Borders and Infrastructure DD

Posting date:	09 March 2026
Salary:	£81,000 per year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	18 March 2026
Location:	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Company:	Government Recruitment Service
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	448317/4

Summary

The UK Borders and Infrastructure team leads the physical delivery and system oversight for the UK agri-food border. From improving the current border system, to leading the change that a new UK-EU agri-food agreement with the EU will bring as part of resetting the UK’s relationship with the bloc. You will be responsible for working with policy and operational colleagues to balance competing priorities to enable trade, reduce costs for business, and protect the UK’s biosecurity from disease threats.

The team is outward facing, working closely with delivery partners across central government such as the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Home Office, Food Standards Agency, Department for Transport, and HMRC, as well as local government such as port health authorities, and industry – ports and traders. The devolved governments are a key partner given delivery is often devolved.

This role is a critical part of the Trade Delivery Directorate leadership team. The directorate is responsible for managing the EU Delivery Programme to implement the UK-EU agreement; leading our work on Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework; delivering on commitments to tackle international deforestation; and overseeing digital delivery across trade.

The directorate blends a transformational change with optimising and improving enduring functions to deliver significant outcomes for the whole of the UK.

Key Responsibilities

You will be responsible for ensuring that border infrastructure is ready to operate the changes brought about by a newly negotiated SPS agreement, working with commercial ports and government departments with a presence at the border to achieve this.

This includes understanding the needs of ports and what support they require from government. It will also specifically involve the responsibility on behalf of Defra for the Sevington border control post, oversight of the site operating contract, decisions on the long-term use of the site, and the associated charging regime following the implementation of the SPS agreement.

The postholder will also take on an overall cross-cutting programme and financial management for all Border & infrastructure projects within the EU Delivery Programme, with a team who work as the key point of liaison into the programme management office. The role leads approximately 40 full time equivalents and you should expect to manage significant capital and resource budgets.

Lastly, the postholder will, jointly with the second Deputy Director for Borders & Infrastructure, act as the senior service owner for the Border service in the run up to the SPS agreement, supporting improvements in the way in which the Border oversight is enacted by Defra. You will support the development of the end service ownership model for the Border for beyond the SPS agreement.

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