Policy Officer
| Posting date: | 29 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £38,795 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 27 October 2025 |
| Location: | KT15 3LS |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 409838/1 |
Summary
You may not have heard of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), but have you ever:
- eaten meat, eggs, fish or honey
- drunk milk
- owned a pet or animal
- taken antibiotics
If you said yes to any of the above, you are directly affected by what the VMD does.
The VMD is the regulatory and policy lead responsible for issues concerning the authorisation, use, and manufacture of veterinary medicines in the UK.
Our aim is to protect public health, animal health, and the environment, and promote animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality and effectiveness of veterinary medicines.
Find out more at: About us - Veterinary Medicines Directorate - GOV.UK
About the Job
This exciting and interesting job puts you at the heart of the VMD’s work as the regulatory and policy lead for issues concerning the authorisation, use, and manufacture of veterinary medicines in the UK.
As a Policy Officer, you will be responsible for the development and implementation of policy and legislation on veterinary medicines such as authorisation, manufacture, supply and prescription. You will also advise stakeholders on these requirements.
Veterinary medicines regulation has undergone a period of significant change due to the introduction of new legislation in Great Britain. The regulation of veterinary medicines operates slightly differently in Northern Ireland, and this adds to the complexity of the work dealt with by the VMD.
Your main duties will include:
- Line management responsibilities.
- Supporting the legislative process from making to enacting legislation.
- Contributing to the VMD’s Policy Network.
- Coordinating the development of policy in consultation with subject matter experts from the relevant business areas.
- Drafting communications that explain legislation and / or policies to internal colleagues, Ministers and external stakeholders.
- Providing policy support to Senior Policy Advisors
- Representing the VMD at Defra, other government departments and stakeholder meetings, as required.
- Complying with ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 27001 (information security) standards, and GDPR and record management requirements.
- Act corporately – meeting, role-modelling, embedding, and championing the corporate objectives set by the VMD.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme