1. Candidate Brief
The Scottish Salmon Company Plc
Head of Biology

2. Contents
The Scottish Salmon Company PLC
SSC Locations
Organisation Chart
About the Role
Key Responsibilities
Key Experience
Package/Benefits
Contact Details

3. The Scottish Salmon Company PLC
The Scottish Salmon Company Plc is Scotland’s leading producer of the finest sea loch fresh Scottish salmon. Head-quartered in Edinburgh, SSC employs 480 people across 60 sites in remote and rural areas on the west coast of Scotland and Hebrides. It is the only salmon farming company in Scotland whose strategic corporate decisions are made in Scotland.
Exporting to 25 countries around the world, SSC has a growing reputation at home and abroad for producing fresh, premium quality Scottish salmon. Combined with the existing domestic sales in the UK, The Scottish Salmon Company has continued to deliver solid performance with export sales accounting for 43% of total revenues in 2016.
The Scottish Salmon Company has seen first quarter earnings soar 17 per cent year on year, growth ascribed by the company to high prices and operational improvements.
The Scottish Salmon Company remains focused on biological improvements, introducing a number of proactive and reactive strategies including: the lease of an additional well boat to ensure operational flexibility and the commissioning of a dedicated hydrolicer and targeted feed regime and the further introduction of cleaner fish throughout marine sites.
During the first quarter of this year the company received planning approval for a site at Portree on the Isle of Skye with the potential to double production on that site to 4000 tonnes and will complement their existing Hebridean operations.

4. SSC Locations

5. Organisation Chart

6. About the role Job title: Head of Biology Reporting to: CEO
Location: Edinburgh
This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Fish Biologist to join the business at an exciting time in the growth cycle of The Scottish Salmon Company PLC (SSC). Reporting to the CEO and leading a dedicated team of six, you will be an advocate for the health and welfare of the salmon and cleaner fish stock, providing expertise to the business in all aspects of aquaculture, from understanding and managing the growth in both freshwater and marine hatcheries and farms to supporting the communication process with local and industry stakeholders.
There will be a focus on the continued development of people, systems, policies and processes to achieve 'best in class' and compatibility with the wider objectives of the Company.
Through a respectful, constructive and energetic leadership style the Head of Biology will provide the vision necessary to ensure that the Company has the proper biological controls and procedures in place to effectively continue the growth of the organisation and drive efficiency. You will engage with key stakeholders across the company, supporting the growth and development of SSC’s plans.
About the role

7. Key Responsibilities
Fish Health – design and implement a preventative health strategy to include vaccination forecasting, disease surveillance and stock assessments.
Lice Control Strategy – Continually review & implement new approaches to ensure SSC is achieving industry best practise. Strategic treatment planning and integrated sea lice management plan.
Continuous Improvement – Direct research activities in key fish health areas, developing SOPs and training materials. Engagement in industry driven/related research.
Internal & External Audit – Drive a biology internal audit process, in conjunction with other compliance departments to deliver best practise. Working with other departments to support the External Audit process.
Team Development - ensure that the appropriate team structures are in place, and are resourced by the right quality of people who reflect the Values and the needs of the Business. Owns training and development of the individuals in the teams to enable progression to resource growth or to replace current roles. 

8. Key Responsibilities (cont.)
Cleaner Fish Program – manage supply of cleaner fish to marine production through farmed and wild caught cleaner fish. Work with Marine production to develop the program to ensure best practise and continuous improvement, with the aim to reduce/eliminate the requirement for wild caught wrasse. 
Measurement & Control - develops appropriate KPIs that are cascaded through the teams. Ensures that these KPIs are used at all levels through the teams to improve business performance. 
Financial Management - formulate and agree the Biology budget plans which form an integral part of the overall Business Plan. Controls the total expenditure to meet or better the budget, and controls the authorised capital expenditure to achieve or better agreed returns, ensuring in both of these that the business gets the best value solutions. 
External Stakeholders – Lead the SSC relationship with all relevant external and regulatory bodies such as SEPA & Marine Scotland. Providing research / reports as required for specific information requests e.g. due diligence, post incident or health related projects. 

9. Key Experience
Analytical approach, experience of working as a specialist central biological or veterinary resource.
A wide working knowledge of fish diseases.
A wide knowledge of legislation e.g. Marine Scotland, Fishers Act & Aquaculture and quality and customer standards.
A working knowledge of the salmon production process and how it relates to product quality.
Understands the impact on the environment by fish farming.
Excellent IT skills, able to produce detailed analytical reports.
Ability to work in isolation and within a team and to show initiative as required. Role will involve extensive travel, both nationally and internationally. 

10. Person Specification
Biology degree or a minimum of 5 years’ experience working as a health manager on production sites, leading a small team of more junior staff.
Budget management experience with a proactive approach to cost saving.
Confident and approachable, able to communicate at all levels of the business from the cage to the board room.
A coach who is proactive and encourages others to succeed.
Provides team with a clear sense of direction, inspires and co-ordinates others and keeps them focused on objectives.
Demonstrates specialist knowledge and expertise in own area; participates in continuous professional development.
Routinely challenges current practices to identify and deliver value improvements and solutions.
Able to operate under adverse conditions with little or no warning and be able to adjust to shifting priorities whilst still achieving deadlines.
Identifies and adopts industry best practice.

11. Package & Benefits Contact Details
A competitive package will be made available for the appropriate applicant, with all the benefits one would expect from a role of this nature. Exact details will be offered once relevance for the role has been established.
Contact Details
Jules Pearson
Associate Director
Telephone: