Pandemic Preparedness and Incident Response Delivery Lead
Relocation
Job Description
Birmingham, Chilton, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf or Colindale), Porton (Core HQs and Scientific Campus’)
Job Summary
The Pandemic Preparedness and Incident Response Delivery Lead will enhance the Public Health Microbiology Directorate’s Pandemic Preparedness and Incident Response capabilities. The role involves establishing relationships across UKHSA and wider government to develop a comprehensive portfolio of the directorate’s commitments to cross-government strategic programmes and maintaining a forward look for key deliverables. This includes ensuring SMEs are informed of obligations in advance, balancing strategic work with business-as-usual activities, and providing high-quality, aligned input for commissions, ministerial requests, and strategic papers.
In conjunction with the Private Office, acting as the primary point of contact for corporate queries, the role will coordinate responses, draft briefing notes, and maintain an accessible database of strategic inputs. The individual will support incident response preparedness by embedding lessons learned into operational practice, coordinating the establishment and resourcing of laboratory response cells during incidents, and acting as the main contact to ensure timely delivery of key actions. They will provide ongoing incident support, facilitate communication with internal and external stakeholders, and ensure all activities are recorded for continuous improvement. Additionally, the role will collaborate with policy teams to align directorate activities with national priorities, monitor policy developments, and communicate the directorate’s contributions to national and international initiatives.
Working for your organisation
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
Co-ordination of strategic input required for cross-government programmes.
- Establish relationships across UKHSA and wider government strategy, policy, and secretariat teams to build a portfolio document of key cross-government and UKHSA strategic programmes that the directorate has commitments to deliver under and establishing a regular forward look timeline of when updates against these deliverables are required.
- Ensure that key SMEs are appraised of this forward look and aware of their obligations to input from an early stage so that updates can be provided in a considered manner that balances work required against wider BAU obligations.
- Co-ordinate consistent and reflective input into commissions, papers and programmes that specialist microbiology is responsible for, engaging with SMEs to ensure information provided is of high standard, is accurate, is deliverable and responses are prioritised in line with Science strategy priorities where appropriate.
- In conjunction with the Directorate’s allocated Private Office, the individual will act as a first point of contact when responding to all commissions, ministerial and Executive Committee requests and drafting of PQs and National Audit Office responses that require Directorate wide visibility/input/clearance in relation to the strategic programmes relevant to the directorate.
- Work with the Science Group Public Inquiry lead to ensure that responses to rule 9 requests are managed in a co-ordinated manner, ensuring that key SME’s have inputted into/cleared the relevant sections of the response.
- Work with private office/Business management team to establish a database record for all inputs/responses relating to key strategic programmes to ensure that all information is held in an easily accessible and transparent manner in line with data handling requirements.
- Draft concise and compelling briefing notes, stakeholder engagement materials, and presentation slides to support senior leaders in building partnerships and influencing decisions.
- Lead a programme of work in tandem to the Quality and Risk Assurance Deputy Director to consolidate and embed in operational practice/BAU activity lessons learned from previous incident responses to ensure the directorate is appropriately prepared to stand up diagnostics for a future incident.
- Co-ordinate the establishment of the laboratory/virology cell in the event of a future incident; including ensuring the cell is appropriately resourced and on-call rotas are produced providing key SME cover, that the cell is connected to other cells and the central incident response team, that commissions are completed in a timely and accurate manner, ensuring that key actions are managed closely and that regular updates are provided to the cell lead and key SME’s.
- Provide ongoing support of the laboratory cell during the incident, acting as a single point of contact to ensure key activities/deliverables are progressed and delivered to key timelines and that an ongoing record of key learnings/activities is maintained.
- The individual will act as the primary point of contact for all requests relating to incident response from internal and external parties (including ministers and the NHS).
- Work collaboratively with policy teams to align directorate activities with national priorities and identify opportunities to inform policy development.
- Monitor and analyse emerging policy trends to ensure the directorate is at the forefront of relevant developments.
- Partner with the Director and Deputy Directors of the Public Health Microbiology Directorate to showcase and communicate the directorate’s contributions to national and international initiatives.
- Effective line management of administrative staff (if applicable) and management of administrative functions to ensure flexibility and capacity to meet the needs of the Directorate.
- Manage staff (if applicable), undertaking appraisals, recruitment including progressing any disciplinary or capability issues, as necessary.
- Ensure continued adherence to meeting training requirements over the course of the appointment in line with contractual/civil service obligations.
- The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, including internally: clinical and non-clinical staff, scientists, academics, corporate staff e.g. policy teams, managers and Directors. External: Ministers, NHS, Academic Institutions, other Civil Service Departments, public bodies, stakeholders and members of the public. This may include verbal face to face communication, including delivering presentations and by phone, email, correspondence, reports and briefings.
