National Pandemic Flu Service Lead

Birmingham, Chilton, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Porton

Job Summary

The Countermeasures and Preparedness Team (CPT) sits within Commercial, Vaccines and Countermeasures Delivery in UKHSA, reporting to its Chief Operating Officer. The CPT is responsible for ensuring the UK can respond effectively to new and emerging disease threats, pandemics, and emergency response situations. This includes risks to national and wider health security, such as the accidental or malicious release of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear agent, and in incidents involving certain venoms and toxins.

The CPT is at the heart of the UKHSA’s mission to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods through effective prevention, preparedness and response to infectious diseases and environmental hazards. We achieve this through the effective oversight, procurement, supply and operationalisation of a range of medical countermeasures. We also manage key pandemic preparedness capability, including an advance purchase agreement with CSL Seqirus, the National Pandemic Flu Service and the Moderna-UK Strategic Partnership. The CPT has a serious remit, but we deliver this with a positive, supportive and fun working culture.

The National Pandemic Flu Service Lead (NPFS) is a critical role that ensures medicines for pandemics can be deployed effectively and rapidly at scale. The role will require the post holder to understand current and future policy requirements of DHSC and devolved governments to ensure the service remains fit for purpose and can be adapted to cover changing requirements (including medicines beyond influenza antivirals). This will include working with NHS teams to produce automated processes that plug into primary care. The post reports to the Head of Pandemic Preparedness in the Countermeasures and Preparedness Team.

Job Description

• Lead and be accountable for all aspects of NPFS service capability (current and future) and ensure certainty of mobilisation when needed
• Maintain a working knowledge of current and future DHSC policy requirements regarding medicines for responses to UK pandemics, ensuring a complimentary NPFS strategic roadmap is developed and operational requirements are maintained
• Work closely with colleagues in UKHSA National Operations, commission internal/external business, and technical services to ensure the NPFS is ready to be fully mobilised in 21 days or less and that it can be operated in line with the mobilisation
• Lead, supervise and guide the NPFS Team, which includes line management responsibility for 1 x SEO
• Manage and deliver end-to-end operational/preparedness projects, supporting with the definition of project scope. Utilise strong communication and problem-solving skills, to organise teams, set priorities, multitask, and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget
• Build project plans and apply appropriate project principles to deliver stated objectives. Identify and set appropriate project controls, track, and report delivery against milestones
• Lead in the drafting of project related sections in associated business cases
• Engage with a wide array of stakeholders including clinical, policy, operational and technical experts
• Provide briefings, submissions, and presentations to a wide range of stakeholders including Ministers, UKHSA CEO, and other senior officials across UKHSA, DHSC and NHS

Person specification

Essential criteria - you will be assessed on the below 6 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

• Experience in roles which have a high degree of complexity and application of project management discipline, including in an operational or health security context
• Experience of drafting robust and evidence-based business cases
• Experience of responding to a pandemic, large scale/ national incident or significant health security change programme or initiative.
• Excellent analytical skills, taking policy requirements & priorities and operational limitations to underpin the commissioning of the right services at the right time.
• Can operate autonomously and use own initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations to senior managers, with the aim of improving deliverables and compliance to policies
• Ability to build and sustain relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Skilled in navigating complex stakeholder environments to ensure alignment, effective communication, and collaborative problem-solving

Alongside your salary of £54,416, UK Health Security Agency contributes £15,764 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, Strengths, Ability, Experience, Technical skills.

Required

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 6 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

The following will be taken through to the next stage:

• Meets all essential criteria

Shortlisting

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following:

• Experience of working on the UK Government’s response to the pandemic as part of the wider “Health Family”
• Excellent analytical skills, taking policy requirements & priorities and operational limitations to underpin the commissioning of the right services at the right time.
• Ability to build and sustain relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Skilled in navigating complex stakeholder environments to ensure alignment, effective communication, and collaborative problem-solving

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.

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.

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.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.

Behaviours, technical, experience, ability and strengths will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be

• Changing and Improving (Lead behaviour)
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Eligibility Criteria - External

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location

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) or at one of our scientific campus sites (Colindale, Porton and Chilton).

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 OR Counter-terrorist Check if you are based at one of the scientific sites.

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.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

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.

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

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).

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

• Name : Gurkamal Bhambra
• Email : gurkamal.bhambra@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : gurkamal.bhambra@ukhsa.gov.uk

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