About the job

Job summary

We are seeking to appoint a Consultant Epidemiologist in the HIV section of the Blood Safety, Hepatitis, STI and HIV Division.  Reducing the harmful impact to health of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV is a key UKHSA strategic objective and supports the UK government’s ambition to meet the WHO goal to eliminate HIV transmission in the UK by 2030.

The post is within the Clinical Ringfence starting as soon as possible and usually based at Colindale though open to flexible working arrangements.

Working for your organisation

At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards. We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health. 

Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work. 

Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, hearing and acting upon diverse voices and opinions to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working. 

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. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Job description

This post is based in the HIV section of the Blood Safety, Hepatitis, STI and HIV Division.  Reducing the harmful impact to health of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV is a key UKHSA strategic objective and supports the UK government’s ambition to meet the WHO goal to eliminate HIV transmission in the UK by 2030. The post holder will be responsible for oversight of all aspects of work related to HIV.  This includes oversight of HIV surveillance, policy, report, elimination agenda, HIV research and evaluation programmes.  The post holder will provide expert clinical advice on related clinical queries including breaches of infection control related to HIV and other BBVs, and is responsible for ensuring that UKHSA HIV related guidance is up to date.  The post holder will be expected to join the duty doctor in and out of hours rota, support or lead on BBV related outbreak responses and will have managerial responsibilities.

The Blood Safety, Hepatitis, STI and HIV (BSHSH) Division is the national centre for surveillance of hepatitis, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England. The Division consists of permanent and project-funded medical, scientific, technical and administrative staff including epidemiologists, public health specialists, microbiologists, virologists, data managers, statisticians and IT specialists.

At Colindale, the Division works closely with other PHP Divisions, particularly Immunisation and VPD, Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance and Reference Laboratories. The Division is also closely involved with the work of the NIHR-funded Health Protection Research Units, which are collaborative ventures involving UKHSA and academia.

Person specification

For medical practitioners: in line with legislation, inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice

The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority or if from a background other than medicine to NHS Agenda for Change Band 8d.

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• GMC full and specialist register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview)
• UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists or be eligible within 6 months
• If included in the GMC Specialist Register in a specialty other than public health medicine, infectious diseases medicine or medical microbiology, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health medicine, infectious diseases medicine or medical microbiology practice
• If an applicant is UK trained, they must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Minimum 6 months training in health protection
• Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements in accordance with the requirements of the Faculty of Public Health/Royal College of Pathologists
• Experience of communicable disease control in a wide variety of settings including out of hours on call
• Postgraduate experience in infectious diseases epidemiology
• Personal expertise in dealing with complex clinical queries on vaccine and hepatitis
• Experience in the public health management of cases or incidents of HIV, vaccine preventable diseases or hepatitis
• Research experience including protocol development
• Understanding of epidemiology and statistics, public health practice, health promotion, health economics and health care evaluation

Desirable criteria

• Minimum 12 months training in health protection, with at least 3 months at national and/or regional level
• Evidence of successful proposals to obtain research funding

Skills / Capabilities / Behaviours

Essential criteria

• Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Skilled at dealing with the public and the media
• Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
• High level of data management and manipulation skills
• Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data
• Commitment to team-working, and respect and consideration for the skills of others
• Able to prioritise work, and work well against a background of change and uncertainty
• Adaptable to situations, can handle people of all capabilities and attitudes
• Self-motivated, pro-active, and innovative

Equality and Diversity

Essential criteria

• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

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%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

The job plan and the job description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder in the light of the needs of the employing organisation.

Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the Person Specification (available online) as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria; please refer to the Person Specification for a full overview.  Please also see job description for competencies. 

Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) 

If included in the GMC Specialist Register/ in a specialty other than public health medicine, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health practice 

Public Health Specialty Registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC 

The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority. 

Prospective candidates are invited to an informal discussion about the post with Sema Mandal via email sema.mandal@ukhsa.gov.uk, Consultant Epidemiologist in the first instance. 

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

Hybrid Working

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 usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home.

Further information

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 here

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

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.