About the job

Job summary

At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards.  We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences, and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work.

Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, hearing and acting upon diverse voices and opinions to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working.

The Culture Collections is a Biological Resource Centre that provides a service maintaining and supplying strains of cultured cells and microorganisms for public health research.  It is structured as a fully integrated service, underpinning science with significant scientific, manufacturing and business activities and operates from laboratories across UKHSA and from a specialist cryo-storage facility on the Porton site. 

The Quality Officer will report directly to the Quality Assurance and Regulatory Manager Culture Collections to ensure the application of the management and coordination of the quality systems based on ISO 9001:2008 and ISO17025:2005. The Quality Assurance group has responsibility for managing and facilitating ISO 9001:2008 and ISO17025:2005 compliance applicable to Culture Collections on the UKHSA Porton and UKHSA Colindale.

 Location

Manor Farm Road, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG

*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

Job description

Responsibilities section:

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• The supervision of staff and the delivery of the service in the most efficient manner.
• The practical guidance and coordination of cross-function teams in the Culture Collections with quality issues.
• The supervision and organisation of the delivery of work to specification and to schedule.
• The origination of written procedures, report forms, risk assessments and all types of working documentation.
• The recording, analysis and reporting of results, data, and information.
• The use of electronic quality management systems for example document control.
• The supervision of work to ensure it achieves/complies with the highest standards of quality.
• To support and implement the Corporate and local Quality Management Systems.
• To contribute to strategic planning by representing the Quality team as required from time to time.
• The preparation and presentation of regular, written progress reports to senior management, including Key Performance Indicators and progress against objectives.
• Making formal, illustrated presentations of Quality Assurance and its outputs to staff, management or stakeholders as required from time to time.
• The conduct of internal and external ISO-based quality audits according to a defined audit schedule and at senior manager request.
• To write audit reports and agree programmes of corrective actions with the appropriate operational groups.

 

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.

Please see the attached job description for a full list of responsibilities

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

 

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;

 

Internal

• The Quality Officer will liaise and interact with other managers and staff both within and across Culture Collections and UKHSA generally

 External

• Post holder shall communicate and liaise with external customers, collaborators, suppliers, consultant and other third parties as however required from time to time to prosecute the Culture Collections and UKHSA business

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 750 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

Essential

• HNC or equivalent in life sciences
• Sound practical experience of working in an analytical/production/research laboratory
• Current good scientific practice
• Communications, written and verbal
• Good interpersonal skills

 Desirable

• Basic auditing qualification
• Sound practical experience of auditing
• Knowledge of other quality standards such as GxP

 

Please see the attached job description for a full list of essential/desirable criteria

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%

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 face to face.

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. 

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. 

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 26th 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: W/C 8th January 2023

Interviews: 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.