Technical Team Leader in Canterbury

Are you highly motivated with excellent communication skills?

Do you have the ability to influence others and guide your team in a shared strategy?

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 are looking for a confident and inspiring Technical Team Leader (TTL) to lead and manage a team of technical field staff within APHA, helping to protect animal health, safeguard animal welfare, and support international trade. Using your strong interpersonal skills, you will be responsible for overseeing a geographically dispersed delivery team, providing leadership and line management to a multidisciplinary group of Animal Health Officers and Egg Marketing Inspectors.

1 Fixed Term Appointment/Loan/Secondment (12 months) to be based at Horley or Canterbury.

1 Fixed Term Appointment/Loan/Secondment (12 months) to be based at Leicester or Lincoln.

Offers will be made in merit order by location.

As a Technical Team Leader you will be accountable for the effective management of resources, prioritising workloads to meet delivery targets and will work alongside Technical Advisors to ensure your team has the capability to respond to emergencies and disease outbreaks whilst developing and assuring high performance, capability and consistency. This is a varied role that requires flexibility and a positive, focused attitude to achieving outcomes, despite any setbacks, with the ability to adapt to different tasks as the situation demands. As a visible leader, you will foster a positive team environment and ensure clear vision and direction are communicated.

The role involves a wide range of work including, but not limited to, the following:

• Lead and manage local and geographically dispersed technical staff, ensuring optimal deployment of resources.
• Proactively manage performance, conduct, and attendance, implementing improvement plans where needed.
• Build a strong team culture that promotes consistency and best practice across local, national, and agency‑wide work.
• Collaborate across Agency and Policy functions to influence tactical and strategic decision‑making.
• Work with Resilience and Technical Advisors to maintain technical quality standards and address skill gaps or development needs.
• Use management information to monitor outputs, identify risks, and take ownership of resolving issues.
• Contribute to agency‑wide change initiatives and support the implementation of customer‑ or policy‑driven changes.
• Champion high health and safety standards and support staff in meeting their responsibilities.

Please note: The post requires management of a geographically dispersed team which will sometimes require travel to multiple sites.

Person specification

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

• Experience in leading and managing operational delivery teams, with a strong track record of developing people, managing performance, and building skills in collaboration with functional managers.
• Planning and organisational skills to enable effective work allocation and resource management to deliver challenging targets.
• Ability to meet changing directions when circumstances dictate, and delivering difficult messages with clarity, purpose and understanding.
• Experience in reporting on activity and target delivery.
• Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Confidence and ability to challenge constructively to deliver positive outcomes.

Licences

A valid driving licence that covers the UK and access to a vehicle with appropriate business use insurance is required.

Further Benefits Offered Also Include

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.

• 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.
• Making it work for you - With so many flexible options, most people can find a work schedule to suit their circumstances.