About the job

Job summary

National location £30,473- £37,215

Outer London location £32,469 - £39,532

Inner London location £34,463 - £41,478

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for protecting every member of every community from the impact of infectious diseases, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents, and other health threats. We provide intellectual, scientific, and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage, to make the nation's health secure.

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 the response to health threats such as Mpox (Monkeypox) and Strep A as they occur, and ensuring a resilient infrastructure to secure the UK in the strongest position to protect the public from future threats to health. 

The Commercial Policy, Governance and Assurance Team supports the Accounting Officer to fulfil their obligations in accordance with the delegated authority given by The Department Health and Social Care, HM Treasury authority, and Cabinet Office Spending Controls.  It further supports the organisation to ensure adequate scrutiny and approval of business cases and commercial proposals to ensure they represent value for money and comply with the internal governance framework and external Cabinet Office Spending Controls. 

The team aligns with The Department of Health and Social Care and Cabinet Office to adopt commercial policy and assurance, including the adoption of Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Notes, thus ensuring the organisation meets its obligations under the procurement legislation and case law.  The also team coordinates the commercial response to external audits, the Covid-Inquiry, and external enquiries fulfilling statutory requirements such as, freedom of information and parliamentary.  Finally, the team is now moving to prioritise development and delivery of an internal assurance framework and the adoption of the changes to Government procurement as a result of the Procurement Bill.

Job description

Location

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) operates 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 locations (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London). For certain roles, some additional flexibility may be possible, which will be agreed upon with the hiring manager based on individual requirements and business needs.

The Client is happy for candidate to work a minimum of 30hrs over 4 days.

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

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Coordinate the Commercial response to external enquiries, logging all requests for information and working with relevant teams across the directorate to compile responses.
• Develop and maintain an effective central repository, ensuring compliance to records management and that information is updated in a timely and accurate manner and taking ownership by proactively following up on overdue responses across the commercial teams.
• Work with the leadership team to develop an appropriate and consistent protocol for the handling of all external enquiries on behalf of the Commercial Function.
• Work with team to ensure all approvals evidence and other documentation is stored on SharePoint
• Build and maintain a strong relationship with UKHSA Parliamentary and FoI Teams, ensuring that exemptions are applied where appropriate in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and providing guidance on their application.
• Produce compliance reports and sit reps for the Compliance & Assurance Manager and the head of Commercial Governance.
• Maintain the commercial teams’ publications on our internal SharePoint relating to Freedom of Information.
• Provide advice and guidance to Commercial Staff on UKHSA’s Freedom of Information policy and processes.
• Act as the commercial team’s main point of contact for external and internal inquiries regarding Freedom of Information & Parliamentary questions
• Lead commercial reviews and audits acting as a key liaison across the Commercial Function relating to internal reviews and commissions and external audits / reviews such as the Government Internal Audit Agency and National Audit Office.
• Track and ensuring delivery against associated action plans for subsequent reporting to Commercial Senior Leadership Team and UKHSA Audit and Risk Committee.
• Undertake other administration duties and support for the assurance Team including support to the Internal Assurance Framework as and when deemed appropriate.

The successful candidate will:

• The role is to provide support and administrative support to the Assurance Team, particularly providing effective coordination and response to external enquiries, including but not limited to, Freedom and Information requests, Parliamentary requests and Informational Commissioner reviews / decisions made to the commercial directorate.
• The role will include responsibility for the logging all request for internal referrals, following up on requests and working closely with Parliamentary and Information Rights Teams to ensure these are closed in a timely and compliant manner.
• As well as the collation of information for final responses provided by our information rights team. This will involve applying key exemptions and understanding of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
• The role will be required to lead commercial reviews and audits acting as a key liaison across the Commercial Function relating to internal reviews and commissions and external audits / reviews such as the Government Internal Audit Agency and National Audit Office.
• The role will also be responsible for the subsequent tracking and successful delivery of associated action plans.
• Other general duties as deemed appropriate will include additional flexibility and administrative support across the wider scope of the Assurance & Compliance Team.

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

• Able to communicate effectively and compellingly both orally and in writing with different levels of seniority
• Demonstrate persistence and resilience, achieving success by delivering despite obstacles
• Manage and prioritise workload to meet changing demands and delivery targets
• Be proactive, taking ownership and accountability to drive efficiency and operation
• Experience in managing data and reporting
• Experience in an assurance or compliance environment.
• Experienced with Microsoft Office and SharePoint
• Experience of responding to external enquiries, including FoI requests.

Desirable

• Basic commercial knowledge in a UK government environment
• Formal FOI accreditation
• Prior experience working in an audit environment

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. This will be used in the sifting process and will be scored.

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:

• Lead behaviour- Making effective decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and improving 

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

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 14th 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.

Interviews: w/c TBD

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.