Delivery Manager
Summary
Delivery Manager at the UK government's Animal and Plant Health Agency (Defra group) in Bristol, leading a team of ~11 delivering CITES wildlife trade permits, certificates and compliance services. Day to day: line management, stakeholder engagement with Defra/Border Force partners, data-driven demand and capacity planning, and continuous service improvement.
- Job grade: Higher Executive Officer
- Contract type: Permanent
- Business area: APHA – Operational Delivery
- Type of role: Operational Delivery
- Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
- Number of jobs available: 1
Location
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH
About the job
Job summary
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 Delivery Manager to join our team. You will lead the effective delivery of complex, technically detailed services supporting the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
This is a fascinating and varied work area where no two days are the same: with cases ranging from live endangered animals and zoo transfers to rare plants, antiques and products made from protected species. You will play a vital role in supporting conservation, enabling legal and sustainable international wildlife trade and help prevent the unlawful movement or exploitation of wildlife.
This is a dynamic role that offers the opportunity to work across a range of activities, with the flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and business needs.
The key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Lead through managers and specialist teams, setting clear expectations and creating an inclusive, collaborative and psychologically safe culture.
- Oversee the accurate and timely delivery of permits, certificates, customer advice and associated compliance activity.
- Line managing a team of around 11 team members, providing visible and inclusive leadership, setting clear expectations, managing performance and development, supporting wellbeing and ensuring the team has the capacity and support needed to deliver a high-quality service.
- Apply sufficient understanding of the CITES regulatory framework and operational processes to support consistent, legally compliant decision-making, effective quality assurance and the handling of complex or sensitive cases.
- Translate legislative, policy and digital change into robust processes, guidance, training and sustainable ways of working.
- Use detailed operational data to understand demand and capacity, identify emerging pressures and deploy people flexibly.
- Balance business-as-usual delivery with concurrent change programmes, making sound, timely decisions where priorities, timescales and stakeholder expectations conflict.
- Build trusted relationships with senior leaders and high-profile stakeholders across APHA, Defra group, Policy, Scientific, Legal and Digital teams, Border Force and other delivery partners, influencing decisions and representing operational delivery with credibility.
- Provide clear assurance on performance, risks, workforce and delivery impacts.
- Challenge constructively where proposals are not operationally viable and ensure operational teams are involved early in design and implementation.
- Continuously improve the service to support legal and sustainable international wildlife trade.
Person specification
We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate the following skills and experience:
- Demonstrable line management experience, with the ability to lead and support a sizeable team effectively. This includes setting clear expectations, managing performance and development, supporting wellbeing, addressing people issues appropriately and building an inclusive, engaged and effective team.
- Substantial experience of providing visible, inclusive leadership to a large and diverse workforce, including leading through managers, setting clear direction and creating an environment in which people can perform at their best.
- Resilient and highly organised, with the confidence and sound judgement to work effectively in ambiguity, manage competing demands and priorities, and remain calm and effective when dealing with challenging or sensitive situations and stakeholders.
- The ability to understand the wider strategic, legislative and public-service context, translate organisational priorities into operational plans and maintain focus on conservation, regulatory and customer outcomes.
- Strong judgement and analytical capability, with experience of using evidence, technical advice and operational data to make timely, defensible decisions in complex, sensitive or ambiguous circumstances.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the credibility to build trusted relationships, explain complex issues clearly and influence senior leaders, specialists and delivery partners with differing priorities.
- The ability to prioritise competing demands, allocate resources effectively and maintain business continuity while delivering multiple operational and change priorities to demanding timescales.
- Experience of leading people through change, improving processes and embedding new legislation, policy, technology or ways of working in a sustainable and user-focused manner.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
Why work for APHA?
At APHA, we are committed to supporting you to develop your skills, knowledge, and professional capability throughout your career.
From day one, you will be welcomed through a structured induction programme, helping you understand the Civil Service, our work, and how we operate. You’ll work closely with your line manager to set clear priorities and develop a performance, learning, and development plan tailored to your role.
Alongside formal training, you will have opportunities to apply and develop your knowledge in a practical environment, contributing to continuous improvement and innovation.
Inclusion, support, and the wellbeing of our people are central to what we do, ensuring everyone at APHA can thrive both professionally and personally.
Key Benefits Include
- Civil Service Pension - Defra contributes an average of 28.97% of your salary towards your pension
- 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 from retailers such as high street coffee shops, cinemas, supermarkets, high street retailers and many, many more
- Staff bonuses and recognition including appreciate vouchers of up to £200 and larger in year awards of up to £1000
- Salary sacrifice benefit options and an employee discount scheme such as bike to work, Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) scheme, every £8 you pay in, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 a year for each child
- Discounted gym membership with Fitness First or Pure Gym
- Special Leave with pay, per year, for volunteering
- Making it work for you - With so many flexible working options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
Application Process
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a:
- CV
- 1000-word Personal Statement
CV Guidance
Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements and your main responsibilities in each role and be no longer than 2 pages. Your CV will be used to provide further context on your Personal Statement and will be scored against the essential criteria.
Personal Statement Guidance
When completing your Personal Statement, please read and understand the Person Specification thoroughly, as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Please ensure you evidence the key personal qualities and experiences that align with the criteria. Consider the Person Specification and look to demonstrate how your previous experience may align with the expectations and be applicable to the role. The written evidence you provide must relate to your own experiences. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc.
Sift
Should a large number of applications be received, there will be an initial sift assessing the Personal Statement. Those who pass the initial sift will be progressed either to a full sift or straight to interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviour and Strength questions.
The Behaviours are as follows:.
- Leadership (Lead Behaviour)
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
It is intended that the interview will take place using MS Teams
After the interview
Once all the interviews have been conducted, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. If you are successful at the interview stage, we will be in touch to offer you a role. Offers will be made in merit order.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Eligibility
Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
Visa Sponsorship Statement
Please take note that APHA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Near Miss
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions within Defra Group which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.
Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.
Location
Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location (excluding Northern Ireland) and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
For most candidates your hours of work will be a blend of working from an APHA workplace (specific to the team location) with working at home.
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).
The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisation allocations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations. Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies.
Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
Defra includes the Core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.
The post holder must work from the location listed in the Location section of the advert.
Criminal Record Check
If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Internal Fraud Database Check
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to DEFRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Medical
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Recruitment Hub Team
- Email : recruitment@apha.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here
Attachments
| APHA_Information_Pack_Oct2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 2855kB) |
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