About the job

Job summary

National: £65,302 - £75,129

Outer: £67,288 - £76,967

Inner: £69,275 - £78,805

Please note temporary opportunities might be available

This is an exciting opportunity to join the People Group in UKHSA as we enable the new organisation to fulfil the next stage of development. The UKHSA People Function plays a key role in supporting the business through change as we build our organisation and ensure we recruit and retain the very best people to achieve our vision.

The role of a HR Business Partner in UKHSA is changing following the establishment of a dedicated HR Casework Service and we are looking for HR leaders who are looking for their next challenge and the opportunities to leave their mark.  

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 the UKHSA offices, 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. 

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.*

Job description

As G6 Head of HR Business Partnering, you will lead, inspire and coach a team of G7 HR Business Partners as we embed a more strategic HR Business Partner offer. The overall responsibilities of the role will include partnering Exco members and their leadership teams, being part of business senior leadership teams and the wider People Leadership Team within UKHSA. You will coach business leaders to understand, assess and improve team capability and capacity and which factors impact on ability to deliver business outcomes.

You will be accountable for the development and deployment of business focused people interventions and will work collaboratively with other senior HR leads to ensure the delivery of end-to-end HR systems/services in support of the development and transformation of the UKHSA. This will include communicating programme intent and coaching business leaders to assure delivery/ support outcomes.

HRBPs deliver or commission HR interventions that align with business priorities utilising a range of HR expertise including: 

• Strategic workforce planning,
• Organisational and cultural change,
• Building capability,
• Employee Relations,
• Diversity, inclusion, and talent management, and,
• Reward (including the roll out of specialist pay schemes).

You will use HR and business data analytics, performance and informal feedback to identify/address continuous improvement opportunities; ensuring business leaders understand drivers of employee engagement and relationship between employee and business performance.

HRBPs are effective by building trusted relationships, acting as a confidant and forms alliances with internal/ external stakeholders to scan for emerging trends /best practice and should be adept at strategic relationship mapping.

As a Head of a HR Business Partnering team you will lead and coach HR colleagues to focus their contribution on high-priority/high-value delivery to support development of HR capability. You will also work flexibly and collaboratively across business and HR functions to ensure effective planning and execution of organisational and structural changes as well as deployment of HR resource and expertise.

As a member of the wider leadership team, you will help develop strategies relating to the HR function itself, including building HR capability and developing People Group talent.

You may also lead and/or act as a sponsor for HR or business-related projects or priorities and will deputise for the Deputy Director for HR Business Partnering, Casework and Employee Relations as appropriate.

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 1500 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

Essential

• Experience of leading a HR team through a period of change.
• An ability to coach others to improve their capability and outcomes.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to lead and forge strong and influential relationships with a broad range of diverse and demanding senior stakeholders.
• Experience of designing, developing and delivering HR activities and interventions to improve business outcomes.
• Experience of taking a flexible, proactive and creative approach in responding to complex business challenges and the changing operational environment.

Desirable

• CIPD qualified or willing to work towards.
• Can interrogate and analyse HR and business data and use evidence-based practice.
• Understands and role models the digital world from both the perspective of HR and how it is transforming the Department’s business, the experience of our people and customers.
• Understands Employment Law and can apply this to mitigate organisational risk.

Benefits

Working for the UKHSA

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 advertised essential criteria – 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 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 below behaviours will be used in the interview:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 5-minute presentation to the panel.  This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment.  The presentation will be designed to assess each candidate’s experience in line with the requirements of the role. Full details will be provided prior to the interview.

Although we are only advertising 1 role at this point, we expect to create a ‘merit list’ and to offer candidates on the merit list if further opportunities to become available. 

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 22nd 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.

Shortlist: w/c 26th February 2024

Interviews: w/c 4th March 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/

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.