About the job

Job summary

You will be joining the Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) Directorate which is responsible for EPRR activities and policies for UKHSA, led by the Director of EPRR. The Directorate’s work is central to the UKHSA’s goal to ensure we can respond to current and emerging threats through a strong, capable, prepared, and responsive public health system.

The Head of the National Response Centre (NRC), Systems and Logistics is responsible for leading and managing the NRC’s digital transformation and surge mobilisation. This includes inspirational and visible leadership of the team, and comprehensive oversight and responsibility of all business matters across the NRC’s technological requirements.

This role will include strategically leading the development and implementation of high-quality, impactful planning, training, assurance processes, monitoring progress, and managing risks and issues for resolution and mitigation across the NRC.

Location

This role can be based at any one of UKHSA's core or scientific locations; Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Porton Down, Colindale or Chilton.

UKHSA offers hybrid working for its employees – this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our UKHSA ore or scientific locations, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business need and in line with departmental policy. Currently this requires working from an allocated UKHSA base location for 40% of your contracted time as a minimum, increasing to 60% from January 2024.

Some business travel may be required to other UKHSA offices.

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.* 

Working Pattern – Full Time, Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working, Hybrid Working

Job description

As the Head of National Response Centre your main responsibilities will include: (for full details of all main duties, please refer to the attached job description):

 

• Lead and manage the digital function for the NRC to ensure seamless working between teams and corporate business functions.
• Lead on the implementation of an automated resource mobilisation platform, ensuring partnerships and focused activities are implemented in close relationships with other workstreams.
• Be responsible for shaping a culture of change and innovation and promoting a positive change culture across the Directorate
• Lead on the coordination of and the maintaining of the NRC list of deliverables/outputs and monitor delivery, to ensure that the Directorate delivers to meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders
• Oversee the co-ordination of lessons learned activity, providing solutions where appropriate
• Develop an evidence-based and continuously improving service, evaluating the impact of work undertaken and striving for new and better ways to achieve its aims
• Ensure that the Directorate is fully compliant with UKHSA governance requirements.
• Demonstrate effective leadership to ensure that the team performs consistently at the highest level in day-to-day operations, managing complex situations, being visible, flexible, and resilient, responding to the needs of the team and senior managers and adapting communication to match the situation.

 

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 essential criteria. These include, but are not limited to:

 

• Post graduate level qualification (RQF level 7) in an appropriate discipline of relevance to the role, or equivalent experience, including senior management experience in EPRR
• Experience in emergency preparedness, resilience and/or response with a fundamental understanding of the requirements of a Cat 1 responder
• Experience of delivering service improvements in a complex environment, utilising technologies to support ways of working
• Experience working in, and leading others in, a fast-paced and complex environment, dealing with uncertainty and problem-solving.
• Experience representing organisations with senior stakeholders
• Ability to negotiate with senior managers/stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups

For full details of all essential and desirable criteria please refer to the attached job description.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £65,302, UK Health Security Agency contributes £17,631 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 post 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.  Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 5/10-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.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 17th December 2023 – 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: Please note that that there will be a slight delay in shortlisting your application due to the Christmas and new year period.

Interviews: January 2024 – dates TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

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.