About the job

Job summary

Business & Commercial Manager

SEO National - £38,724 - £44,393

Based at UKHSA Porton Down

Permanent Contract

Are you looking for a new challenge in a dynamic and innovative environment? Do you have experience in business and commercial management? If so, you might be the perfect candidate for our Business and Commercial Manager role at UKHSA Porton.

As a Business and Commercial Manager, you will be part of the Operations team that supports two cutting-edge scientific divisions: Vaccine Development, Evaluation & Preparedness (VDEP) and Diagnostics and Pathogen Characterisation (DPC). These divisions provide a vital laboratory-based service to tackle infectious diseases, especially those with pandemic potential. You will work alongside world-class researchers who test vaccines against COVID-19 and other emerging threats, and who develop diagnostic tools to identify and characterise pathogens.

Your main responsibilities will include leading the commercial and procurement aspects of the business, ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the divisions, and developing the role to meet the changing needs of the organisation. You will join a fast-paced and collaborative team that values excellence, innovation, and diversity.

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please apply now. We look forward to hearing from you.

Location

Based at UKHSA Porton Down

 

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

 

Working Pattern – Full Time, Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working, Compressed Hours

Job description

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Ensuring continued compliance to the UKHSA Investment Governance model for purchases across VDEP/DPC; provide leadership and expertise in this area
• Contribute to and support the delivery of the VDEP/DPC Capital programme and related purchases.
• Liaising with and supporting UKHSA project leads and scientific staff in crafting business cases and tender specs for larger value purchases and contracts.
• Lead on contract management where required and liaise with others to ensure that UKHSA resources are utilised effectively for the contracting purpose and financial returns are maximised.
• Reporting through line manager on a regular basis to critically evaluate the results of activities and key issues in areas of responsibility.
• Developing and managing a portfolio of assigned projects as directed by line manager and Head of Operations, including input to VDEP/DPC strategies and policies for short and long-term commercial plans.
• Review with line manager and team, information to streamline purchases and contract generation and to prioritise demand-led work activities to deliver a high quality and value-adding service to UKHSA project staff.
• Provide reports as required, prepare presentations, and participate as the VDEP/DPC representative as required with internal and external colleagues, stakeholders and customer
• To perform any other duties required by the line manager commensurate with grade.
• To ensure that the department undertakes work in accordance with the UKHSA’s code of safety practice and to work within any Quality Systems that are applicable to the site.
• To comply with all UKHSA policies and procedures.

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.

Please see job description attached for full list of duties and competencies associated with the post.

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1250 words that you give evidence and examples of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

 

Essential

• Honours Degree in a relevant Life Sciences related subject, or demonstrable experience in a similar position
• Proven experience of delivering effective verbal and written communications to stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally
• Strong track record of working in a process-driven environment whilst being open and reactive to change and flexible when needed
• Demonstrable experience in successfully managing projects and operations end-to-end
• Experience in gathering user requirement specifications
• Excellent time management skills – ability to organise workload effectively, prioritising work as necessary often in a continuously changing environment.

 

Desirable

 

• Experience or working knowledge of the laboratory environment
• Experience of writing or contributing to Business Cases and Tender Specifications
• Knowledge of public sector regulatory compliance and governance issues
• Experience of contract management

 

Please ensure that your statement of suitability does not contain any personal identifiers such as Name, Gender, Location, Marital Status, Sexual Orientation or Religion. The UKHSA operates a fair and open recruitment policy.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,724, UK Health Security Agency contributes £10,455 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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. 

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

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an in-person interview

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.   

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.

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
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

 

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 17th March 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.

Shortlist: 23rd March 2024

Interviews: w/c 1st April 2024

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

Eligibility Criteria

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

Nationality requirements

Appointments to roles within UKHSA will be made in accordance with the Civil Service nationality rules. These can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• Nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• Relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• Certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

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 welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

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. 

 

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.