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 Medical Technology (MedTech) Directorate adopts a system-wide approach to ensure that the health and care system has a resilient supply chain of safe and high-quality products, gets value for money, embeds sustainability, drives innovation, and promotes UK interests in global markets.

Medical devices fulfil a critical role in the treatment of patients across the UK. With ever more rapid development of new technologies in this area, it is of vital importance that these products are regulated in a modern and agile way, which supports patient access to the best medical devices and encourages innovation within the UK medical devices industry. The Medical Devices Regulation and Regulatory Policy Team performs this role, and we are looking for a motivated individual who can approach challenging policy problems in an innovative way.

We are recruiting a Grade 7 Senior Regulatory Policy Manager. This is an opportunity to lead the Department’s regulatory policy for medical devices, ensuring ministerial and departmental priorities are reflected in this work.

Job description

The Senior Regulatory Policy Manager will be responsible for providing effective leadership and coordination of Department’s input into the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's delivery of future regulations for medical devices and ensuring ministerial and cross-government priorities are reflected. You will lead MedTech Directorate’s contributions to a range of cross-departmental and external initiatives which impact medical devices regulations.

You will also lead and motivate the team on the development and delivery of policies relating to the reporting of industry payments to the healthcare sector. This work stems from a key recommendation made in the report “First do no harm”, published by the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review. It aims to increase transparency and support patient decision making processes.

You will have exposure to Ministers and senior leaders in the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). You will interact confidently and effectively across government and more widely, providing policy expertise, evidence-based analysis and recommendation. You will work closely with the Department’s wider policy teams, the Devolved Administrations and other government departments, in particular the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Business and Trade.

You will report directly to the Head of Medical Devices Regulation and Regulatory Policy. You will play an active role in creating and maintaining an environment where staff engagement and morale are high, enabling individuals to fulfil their own potential and make an effective contribution to priorities is essential to success, along with the creation of an inclusive culture.

Person specification

You will be expected to:

- Lead and coordinate the Department’s input into the MHRA’s development of a future regulatory framework for medical devices, ensuring alignment with ministerial priorities.

- Lead MedTech Directorate contributions on cross-departmental work that impacts medical devices regulation, with an ever-evolving landscape of emerging technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence) or emerging Government priorities. This includes contributions to public reviews or critical incidents.

- Monitor areas for further regulatory reform to ensure the UK remains an attractive place for innovation.

- Lead the development and delivery of policies relating to the disclosure of industry payments to the healthcare sector, following a recent public consultation. 

- Work closely with stakeholders to understand concerns relating to regulation, creating buy-in for the forthcoming changes, and implement appropriate mitigations to support the work.

- Be an active team leader, managing the work of an SEO team member and provide them with effective guidance and strategic direction.

Key skills and experience required for the role:

Essential:

- Proven policy experience: You will be able to deliver in fast-paced, ambiguous environments, and be comfortable in being held accountable for successful delivery against challenging policy objectives and shifting priorities. You will think creatively to generate policy solutions, working within the bounds of technical restrictions to identify opportunities that create value.

- Stakeholder management and engagement: You will manage stakeholders with strong opposing views, using diplomacy and negotiation skills to build consensus on policy proposals. You will be able to build a network and develop good working relationships to deliver objectives effectively.

- Written and verbal communication: You will be a strong communicator in all aspects, able to deliver complex messages from a range of sources. You will be able to brief and convince seniors of the appropriate course of action with confidence.

- Problem solving: You will be a strategic thinker, able to break down and solve problems effectively and independently. You will find creative solutions to complex issues.

- Decision-making: You will be able to demonstrate sound decision-making with experience of effectively gathering and using evidence and data to develop well-considered, logical opinions and recommendations.

- Prioritisation and accountability: You will be able to manage significant spans of individual and team responsibilities, remaining accountable for delivery, with a wider contribution to the management and governance of an overall programme.

Desirable:

- Knowledge of the medical technology sector.

- Understanding of regulations or legislation.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,116, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £14,354 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 08/04/2024 

Interview date: expected W/C 29/04/2024 

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 500 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 Behaviour: Seeing the Big Picture and Statement of Suitability 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.

Candidates will be asked a presentation which will assess policy experience. Details of the presentation question will be issued to candidates with the release of the sift scores.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit 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.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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.