Description

Director, Government Welfare, Compliance – Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body​

Governance of animal research plays a vital role in ensuring animal welfare standards are upheld and respected. While animal welfare ensures the well-being of animals used in our research programs, compliance with the relevant regulatory and accreditation requirements creates a framework that ensures we adhere to practices, principles and procedures that promote judicious use of animals by GSK. This role is responsible for directing animal use activities within GSK UK research facilities through oversight by the UK Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB).

This role is fundamental for ensuring governance and compliance with organizational, industry and regulatory standards for animal welfare through oversight and sound policies, practices and standards for the use of animals in research.

Annual Report 2021

Key Responsibilities

UK – Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body - Local Governance

• Oversee and direct administration of all business and regulatory operations of Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB); serve as AWERB Chair
• Serve as Home Office Liaison Contact (HOLC) responsible for interfacing with the Home Office Inspectors and UK Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) staff on all matters pertaining to the effective licensing of GSK R&D research activities, i.e. Project, Personal & Establishment Licence management.
• Serve as a primary regulatory contact for regulatory inspections and accreditation site visits; working collaboratively to provide expert knowledge of regulations governing research compliance and thereby ensuring continued organizational compliance and excellent standing with accreditation organizations
• Provide a seamless and efficient management process for licensing and compliance matters relating to the UK Animals Scientific Procedure Act 1986 (ASPA).
• Serve as point source of information for the Animal Research Community (ARC) regarding working with animals in the UK, advising on all aspects of regulatory compliance and licensing.
• Direct effective UK programs for Post Approval Monitoring of all programs and procedures to ensure compliance with established licences, accreditation requirements and enterprise SOPs, policies and guidance documents.
• As a leader within the Animal Research Governance Team, leads UK AWERB in collaboration with veterinary staff, training specialist and research community to ensure regulatory compliance; defines priorities for training to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory and accreditation requirements, and GSK policies for the care and use of animals in research.
• Support the management, co-ordination and tracking of animal welfare policies and issues, including maintenance of records and follow-up of actions in the UK.
• Reviewer and site visitor for the OAWESR Animal External Diligence (AED) team

Ensure development and application of Enterprise Standards for Animal Welfare/Governance and Incident Management – Enterprise Governance

• Direct review and reporting for Enterprise Animal Welfare Incident Management. Resolve escalated issues through root cause analysis in close partnership with stakeholders to ensure the resolutions are translated into updated and robust controls.
• Develop, review, update and ensure implementation of Enterprise Care Welfare and Treatment of Animals policies and SOPs for procedures, practices and methods related to the care and use of animals in research at GSK and Third Parties.
• Ensure effective implementation of written standards & guidance documents.
• Promote continuous improvements of procedures and practices through effective, clearly articulated, data-driven SOPs and instructional documents

Closing Date for Applications – [15th December 2023] (COB)

Please take a copy of the Job Description, as this will not be available post closure of the advert.
When applying for this role, please use the 'cover letter' of the online application or your CV to describe how you meet the competencies for this role, as outlined in the job requirements above. The information that you have provided in your cover letter and CV will be used to assess your application.

During the course of your application you will be requested to complete voluntary information which will be used in monitoring the effectiveness of our equality and diversity policies. Your information will be treated as confidential and will not be used in any part of the selection process. If you require a reasonable adjustment to the application / selection process to enable you to demonstrate your ability to perform the job requirements, please contact This will help us to understand any modifications we may need to make to support you throughout our selection process.

Why you?

Qualifications & Skills:

Basic Qualifications:

• BS in Veterinary Science, Animal Science, or a related discipline.
• Five or more years of experience interpreting relevant laws, regulations and accreditation guidelines related to the use of animals in research. This includes local, national, and international regulations including UK Animals Scientific Procedure Act 1986 (ASPA), AAALAC, regulations and guidance.
• Five or more years of experience working with or serving on an AWERB in a leadership role, with oversight of AWERB operations and processes (this includes skills in matrix team management, collaboration, decision-making and effective communications).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Veterinary Science, Animal Science, or a related research discipline.
• Significant knowledge of relevant laws, regulations and accreditation guidelines related to the use of animals in research. This includes knowledge of local, national, and international regulations.
• Extensive experience working with or serving on AWERB in a leadership role, with oversight of AWERB operations and processes (this includes skills in matrix team management, collaboration, decision-making and effective communications)
• A deep and fundamental understanding of the ethical principles for achieving scientific outcomes through the application of the 3Rs
• Must possess excellent interpersonal and diplomacy skills, and the ability to build collaborative relationships at all levels with proven ability to exhibit tact and diplomacy in sensitive situations.
• Familiarity with electronic protocol review/management systems is strongly preferred.
• Experience giving presentations and providing training, which requires ability to present in a classroom or virtual setting (public speaking skills) preferred.

Why Us?

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organization where people can thrive. Getting ahead means preventing disease as well as treating it, and we aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of 2030.

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it's also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a workplace where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and thrive as set out in our Equal and Inclusive Treatment of Employees policy. We're committed to being more proactive at all levels so that our workforce reflects the communities we work and hire in, and our GSK leadership reflects our GSK workforce.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are open to all talent. In the US, we also adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to neurodiversity, race/ethnicity, colour, national origin, religion, gender, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class*(*US only).

We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on or Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments, we will not be able to support you through these channels

As you apply, we will ask you to share some personal information which is entirely voluntary. We want to have an opportunity to consider a diverse pool of qualified candidates and this information will assist us in meeting that objective and in understanding how well we are doing against our inclusion and diversity ambitions. We would really appreciate it if you could take a few moments to complete it. Rest assured, Hiring Managers do not have access to this information and we will treat your information confidentially.

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