About the job

Job summary

In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.

The Emergency Preparedness and Health Protection Directorate, within the Global Health and Health Protection Group, plays a vital role in preparing for and responding to all types of national incidents, such as disease outbreaks or terrorist attacks. This busy Directorate leads a great range of policy, covering everything from infectious disease planning and response including Ebola and pandemic flu, to health security, anti-microbial resistance, vaccination and immunisation policy, and counter terrorism preparations and response.

The UK Health Security team is responsible for ensuring that we have effective UK-wide health protection capabilities that can prevent, prepare for, and respond to all types of communicable diseases and threats to health.

Job description

We are recruiting for multiple HEO roles in the team, across several of the team’s key work areas mentioned above.

The exact portfolio and deliverables will be agreed with successful candidates. There may be flexing of the role once within post, reflecting the occasionally reactive nature of our work when new disease risks materialise. The team is overseen by one Deputy Director, two Grade 6’s, and several Grade 7s. Each Grade 7 oversees a specific work area. The post-holders will be line managed by a Grade 7 in their primary work area and may be task managed by others on additional work.

We are a policy team, bringing together experts, partners, and delivery teams to develop, agree, and oversee implementation of policies to protect the UK against infectious diseases.

Our work includes:

• Ensuring that we have the right medicines, vaccines, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to respond to outbreaks and pandemics of known diseases
• Supporting the 100 Days Mission to build the research, development, and manufacturing capacity to make diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines available within 100 days of a novel pandemic threat being detected
• Preparing options for non-medical interventions and legislation in case of a disease outbreak or pandemic
• Strengthening our existing legislation to bolster our health protection capabilities, for example by making certain diseases legally notifiable or improving our ability to detect and manage diseases at the border
• Working with the chairs and secretariats of expert advisory committees on novel respiratory viruses (NERVTAG), dangerous pathogens (ACDP), antimicrobial resistance (APRHAI) and zoonotic diseases (HAIRS) in our sponsorship role to ensure our policy-making is supported by independent expert advice
• Developing policy on infection prevention and control and tackling the growing burden of antimicrobial resistance, including developing a new National Action Plan
• Working internationally to strengthen our pandemic preparedness including by supporting negotiations on an international pandemic accord.

Person specification

Role responsibilities

The roles will each involve some of or all the below:

• Working closely with expert advisory committees and public health advisers (including the Chief Medical Officer and their deputies) to ensure our policies are underpinned by sound scientific evidence
• Collaborating with colleagues in DHSC, UKHSA, and NHSE to agree and deliver a coordinated approach across the health system; across government with other departments including Cabinet Office and Defra; and across the UK with the Devolved Governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
• Working with analytical, finance, commercial, and legal teams to understand the impacts, costs, affordability, and routes to delivery for policies in development
• Project management of key aspects of policy development, such as consultations or analyses
• Writing briefings and submissions for senior officials and ministers on our policy areas
• Ensure high-quality public and parliamentary accountability, including PQs, debates, briefings and stakeholder engagement supporting Parliamentary business, and answering Freedom of Information requests in a timely and quality manner

Key skills and experience required for this role

We are looking for people who care about protecting the UK from infectious diseases and are looking for a policy-focused role. You do not need to have a background in health or biomedical sciences, but you should feel excited and comfortable about working with technical concepts and experts.

Key skills required for the role are:

• Ability to get to grips with complex information.
• Ability to communicate clearly and persuasively, verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work with others and build good working relationships with colleagues within and beyond the organisations, including experts.
• Ability to work independently to agreed deadlines, and to work flexibly across the team.
• Ability to manage small-scale projects to completion.

Working locations

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds.  Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support. 

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need. 

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.    

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,188, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £8,690 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 is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Sift date: W/C 11/03/2024

Interview date: expected W/C 25/03/2024 

Interview location: By video 

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

Applications will be sifted on Behaviours and Statement of Suitability

Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 250 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.

An initial sift based on Statement of Suitability and the lead behaviour of Working Together may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here 

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DHSC 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via DHSCrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.