strong understanding of the role of DAERA, along with experience of animal and public health and animal welfare and the legislation and international standards relating to both.
Recent senior leadership experience “within a complex multidisciplinary organisation” is also required for the position.
The full time position comes with a salary scale of £96,722-£108,118, which is currently under review.
DAERA said that the closing date for applications is midday on Friday, January 26, 2024, interviews are due to begin in mid-February.
The department added that applications from women, people under the age of 35, people with a disability and people from minority ethnic communities are “particularly welcomed” for this post.
