About the job

Job summary

The Deputy Director for Planning and Performance is a senior expert in business planning and performance management, playing a pivotal role in challenging and supporting Directorates within Health Protection Operations (HP Ops), a group of 1300 FTE and a budget of over £100m.

The post holder will work with senior leadership and operational colleagues to develop, refine, and influence group planning and performance as well as risk, assurance, and quality functions to develop and run an accountable enabling service that reflects the long-term strategic direction of UKHSA. 

The postholder will lead on preparation of Group level performance reporting including a balanced scorecard to provide high quality information to help the Director General and senior leadership to understand its historic performance, future trajectories, and the development of clear plans for improvement where necessary.  They will lead on Business Planning for the HP Ops Group, including budget allocation, working with finance business partners and strategy colleagues to allow effective and efficient use of budget, ensuring an evidence-based allocation and defence of the HP Ops budget. The post holder will provide leadership to the group assurance, risk, and quality functions, ensuring alignment with UKHSA strategies.  

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. 

Job description

• Drive the development and delivery of HP Ops strategy, Group Business Plan and Group Workforce plans to achieve organisational, financial and operational sustainability for the group and monitor progress through monthly Director reviews.
• Lead on all areas relating to budget preparation, business planning and commercial development, working in partnership with corporate leads and partners including Commercial, Finance and HR, ensuring Directorates work to common national standards and practices.
• Develop a balanced scorecard that is aligned to the UKHSA remit, strategy and performance framework with performance metrics to justify spend in the Group in line with the agreed business plan.

Assurance

• Develop/lead a consistent assurance function that influences and supports compliance, risk and quality assurance across HP Ops.
• Lead a robust risk management process across HP Ops that aligns with UKHSA risk management policy/processes and delivers a culture of proactive risk management.

Health Protection Governance and Quality

• Lead a resilient Public Health Governance and Quality function that will systematically improve effectiveness, quality and safety of services .

Communication and Relationships

• Provide accurate and timely information to the SLT and DG to assist in decision-making processes.
• To champion collaboration and innovation across the group to ensure effective working relationships in budget management, performance reporting and long-term business planning and strategy.

Leadership and Management

• Develop a strong effective team, providing motivational leadership and clear strategic vision and direction for staff.

OTHER DUTIES

The above is only an outline of the key tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role.  You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by your line manager and Director General.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the division and the UKHSA.

It should be noted that the work of the division is of a confidential nature and must not be communicated to other persons except where required for authorised purposes.

Please see the attached Job Description outlining full responsibilities of the role.

Person specification

For the initial sift your  CV and Statement of Suitability will be evaluated against your experience in relation to the following criteria:

Essential criteria

• Extensive knowledge and experience of strategic business planning management working effectively with stakeholders in a high profile and politically sensitive environment 
• Proven track record of implementing and developing performance management and KPI management and development processes working effectively with stakeholders in a high profile and politically sensitive environment
• Evidence of setting and meeting challenging targets across a range of services and functions
• Diplomacy, assertiveness and tact in presenting highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information. Tenacity to constructively challenge views and/or practice and effectively manage conflict to reach a positive conclusion
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written including ability to disseminate highly complex information to a range of staff and stakeholders
• Effective leader demonstrates integrity and personal credibility. Strives for excellence, is innovative and creative
• Demonstrate appreciation and acknowledgment of the range and complexities of diversity; self-awareness in terms of emotional intelligence, biases and personal triggers; cultural competence – cultural sensitivity and awareness 

Please be advised you can't upload any documents to your application so please complete the application with all the information you want to include. 

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - Application & Sift:

For this vacancy we are assessing candidates using Success Profiles and across the whole process we will assess your Experience, Technical aptitude, and Behaviours.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a Personal Statement / Statement of Suitability in no more than 800 words to demonstrate how you meet the essential  criteria. This should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role based on the essential criteria. Your CV and Personal Statement / Statement of Suitability will be scored together. 

STAGE 2 – Interview:

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will progress to a single video interview and will be assessed on experience based on essential criteria.

As part of the interview, candidates will be required to deliver a 5-minute presentation,  the topic of which will be confirmed prior to the interview.

Interview to be held 6 March 2024 - please note this could be subject to change. 

Location

The role can be based in any UKHSA location (Birmingham, Bristol, Horsham, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham) although regular  travel within the geographical area of responsibility and travel elsewhere/nationally as may be required by the post.

Security Clearance

You will be required to undergo Security Check clearance (SC). Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks will be done as part of any vetting. 

Salary:

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase.

Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment

Option 3 – External

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

Unfortunately, late applications can not be accepted.

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

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.

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.

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.