About the job

Job summary

National location £22,194 - £24,184

Outer London location £24,291 - £25,312

UKHSA’s mission is to make the nation health secure. We provide strategic leadership and vision for protecting and improving the nation’s health, by preventing, detecting and mitigating eternal threats to health. Our ambition is to lead health responses nationally, and enable locally, in partnership with local authorities, the NHS, academia, industry and others. We will achieve this through the application of research, knowledge and skills. As an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, UKHSA is a distinct delivery organization with operational autonomy to advise and support government, local authorities and the NHS in a professionally independent manner.

This role sits within UKHSA’s award-winning Commercial Directorate, which played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Truly dynamic, our teams operate at significant pace in a commercially complex environment to procure a diverse range of goods and services in a highly competitive global market.  

UKHSA’s Commercial teams continue to play a central role in priority activity, supporting responses to health threats as they occur, and ensuring enduring, resilient scientific and technical capabilities that secure the UK in the strongest position to protect the public from future threats to health. 

Job description

About the team:

The Business Development Department supports achievement of UKHSA’s goals by helping win external funding for research, and commercialising services created through the agency’s wide-ranging scientific and public health expertise. In particular the department manages and exploits the agency’s strong Intellectual Property portfolio, realising a financial return on the investment of public funds to generate high quality public health interventions and assets, and reducing the cost to the government of cutting-edge public health capabilities.

Business Development must constantly adapt to meet the changing needs of the organisation and, in particular, continually seeks to strengthen its skills base in the spectrum of capabilities represented by UKHSA. The team aligns with Department of Health and Social Care and HM Treasury commercial policies related to managing public money and knowledge asset management, thus ensuring the organisation meets its obligations under the current legislation and case law.  The team also coordinates the response to external audits and external enquiries related to income generation fulfilling statutory requirements such as freedom of information requests.

This post will provide skilled administrative support to the Business Development Department and the Marketing Manager, to ensure that administration and monitoring of documentation (customer files and databases) and equipment is up to date and accurate.  The post holder will keep appropriate records of invoices, meetings details, reference materials, reports, project files.  The post holder will also arrange meetings as required by line management and assist senior staff with email, correspondence and team and project management.

While in this role the post holder will work towards gaining an Apprenticeship qualification to achieve your Business Administrator - Level 3 (equivalent to A levels at grades A to E). This will include completing 20% off-the-job training modules for the purpose of achieving the standard connected to your apprenticeship. 

Location

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working – this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. UKHSA have office locations across the UK. 

Role available at all scientific locations with home working available

Porton Down, Colindale, Chilton or home working subject to approval 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.

The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business needs and in line with departmental policy. 

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.* 

Key duties will include, but are not limited to:

• Provide administrative support to the Business Development Department.
• Taking minutes at meetings within Business Development, ensuring actions are recorded and appropriately relayed.
• Provide assistance to the marketing activities with regard to preparation of marketing materials and coordinating conference attendances/travel bookings.
• Assist in the timely processing of documentation and bring urgent matters to the attention of managers.
• Maintain and assist with accurate, timely records management, developing/populating and maintaining databases and electronic file systems.
• Support administration of the UKHSA patent portfolio.
• To assist Business Development senior staff with the maintenance of effective communications systems and networks within UKHSA Business Development and Legal functions and, where appropriate, outside collaborators/partners.
• Maintain and manage key filing systems for Business Development activities and projects, for example customer information, project and contract files, distribution lists, publications and presentations.
• Assist in the production and dissemination of reports as required by line management.
• Deal appropriately with complex and sensitive internal and external enquiries and documents.
• Assist with the management of internal and external meetings and workshop arrangements, travel, conferences, accommodation, agendas, minutes, etc.
• Efficient administrative activities including diary management, calendars, and meetings.
• To perform any other duties required by the Line Manager commensurate with grade.
• To undertake work in accordance with UKHSA’s Health and Safety policies and procedures and to work within any Quality Systems that are applicable to the site.
• To comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures.

The post holder will provide skilled administrative support to the Business Development Department and the Marketing Manager, to ensure that administration and monitoring of documentation (customer files and databases) and equipment is up to date and accurate.  The post holder will keep appropriate records of invoices, meetings details, reference materials, reports, project files.  You will arrange meetings as required by line management and assist senior staff with email, correspondence and team and project management.

While in this role the post holder will work towards gaining an Apprenticeship qualification to achieve your Business Administrator - Level 3 (equivalent to A levels at grades A to E). This will include completing 20% off-the-job training modules for the purpose of achieving the standard connected to your apprenticeship. 

Communication and key working relationships

Internal:

• Daily with Line Manager and BD staff.
• Weekly with BD staff to facilitate travel arrangements.
• Weekly with the Marketing Manager for marketing tasks.
• Weekly with Contracts Specialist for records management tasks.

External:

• Daily with onsite service providers (i.e. site security and reception staff).
• External telephone and email enquiries daily (this is a client-facing role).
• Commercial customers daily and as required.
• Monthly with TrackWise Support team for contract and business database management.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of no more than 750 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

Essential

• Achieved at least 5 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above, or equivalent level qualification, including English and Mathematics, or evidence of holding an equivalent level qualification
• Willing to undertake occasional business travel in the UK and overseas when required (by agreement), ideally with a full, clean UK driving licence
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word and Excel
• Clear and accurate data entry and communication skills
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, with a flexible approach to work
• Problem solving skills
• Good timekeeping
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and trust
• Experience handling sensitive and/or confidential data
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems

Desirable

• Previous experience of working in a public sector administrative environment.
• Basic understanding of data protection and information governance legislation

Benefits

Working for the UKHSA

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. 

For more information on the UKHSA please visit: UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Benefits

• 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 average employer contribution of 27%
• Range of health and wellbeing support

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at Childcare Choices , 30 Hours Free Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More , Help with Costs , GOV.UK

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.  

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

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview by video. 

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification. 

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others
• Delivering at Pace

When assessing strengths, we want to find out whether you and the job role are a good fit. We will look at what you enjoy doing and what you do well and often. By ensuring that the role is the right fit for you, you are more likely to enjoy it and perform well.

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 11th February 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Interviews: 26th-28th February 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

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.  People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Complaint process:

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: Complaints1@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. 

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.

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

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.