Senior Policy Advisor

UK Health Security Agency; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health organization in the UK is seeking a candidate for a strategy and policy role focused on vaccines and health protection systems. The successful applicant will lead policy development, manage critical functions, and collaborate with key partners across the agency and government. Applicants should have a relevant degree and experience in strategy or policy roles, along with strong communication and analytical skills. The role supports hybrid working arrangements across various core HQs.

Benefits

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible working options

Civil Service pension with employer contribution

Qualifications

• Experience in strategy and/or policy development.
• Demonstrable ability to engage with stakeholders.
• Strong writing skills to communicate complex ideas.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and policy input on vaccines.
• Deliver on core policy functions such as briefings.
• Manage the design, development, and implementation of policy work.

Skills

Communication skills

Collaboration

Analytical skills

Strategic thinking

Ability to manage multiple priorities

Education

Degree or equivalent experience in relevant field

Job description

Overview

The Health Protection Policy Division sits within the Strategy & Policy Directorate in UKHSA. We lead on policy for respiratory infections, other endemic disease, vaccines and the health effects of climate change, as well as the directorate's efforts to enhance the resilience and effectiveness of the national and local health protection system. The team is collaborative, supportive and friendly where mutual respect, diversity, and wellbeing are valued. There is also the possibility of additional roles becoming available in The Respiratory Team.

The Respiratory Policy Team provides the policy and strategy expertise needed to deliver progress in several key policy areas, including relating to vaccines and respiratory infections. We help to set strategic direction and drive policy development, working with colleagues across UKHSA, DHSC and other government departments to improve health outcomes.

The Health Protection Systems Policy Team works to support and enhance the effectiveness of the Health Protection system at a policy level, ensuring alignment between local, regional and national policies through a forward‑looking collaborative approach. We work with partners across the system, including NHS England, DHSC, MHCLG and local areas and representative bodies to translate complex health challenges into actionable policies, strengthening system resilience and improving health outcomes.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Leading and coordinating strategy and policy input as part of UKHSA's policy work on vaccines and health protection systems improvement.
• Delivering on core policy functions at pace such as briefings, correspondence and submissions.
• Managing the design, development and implementation of a range of health protection‑related strategy and policy work, analysing evidence, making policy recommendations and supporting delivery.
• Building trusted networks and relationships with key partners across the Agency, health family and broader government.
• Supporting secretariat functions for high‑profile boards and senior stakeholder groups.
• Working at pace, balancing competing priorities and demands, whilst taking ownership for outcomes and ensuring targets and deadlines are met.

Behaviours & Assessment

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

At sift stage you will be assessed against the 8 essential skills listed in the job advert.

Application Process

Applicants must complete an application form (Employer/Activity history section on the application) and a supporting statement (up to 1000 words) outlining how your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role. You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement.

Longlisting will be performed in three piles: Meets all essential criteria, Meets some essential criteria, Meets no essential criteria. Only candidates in the “Meets all essential criteria” pile will be shortlisted. Shortlisting will sift candidates based on experience of working in a strategy and/or policy development role and demonstrable ability to work both within complex technical detail and strategic contexts. Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview – candidates will be invited to a face‑to‑face interview; in exceptional circumstances a remote interview may be offered.

Nationality Requirements

• 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 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

Key Skills and Experience

• Educated to degree level in a field where a skillset relevant to strategy and policy work would be applied, or the relevant equivalent level of experience
• Experience of working in a strategy and/or policy development role, and demonstrable ability to work both within complex technical detail and strategic contexts
• Experience in building relationships across organisational boundaries to develop policy solutions to challenging problems
• Experience in working collaboratively across other government departments and with external stakeholders to agree complex policy decisions and deliver projects
• Demonstrable communication skills and ability to engage credibly and persuasively with subject matter experts, senior officials and Ministers
• Ability to write concisely and with impact, setting out complex ideas in an accessible and engaging way
• Have a strong eye for detail whilst maintaining a strategic view on how different projects fit together
• Be able to work flexibly on changing priorities and actively prioritise multiple issues

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in working in multidisciplinary teams; with scientific, clinical, data science and delivery colleagues to deliver complex pieces of work
• Experience of delivering secretariat functions and/or supporting governance structures and processes
• Working at pace, balancing competing priorities and demands, whilst taking ownership for outcomes and ensuring targets and deadlines are met

Working Arrangements

This role is being offered as a hybrid working arrangement based at any of our Core HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and London). Hybrid workers are expected to spend a minimum of 60% of contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week) at one of the UKHSA core HQs.

Salary and Benefits

Salary ranges from £41,983 to £48,128 (National) and higher for Outer London (£44,148 – £50,121) and Inner London (£46,310 – £52,113). UK Health Security Agency contributes £12,162 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Benefits include:

• 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%

Equal Opportunity

We pride ourselves as an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promotes 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. We celebrate and protect differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Additional Information

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. For more information on AI use, please see the UKHSA careers site.

Pre‑employment screening will include a criminal record check and baseline personnel security standard checks for those working with government assets.

For more information, visit the UKHSA careers site.

Reasonable Adjustments: the Civil Service is committed to making selection methods fair. If you need an adjustment during the recruitment process, contact the recruitment team in confidence.