- Undergo a programme of on-going development and education, including the annual appraisal process, to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to meet the behaviours and competencies required to undertake the role.
- Establish relationships across UKHSA and wider government strategy, policy, and secretariat teams to build a portfolio document of key cross-government and UKHSA strategic programmes that the directorate has commitments to deliver under and establishing a regular forward look timeline of when updates against these deliverables are required.
- Ensure that key SMEs are appraised of this forward look and aware of their obligations to input from an early stage so that updates can be provided in a considered manner that balances work required against wider BAU obligations.
- Co-ordinate consistent and reflective input into commissions, papers and programmes that specialist microbiology is responsible for, engaging with SMEs to ensure information provided is of high standard, is accurate, is deliverable and responses are prioritised in line with Science strategy priorities where appropriate.
- In conjunction with the Directorate’s allocated Private Office, the individual will act as a first point of contact when responding to all commissions, ministerial and Executive Committee requests and drafting of PQs and National Audit Office responses that require Directorate wide visibility/input/clearance in relation to the strategic programmes relevant to the directorate.
- Work with the Science Group Public Inquiry lead to ensure that responses to rule 9 requests are managed in a co-ordinated manner, ensuring that key SME’s have inputted into/cleared the relevant sections of the response.
- Work with private office/Business management team to establish a database record for all inputs/responses relating to key strategic programmes to ensure that all information is held in an easily accessible and transparent manner in line with data handling requirements.
- Draft concise and compelling briefing notes, stakeholder engagement materials, and presentation slides to support senior leaders in building partnerships and influencing decisions.
- Lead a programme of work in tandem to the Quality and Risk Assurance Deputy Director to consolidate and embed in operational practice/BAU activity lessons learned from previous incident responses to ensure the directorate is appropriately prepared to stand up diagnostics for a future incident.
- Co-ordinate the establishment of the laboratory/virology cell in the event of a future incident; including ensuring the cell is appropriately resourced and on-call rotas are produced providing key SME cover, that the cell is connected to other cells and the central incident response team, that commissions are completed in a timely and accurate manner, ensuring that key actions are managed closely and that regular updates are provided to the cell lead and key SME’s.
- Provide ongoing support of the laboratory cell during the incident, acting as a single point of contact to ensure key activities/deliverables are progressed and delivered to key timelines and that an ongoing record of key learnings/activities is maintained.
- The individual will act as the primary point of contact for all requests relating to incident response from internal and external parties (including ministers and the NHS).
- Work collaboratively with policy teams to align directorate activities with national priorities and identify opportunities to inform policy development.
- Monitor and analyse emerging policy trends to ensure the directorate is at the forefront of relevant developments.
- Partner with the Director and Deputy Directors of the Public Health Microbiology Directorate to showcase and communicate the directorate’s contributions to national and international initiatives.
- Effective line management of administrative staff (if applicable) and management of administrative functions to ensure flexibility and capacity to meet the needs of the Directorate.
- Manage staff (if applicable), undertaking appraisals, recruitment including progressing any disciplinary or capability issues, as necessary.
- Ensure continued adherence to meeting training requirements over the course of the appointment in line with contractual/civil service obligations.
- The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, including internally: clinical and non-clinical staff, scientists, academics, corporate staff e.g. policy teams, managers and Directors. External: Ministers, NHS, Academic Institutions, other Civil Service Departments, public bodies, stakeholders and members of the public. This may include verbal face to face communication, including delivering presentations and by phone, email, correspondence, reports and briefings.
- Undergo a programme of on-going development and education, including the annual appraisal process, to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to meet the behaviours and competencies required to undertake the role.
Essential Role Criteria
- Experience in Strategic Programme Management
- Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management
- Incident Response and Preparedness Experience
- Strong Communication and Drafting Skills
- Knowledge of Public Health Structures and Policy
- Proficiency in Data Management
- Project Management Qualification
- Experience in Public Health or Microbiology
- Policy Development Experience
- 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%
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
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 supporting statement.
The Application form and supporting statement 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
- Meets all essential criteria
- Meets some essential criteria
In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following:
- Incident Response and Preparedness Experience
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & 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 (success profiles)
You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.
Behaviours, experience, and strengths will be tested at interview.
The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be
- Delivering at Pace (Lead behaviour)
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Seeing the bigger picture
- Making effective decisions
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, and Porton ).
Future location
UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.
The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.
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 Security Clearance.
For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
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)
Artificial Intelligence 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. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Link Below
Artificial intelligence and recruitment , Civil Service Careers
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.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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) (opens in a new window)
- 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
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
Job Contact
- Name : Gurkamal Bhambra
- Email : gurkamal.bhambra@ukhsa.gov.uk
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
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