Are looking for a challenging and varied role where you can utilise your operational delivery skills and are passionate about developing people and delivering a high quality service to Scottish farmers and land managers?
This is an exciting opportunity in Gala Area Office, is to become one of 8 Area Office Principal Agricultural Officers who lead local RPID teams of professional agricultural, customer service and administrative staff located around rural Scotland. These teams work in the field, on third party premises and in local offices to deliver agricultural, environmental and rural policies; regulatory activity including inspections relating to land, plant and animal health and process applications for funding while provided high quality customer service.
The Principal Agricultural Officer position is an operational leadership role, both in the delivery of current inspections and payment services but also in implementing changes with staff and customers coming from the Agricultural Reform Programme and Public Sector Reform.
Due to the nature of this role where public transport is limited or not available, driving is involved therefore a valid driving licence that enables the candidate to drive in the UK is mandatory.
This role is Hybrid working compatible, however as this role is based in Gala and you will be expected to attend the Gala office to meet business needs.
Responsibilities
- Leading staff on a wide range of casework ensuring payment and inspection targets are met as set out in the Business Plan, Annual Business Cycle and emerging through the Agricultural Reform Programme.
- Liaising with peers, other ARE colleagues and partner organisations to deliver scheme and service outcomes in safeguarding plant and animal health, food production and delivery of money into the rural economy.
- You will represent RPID at local meetings which may involve speaking to stakeholders/farmer groups/agents. This includes in the evening or at weekends.
- In this post you will be expected to participate in the management and delivery of plant health inspections relating to the multi-million pound potato industry within the Scottish economy.
- Manage a budget and plan resources to deliver services within budget and resource constraints, following process and legal requirements, highlighting, improvement opportunities and delivery risks through appropriate governance.
- Promote and support staff wellbeing; health and safety in an office and lone working outdoors often in remote areas, supporting them to work safely and manage challenging behaviour; diversity & inclusion and development.
Qualifications
Valid driving licence which enables you to drive in the UK - Please confirm in your application that you hold this qualification.
- Connections and communication - Practitioner
- Operational leadership and Management - Leads teams to ensure delivery is achieved within legal regulatory and policy frameworks, and to promote a culture of compliance (where required)
- Delivery and decision making at speed - Practitioner
You can find out more about the skills required here: Core ODP Skills - Operational Delivery Profession
- Demonstrate detailed operational knowledge to support RPID schemes and service outcomes in safeguarding plant and animal health, food production and delivery of money into the rural economy.
- Detailed understanding and practical experience of working in Scottish agricultural and the rural sector.
- Developing self and others - Level 4
You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here Success Profiles
Apply before 23:59 on 5 July 2026. This post is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship Organisations only (external candidates and staff from UK Other Government Departments are not eligible to apply for this vacancy).
Recruitment Principles
As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.
