Research Innovation Sustainability and Evidence (RISE) Programme Coordinator

Overview

As Research Innovation Sustainability and Evidence (RISE) Programme Coordinator, you will support the Head of Team (Principal Veterinary Advisor) and Research & Development (R&D) Programme Manager in the development and administration of projects across the RISE team.

You will work closely with internal technical experts and support staff across VMD teams and working groups. Additionally, you will be required to coordinate activity with colleagues across a broader range of government organisations, academic partners, industry stakeholders, research institutes and funding organisations.

Job description

As the RISE Programme Coordinator you will:

• Provide day-to-day diary management for RISE team activities, taking ownership for the co-ordination and scheduling of internal and external meetings, and calendar planning.

• Use your project management skills to provide support to the R&D Programme Manager through the research cycle as projects are commissioned, delivered, and outputs evaluated.

• Apply excellent organisation skills to manage daily administrative tasks associated with the running of RISE programmes including meeting agenda setting and minute taking, monitoring and organising shared email inboxes, updating SharePoint files and maintaining good version control of documents, tracking financial processes, raising purchase orders and ensuring correct invoice payment.

• Act as secretariat to the R&D Programme Advisory Group (RPAG), which provides cross-government oversight on research activities through consultations and regular meetings and forms the basis for internal VMD scrutiny of new R&D projects.

• Facilitate the delivery of ad hoc events in support of RISE programme and project activity.

• Provide support to stakeholder engagement activities across the RISE team, assisting the PVA and R&D Programme Manager to strengthen relationships with external stakeholders in the research and academic communities.

• Perform horizon scanning for RISE related activities, opportunities for collaboration and co-funding for VMD priority topics.

• Comply 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.

Person specification

We’re looking for you to have experience:

• Experience in project management or coordination of research projects.

• Of preparing and setting up meetings with attendees from across different groups, preparing comprehensive and accurate minutes and ensuring timely distribution.

• Of communicating confidently and concisely with internal and external project partners and stakeholders.

We’re looking for someone that:

• Has excellent organisational skills in planning and prioritising your workload with competing priorities and be able to identify matters requiring urgent attention or escalation.

• Has experience of working within a scientific environment or project management, or a demonstrable ability to get up to speed rapidly.

• Is proficient in the use of Microsoft Office 365 packages, particularly Word, Excel Outlook, and SharePoint and can navigate the internet.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Application Process

As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your experience and will be asked to complete: 

• A CV. This should include your job history, qualifications, skills and experience.
• A 500-word personal statement: “Referring to the ‘responsibilities and ‘skills and experience’ sections of the job advert, please demonstrate how you are suitable for the role by providing relevant examples.”

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form. Success Profiles: Experience – GOV.UK

You will also be asked to give examples of behaviours, which is one element of success profiles – Behaviours , Civil Service Careers

When giving examples of behaviours, please use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format – see A brief guide to competencies – GOV.UK

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate, and based on your own personal experience. Submitting content that has been generated by AI or copied from others and presented as your own may be considered plagiarism. Applications found to contain such content may be withdrawn, and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please refer to our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted on the personal statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Interview

If successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on experience, behaviours and strengths.

For experience, we will ask you to tell us – in your own words – about your relevant experience against the requirements set out in the job advert. You are asked to keep this to 10 minutes.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the interview process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

When giving examples of behaviours, please use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format – see A brief guide to competencies – GOV.UK

A range of Strengths relevant to this role may be tested at interview. More information on Strengths : Success Profiles: Strengths – GOV.UK

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the interview process:

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace

When giving examples of behaviours, please use the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) format – see A brief guide to competencies – GOV.UK

A range of Strengths relevant to this role may be tested at interview. More information on Strengths : Success Profiles: Strengths – GOV.UK

Sift and Interview dates

• The sift will be conducted week commencing 22 December 2025

• Interviews are scheduled to take place in person at the VMD the week commencing 5 January 2026

This timeline is indicative and may change.

You cannot claim back any expenses during recruitment.

Contract

This role isn’t suited to a home-working contract.

FTA or Loans

This role is for a fixed period until 31/03/2028.

For existing civil servants: available on loan only.
For non-civil servants: offered as an FTA.

Potential for extension/permanency subject to funding.

Loan and Fixed Term Appointments

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on loan (Civil Servants) or secondment (NDPBs).

Terms of the loan will be agreed between departments.

This is a Fixed-term Appointment as an RISE Programme Coordinator ending 31/03/2028.

The post is time-limited due to funding or project-specific work.

Salary

New entrants start at the minimum of the pay band.

Internal rules apply for existing Civil Servants:

• Level transfers: current salary or pay range minimum (whichever is higher)

• Promotion: pay range minimum or 10% increase (whichever higher)

Working Pattern

Full-time.
Possible at 80% FTE but no less.
Job shares possible with two successful candidates.

Location and travel

Contract base: VMD Weybridge, KT15 3LS

At least 60% of working time must be spent in an organisation workplace.

Employee pays for travel to contractual workplace.

Duties must be carried out from a UK location unless permission granted.

Residency Requirements and security vetting

All posts require CTC clearance.
Must have lived in the UK for 3 years before CTC submission.

Reserve list may be held for 12 months.

Near miss

Candidates who nearly meet requirements may be considered for other roles in Defra at lower grades.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Defra cannot sponsor Skilled Worker visas.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to VMD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk before closing date to discuss needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section of the application form.

Accessibility

If you experience accessibility issues with attachments, contact the applicant support email.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Security

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

See:

• The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

  We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

  The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

  The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

  Diversity and Inclusion

  The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window)

Apply and further information

Contact point for applicants

Job contact:
People Services Team
Email:people@vmd.gov.uk

Recruitment team:
Email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk