About the job

Job summary

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.  

We are looking for a Correspondence and Project Support Officer to work within the Immunisation Planning and Implementation (IPAI) team, which is part of the Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Division.  The role has two main aspects.  The first is oversight of all incoming correspondence to our busy immunisation mailbox and drafting and managing responses, with input and support from subject matter experts.  The second aspect of the job is to provide project support to the immunisation planning and implementation team project management office.

The post holder will work with  the Programme Manager as part of a team with four project managers. There are two aspects to the job. The main element is the oversight of all correspondence that comes to our busy immunisation mailbox, including general emails, private office cases, freedom of information requests and parliamentary questions and ministerial correspondence and requests. This will involve the drafting of replies, liaising with subject experts as appropriate, often to tight deadlines. 
The second element of the role is to provide project support functions to the Immunisation Project and Programme Boards. This will include helping to arrange meetings, writing minutes, timely preparation and dissemination of meeting papers, and supporting the work of other ad hoc meetings that may arise.
As already indicated, these responsibilities may change over time. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by the directorate. 

Job description

Your key responsibilities will include:   

Correspondence Functions

•    Act as lead contact for all immunisation correspondence, including Parliamentary Questions (PQs), Ministerial and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) correspondence, and requests for information and briefing from DHSC.
•    Work closely with the other teams within the department to coordinate responses and lines to take. 
•    Produce draft responses for correspondence and PQs, and be responsible for maintaining and developing briefing resources used by the team.
•    Liaise with other agencies such as the MHRA and NHS England to commission responses and verify accuracy of information.

Project Support Functions

•    Support the Programme Manager and Project Managers in running the Programme Management Office (PMO). Specific duties will include: preparing papers, status reports and plans in advance of meetings. Attending meetings to record actions and produce minutes as required.
Other
•    The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by the directorate. The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation.
•    To support public health incident responses that the Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Disease division support or lead on, all members of the division who are EO grade and above are required to undertake the appropriate training for ‘task manager’ role, to be able to undertake the role of task manager as and when required.

This role offers the opportunity to work in an interesting area of work within a team responsible for implementation of immunisation programmes – leading to tangible public health benefits. As such, our ideal candidate thrives in a challenging environment, has an attention to detail, and is comfortable with at times working under pressure as well as working to strict timelines. The role requires someone who has the confidence to liaise with senior members of the team to handle all aspects of the correspondence and get sign-off, often at short notice. 

 

Person specification

Essential criteria

•    Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level qualification or significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area. 
•    Appreciation that tasks are expected to be delivered at pace, with competing priorities, but always delivered in an assured and professional manner.
•    Excellent organisational skills and flexibility, including ability to multi-task, prioritise workload, and to work at pace and to tight deadlines and unexpected demands. 
•    A clear communicator with excellent writing skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences - from senior officials to laymen.
•    Skills for communication on complex matters and difficult situations, requiring persuasion and influence.
•    Skills for nurturing key relationships and maintaining networks.
•    Attention to detail combined with the ability to extract key messages from complex information.
•    Independent thinker and decision maker with demonstrated good judgement, and problem-solving skills.
•    Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload without supervision.
•    An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust.
•    An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable criteria

•    Evidence of Personal Development.
•    Demonstrable understanding of an evidence-based approach to decision making.
•    Experience in minute taking and the preparation of meeting papers.
•    Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,473, UK Health Security Agency contributes £3,047 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

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your Qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and capabilities outlined in the essential criteria.  

Stage 1: Application & Sift  
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of   

• a CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 
• a 1500 word Statement of Suitability.  

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria. The CV/Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together. 

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview.

Please do not exceed 1500 words.  We will not consider any words over and above this number.  

Feedback will not be provided at this stage. 

Stage 2: Interview  (Competencies)

You will be invited to a remote interview

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview   

There will be a Test at the interview. Further information about the test will be provided before the interview date.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location information  

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 from your contractual location - Canary Wharf.  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.  

Eligibility Criteria 

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

Disability Confident scheme  

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.  

Reserve List clause  

Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available.   

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.  

Starting 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  

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.