Director of Equine Health and Welfare

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is the governing and regulatory body for horseracing in Great Britain. It is the BHA’s role to act for and on behalf of the whole sport, with a key objective being to ensure the highest standards of equine health and welfare apply on and away from the racecourse.

The BHA is looking for a Director of Equine Health and Welfare to join our Executive team, reporting to our Chief Regulatory Officer. The position is full time. home based with London based office work. The renumeration will be £120,000 – £130,000 plus a car allowance.

The role will be responsible for the implementation of the BHA’s obligations arising from the industry Horse Welfare Board Strategy 2020-2024 “A Life Well Lived”, providing strategic leadership and management oversight of all aspects of Equine Health and Welfare and Veterinary regulation, and ensuring the highest safeguarding standards are in place, promoting confidence publicly and within the sport for its future growth and development.

The ideal candidate will be passionate about Equine Welfare, the Thoroughbred, and British horseracing, who is able to apply their influential, diplomatic personality to act as a BHA ambassador, nationally and internationally, harnessing their passion and credibility to build meaningful relationships across our wide range of stakeholders, Government departments and International Racing Authorities.

Operating successfully in this role means you will need to be a transformational leader for a talented and committed team. Using a consultative approach, you’ll be a problem solver who motivates and unifies a team to deliver innovative change. You will be someone who resists the status quo and seeks to consistently develop improved policy and standards in equine care and welfare for thoroughbreds before, during and after their racing career.

You will have good knowledge of relevant BHA Rules and Instructions of Racing that relate to Veterinary Integrity and Equine Welfare, anti-doping and medication control and animal welfare legislation to play a leading role in conformity. You will communicate with honesty, demonstrating high levels of integrity, and the highest degree of ethical and moral standards.

Culturally, we take pride in the way we work and what we achieve, this is at the heart of what we expect from this role. You will need to be an inspiring, decisive lead who encourages lively discussion and diverse opinions to bring people together, working inclusively to create and foster a true “one team” spirit.

Your experience is likely to have come from an Equine Veterinary background, where you have established a sound understanding of Veterinary Racing Regulation – however the BHA is an inclusive employer who values diversity and we actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and experiences.

If you feel you have the relevant skills and experience, please apply by submitting your CV accompanied by a suitability statement (no more than 1 side of A4) describing your relevant skills and experience against the job description to recruitment@britishhoreracing.com