Terms and conditions

Annual Leave

You will have an annual leave allowance of 30 days. In addition all staff receive 10½ days bank and public holidays pro rata for part-time hours.

Pension

The pension is a valuable part of the pay package.

You will generally be enrolled automatically into nuvos when you start work, but you can choose to join partnership instead.

You may choose between two pension arrangements:

• the nuvos pension scheme; or
  
• a partnership pension account.
  

nuvos is a defined benefit pension scheme to which you and your employer make contributions. You earn an amount of pension each year based on your pensionable earnings. Your annual pension amounts increase with the Retail Price Index (RPI) every year. A partnership pension account is a stakeholder pension, which is a type of personal pension. You do not have to pay any contributions but your employer will pay contributions into your pension fund whether you wish to contribute or not. These contributions are invested for you by your chosen pension provider. Over the years, your pension fund should grow with investment returns (the money earned by your invested pension contributions), and you use the resulting ‘pot’ to buy a pension when you retire or to leave to someone when you die.

The partnership pension providers are: Standard Life, Scottish Widows and TUC/Prudential. No employee contribution required, but employer will match contributions up to 3% of pay (as well as paying a contribution based on employee age) Retirement income provided by an annuity bought with partnership pension account ‘pot’. Benefits may be taken at any age between 50 (55 from April 2010) and 75. You do not have to retire in order to take benefits and salary is not affected. A lump sum is possible from a pension pot before buying annuity.

Bonus

The bonus scheme allows payment to top performers annually.  Amounts are determined each year and are based on performance. 

Nationality

This post is open to

• UK or EU nationals or nationals of states in the European Economic Area;
• British Protected persons;
• Commonwealth citizens

Commonwealth citizens must be free from any restriction to reside and take up employment in the UK. If you are unsure of your status please explain your circumstances in your covering letter.

Conflicting Interests

In addition to the general conditions of service you should note that Animal Health staff are required to apply for approval before becoming associated with any kind of private business interest related to the farming, fishing or food industry.

If you are associated with any private business of this nature, including the management of a farm, you are requested to notify your interest in it, giving the details of the nature, size, ownership and management of the business; how much time you expect to devote to it; and whether it will be in receipt of any payments or services.

Consideration will then be given as to whether there would be any conflict with official duties if you accept the appointment. This applies to purely financial interests as well as interests where you are involved in managing the business. You should also tell us if you have an indirect association of this kind, for example, through a partner or family member with whom you are in close contact.

Civil Servants

If you are a serving Civil Servant different rules on pay and conditions may apply.

Equal Opportunities

Animal Health is an equal opportunity employer. It is government policy to provide equal opportunity for employment; career development and promotion in the Civil Service to all whom are eligible, on the basis of ability, qualifications and suitability for the work. Applications are welcome from all sections of the community irrespective of colour, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, ethnic or (subject to Civil Service rules) national origins.

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