Farming & Countryside Development and Delivery Manager


Company:	Government Recruitment Service
Salary:	£35,895 to £38,192 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Cardiff
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	21 Sept 2026
Closing date:	5 Oct 2026

Apply for this job

Summary

Are you passionate about improving outcomes for farmers and working collaboratively across government to deliver meaningful change?Are you an organised and proactive project professional who thrives on building relationships and driving continuous improvement?

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.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), is seeking a Development and Delivery Manager to join its Regulatory Affairs, Compliance and Enforcement (RACE) department.

RACE supports APHA's role as a national regulator, helping to safeguard animal, plant, bee and public health through effective regulation, compliance and enforcement, while maintaining the UK's biosecurity.

We have an interesting opportunity within the RACE department as a Development and Delivery Manager to provide support, development and management to a wide variety of projects across the Defra’s Farming Directorate.

This role supports the delivery of a diverse portfolio of projects across Defra's Farming Directorate and APHA transformation programmes. Working closely with Defra's Farming, Innovation and Regulatory Services team, the postholder will help improve farmer engagement, strengthen collaboration across Defra Arm's-Length Bodies (ALBs), and identify opportunities to improve regulatory services and reduce burdens on farmers and land managers.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Supporting projects to improve engagement and communication with farmers through written, digital and face-to-face channels
Producing and analysing management information to support reporting, business planning and performance management
Supporting the Delivering Sustainable Future transformation programme through customer insight and service improvement activities
Coordinating joint training, continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities and collaborative initiatives across Defra ALBs
Promoting and supporting data-sharing initiatives, including the Eyes and Ears app and other tools that improve operational effectiveness
Contributing to the development and implementation of Defra's Joint Service Improvement Plan
Representing APHA at regional Field Officer Forums, building relationships and identifying opportunities for improvement and collaboration
Providing flexible support to wider APHA transformation projects as required

Apply for this job

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.