Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London –Canary Wharf (Core HQs)
Job Summary
The wider Directorate is pivotal to UKHSA's mission, overseeing the comprehensive delivery of commercial, contract management, and business development functions. It manages a vast commercial portfolio, ensuring the agency has the resources to address health security threats.
The directorate leads the procurement, storage, and distribution of vaccines and countermeasures for national immunisation and emergency response programmes. It fosters industry partnerships, drives strategic market engagement, and builds supply chain resilience.
Additionally, the team is responsible for investment governance, dispute management, and building commercial capabilities. They also develop and execute strategies for income generation, leveraging UKHSA’s expertise and facilities to secure funding and commercial opportunities.
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Job Description
This role is part of the Countermeasures and Preparedness department and reports into the Pandemic Vaccines Ops Lead.
* To assist in all aspects (business case drafting, internal and external communications, secretariat support for project meetings) associated with the procurement and ongoing management of Pandemic Specific Vaccines to meet DHSC policy requirements.
* To assist in ensuring the stockpiles of Pandemic Preparedness Countermeasures and associated Operational plans are maintained and procured in a timely manner in liaison with various stakeholders inside and outside of UKHSA.
* To support colleagues in the development of relevant business cases for approval and coordinating inputs into the various cases from internal and external stakeholders.
* To monitor and administer the shared team mailbox liaising with internal team members to ensure queries are dealt with in a timely fashion.
* To assist drafting of correspondence, FOIs and briefing on pandemic preparedness issues.
The post holder will work closely with partners to support the management and maintenance of our Pandemic Specific vaccine and associated consumables requirements, whilst also supporting the development of suitable operational distribution plans in the event these products are required across the NHS in England, and throughout the Devolved Administrations.
Along with colleagues in the team the post holder will assist in ensuring that:
* Appropriate contractual arrangements are in place to deliver a Pandemic Specific Vaccines at the time of need and that associated commensurate consumables are procured and maintained in preparedness.
* Appropriate operational plans are in place for the issuance of these products in the event of a pandemic.
For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
You will be assessed on the below 5 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.
* Experience of working in a fast-paced environment, with complex issues.
* Ability to build and sustain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
* Ability to work with limited supervision to tight and often changing timescales.
* An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
* Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline, or relevant equivalent experience.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Alongside your salary of £31,997, UK Health Security Agency contributes £9,269 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
* Learning and development tailored to your role.
* An environment with flexible working options.
* A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
* A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours/Ability and Experience
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Success profiles
Required
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 5 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
* Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
* 1200- word Statement of Suitability.
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
* Meets all essential criteria
* Meets some essential criteria
* Meets no essential criteria.
Please note only Pile 1 will be carried though to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist
* Experience of working in a fast-paced environment, with complex issues.
* Ability to build and sustain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Desirable criteria: The following may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates
* Knowledge of project management principles and their application.
* Experience of drafting written correspondence for a range of stakeholders including development of business cases.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview.
Please do not exceed 1200-words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
Stage 2: Interview
Success Profiles
You will be invited to a remote interview.
Behaviours, experience and ability will be tested at interview.
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be
* Working together
* Changing and improving
* Delivering at pace
* Communicating and influencing.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.
Eligibility Criteria
External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Location
Hybrid any Core HQ
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce.
As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London).
Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
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).
* 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
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 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.
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).
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
* Name : Chris Williams
* Email : chris.williams2@ukhsa.gov
Recruitment team
* Email : chris.williams2@ukhsa.gov
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk #J-18808-Ljbffr