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 an enthusiastic and experienced epidemiologist with strong teaching and supervision skills to join the UK Field Epidemiology Training Programme as a Principal scientific coordinator. The UK FETP is  a 2 year fellowship programme in advanced epidemiology and the team are responsible for its delivery, evaluation and continual improvement.  The programme operates across the UK and has well developed international partnerships. The programme is highly regarded with a strong reputation and this post provides an opportunity to engage in a leadership role in the FETP team.

Your key responsibilities include:

• Coordination and delivery of the UK Field Epidemiology Training Programme. This includes significant amounts of teaching and supervision in addition to programme planning and quality assurance
• Identification, scoping and prioritisation of potential programme developments and innovations
• Building collaborative relationships with stakeholders to constructively reflect and build on existing collaborations and create new opportunities.
• Supporting and sometimes deputising for the Programme Director in all the above and in financial and workforce planning
• Preparation and communication of activity reports.

Job description

Main duties include:

• Working directly to the programme Director, you will provide leadership within the UKFETP Delivery team in terms of programme delivery and modernising ways of working. You will lead on specific projects, working with other team members. 
• Continuous quality improvement and assurance underpins the programme and you would contribute to and lead a range of projects related to this.
• You will undertake significant and protracted amounts of teaching, supervision and mentorship for fellows and for other colleagues. This will also include curricular review, design of new materials and identifying new and different learning opportunities.
• You will build good relationships with key stakeholders across all levels of seniority inside and outside of UKHSA, at local, national and international footprint.  These networks will foster collaboration between partners and enhance UKFETP and UKHSA reputation.  
• The principal scientific coordinator will assist and deputise for the UKFETP Programme Director in ensuring the programme continues to deliver and continues to develop.
• The postholder will be expected to cope with multiple and changing demands, and to meet tight deadlines. High levels of intellectual rigor, negotiation and motivation skills and flexibility are required to advise and make recommendations regarding the development of strategy and systems implementation.  Exceptional tact and diplomacy is required and an ability to understand other cultures to enable effective working across organisational boundaries and for influencing without authority.
• The postholder will work closely with our virtual learning environment (VLE) supplier, refining service specification and negotiating delivery. Additionally, they will have strong working relationships with the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET) and be a UK representative at the Euro Region TEPHINET Group.
• The post holder will be expected to be able to travel within the UK and overseas including overnight stays away from base for up to 2 weeks.

Please read all the information on this page carefully - The main duties and responsibilities for the role are displayed below

Your responsibilities inlcude:

Teaching and Training

• Co-ordinate, develop, deliver and evaluate training
• Develop training materials
• Support the continual review and development of the UKFETP curriculum
• Manage programme training objectives with both training sites and fellows and ensure outputs are reviewed.
• Promote participation of UKFETP supervisors in training and oversight activities
• Assess and promote additional training opportunities and assignments: identify UK or international investigations or research projects and negotiate the participation of UKFETP fellows.
• Monitor and promote UKFETP training site developments and disseminate information about the UKFETP programme to UKFETP training sites. Sensitively address issues arising at a training site or in a supervisor / fellow relationship
• Develop training and supervisory skills and techniques among UKFETP supervisors at training sites
• Provide pedagogical support/tutoring to fellows by identifying training needs and aligning these to projects; reviewing protocols, reports, manuscripts, and presentations.
• Oversee programme evaluation methods and ensure they are fit for purpose; update on new methodological developments relevant to the work of the UKHSA.
• Oversee monitoring and progress of UKFETP fellows. Address any issues in progress.
• Identify and promote opportunities for supporting the development of Field Service and other UKHSA staff more widely.

Programme Delivery; Planning and Management

Substantively contribute to and lead specific aspects of :

• the business planning process and the development of the UKFETP programme and activities;
• ongoing monitoring and quality improvement of the programme 
• identifying programme risks and methods for remediation.
• the selection and recruitment of staff, including, short-listing applicants and interviewing candidates selected for interview.

Leadership and development

• Provide vision and implementation oversight to new projects/ developments
• Be an authorized signatory, budget or delegated budget holder and contribute to the formulation of department budgets and financial initiatives.
• Contribute to the work of the wider FS SMT as required
• Line management of fellows and FETP staff as required including continuous professional development 

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.
• 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.
• A high commitment to confidentiality is expected, adhering to Caldicott standards and the requirements of the Data Protection and Human Rights Acts within the framework of the Freedom of Information Act.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan.  Attending internal / external training events.
• To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS  

Internal

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include;

• UKFETP team
•  UKFETP fellows
• Primary field and project supervisors across the organisation 
• Health Protection Teams
•  Field Service
•   Global Health, including Rapid Support Team, IHR and UK Overseas Territory Programmes.   
•  Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards 
•    Public Health Microbiologists
•       Statistical Support Colleagues 

External

• Public Health Wales
• Public Health Agency of Northern Ireland
•  European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC)
•  Collaborating academics and scientists in Higher Education Institutions
•  Other regional or national UKFETPs
•   Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET)
•  World Health Organization

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Experience of developing and delivering teaching/training material in advanced epidemiological methods (for example multivariable analysis, time series analysis, sampling) and experience of educational supervision including review of protocols, reports and abstracts and mentorship.
• Experience of monitoring and evaluation of training or policy implementation
• Practical experience of facilitating change, managing staff and budgets
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and an ability to develop constructive working relationships with people at all levels of seniority showing empathy, sensitivity and professionalism.
• Must be able to prioritise own work effectively and be able to lead and coordinate activities of others
• Strategic decision making, able to see the bigger picture, opportunities and threats to inform decisions. Able to effectively influence to achieve positive outcomes
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of researching best practice (globally, private and public sector), interpreting its relevance and processes/ practices which could be implemented successfully to achieve system reform (advising on policy implementation)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,275, UK Health Security Agency contributes £18,704 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 the above listed (7) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of

• a CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
•  a Statement of Suitability of no more than 1500 words.

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria. Please do not exceed 1500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

The CV/ Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

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

As part of interview, you will also be asked to prepare a presentation prior to the interview - further details of this will be confirmed to you nearer the time.

Interviews will be held on 25th June 2024. Please note, these dates are subject to change.

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 at Colindale, London.

Eligibility Criteria 

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

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.

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. 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.