Deputy Director of Global Operations

Job summary

The Deputy Director of Global Operations sits within the Global Health Protection Directorate, reporting to the Director of Global Health Protection. The role leads the Global Operations Division, which includes delivery of many of UKHSA’s Global Health Protection programmes, including International Health Regulations Strengthening Programme, UK Overseas Territories and CARA programmes. The role requires developing and maintaining close working with UK government departments and other UK partners to build and strengthen international public health links.

The role is part of the senior leadership structure of Global Health Protection Directorate, working with the DD Global Strategy and DD UK Public Health Rapid Support Team. The Deputy Director (DD) of Global Operations is responsible for ensuring the high-quality delivery and efficient operation of the Global portfolio of projects within the Division. The DD works as part of the Senior Leadership Team to division ensure the organisation’s work in this area is strategically driven, technically sound, at an appropriate scale and effectively implemented.

Working for our organisation

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.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Job description

The Deputy Director (DD) of Global Operations is responsible for ensuring the high-quality delivery and efficient operation of the Global portfolio of projects within the Division. The DD works as part of the Senior Leadership Team to division ensure the organisation’s work in this area is strategically driven, technically sound, at an appropriate scale and effectively implemented.

The post holder will be responsible for engaging with partners across government, in particular liaising regularly with DHSC, which provides Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding for the International Health Regulation Strengthening Programme (IHR-SP) and the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST), and with FCDO which funds the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) programme.

The DD role also supports the ‘leading mind’ function of the Director of Global Health Protection, helping to ensure they are aware of key global activities of the projects and also supports the DD Global Strategy to ensure the Director has a line of sight across all of UKHSA’s global activity.

This role is pivotal in ensuring a joined-up system approach to Public Health within UKHSA, and working with the DD Global Strategy supports links which will ensure effective cross-government coordination and coherence. They will also link closely with the Deputy Director All Hazards Public Health Response who has a leadership role in UKHSA’s Global Health Security function.

A key part of this post holders’ duties will be in influencing internally, influencing policy development, and influencing health partners externally to achieve the best outcomes for UKHSA and the broader system. This requires expert stakeholder engagement skills, including elements of high-level advocacy and pragmatism often in complex and changing environments.

Person specification

Qualifications

Applicants on SCS1 terms

Essential criteria

• A postgraduate degree in a relevant health-related or global health-related subject and/ or equivalent experience

Applicants on medical and dental / agenda for change requirements (noting that Professional registration is not required to apply for this role):

• Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) or ▪ Inclusion in the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview). If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine/dental public health, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health practice. Public health specialty registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register/UKPHR must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC/UKPHR specialist registers. If an applicant is UK trained in Public Health, they must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview If an applicant is non-UK trained, they will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT [see shortlisting notes below for additional guidance] Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements (i.e. be up to date) in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment

All applicants: Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Proven international leadership experience in global health and with relevant global health partners
• Significant experience in delivery of programmes internationally, particularly in low / low-middle income contexts
• Significant experience of building and managing relationships and partnerships – experience of using models of influence to shape strategy, policy and operations, gain the confidence of both internal and external senior stakeholders from a broad range of diverse backgrounds throughout problem-definition and solution-generating phases at a strategic level
• Experienced system leadership skills are an essential requirement of this role
• Experience of navigating diverse, conflicting views and priorities
• Demonstrates awareness of political and policy environments and can influence and collaborate effectively with government bodies, regulatory bodies, healthcare organizations, industry partners, or other diverse stakeholders
• Experience of providing challenge and influence at Ministerial / executive / board / committee level to deliver on functional priorities
• Demonstrable relationship building skills at all levels, both within the immediate working environment and externally

All applicants: Skills

• Proven skill in managing problems in highly sensitive and / or complex problems in political and social environments
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral (including in high profile international fora and in dealing with the media) with proven diplomacy, negotiation and influencing skills
• Excellent analytical skills, able to identify patterns and trends, where specialist advice is needed
• In-depth understanding and practical experience developing and implementing best practice in the field of governance, risk and assurance
• Ability to lead and manage diverse teams including others who are experts/senior level professionals
• Ability to take responsibility, show leadership, prioritise, and make decisions
• Ability to operate at pace in a fast changing, complex geo-political environment with countries that have their own public health challenges and varying degrees of public health infrastructure
• Comfortable with Information Technology and experienced at introducing and managing Information Systems projects

Equality and Diversity

• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,000, UK Health Security Agency contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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 employer contribution of 28.97%

BENEFITS

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.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

The post holder is accountable for project delivery and business management of the team, reporting to the Director of Global Health Protection who in turn reports to the Director General (DG) Chief Medical Adviser group.

An initial job plan will be agreed, and this job plan will be reviewed as part of the annual job planning process. The governance structure of the team includes annual business planning and reporting into the UKHSA outcomes framework, relevant global strategic priorities. The post holder is a member of Global Health Protection senior leadership team, working collaboratively with other Deputy Directors within the Directorate.

INFLUENCING & RELATIONSHIPS

This role will influence the following key stakeholders:

Internal

• Directors and DG’s within UKHSA
• Global Health Protection Directorate
• Health Equity & Clinical Governance /All Hazards Public Health Response Division
• Centre for Climate and Healthy Security
• Other internal teams

External

• Government Ministers and senior officials in the Department of Health and Social Care and its ALBs (e.g. NHSE, CQC, APHA) and other government departments.
• Leadership in Global Health Directorate, Overseas Territories and at post in Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
• Health Agencies across EU / World
• WHO and other UN agencies
• Regional public health agencies including Africa CDC and CARPHA
• Ministries of Health in respective countries in which programmes is operating

If applicant is from a medical background:

The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority or if from a background other than medicine to NHS Agenda for Change Band 9

Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview)

If included in the GMC Specialist Register/ in a specialty other than public health medicine, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health practice

Public Health Specialty Registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC

Selection Process: (competency based)

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

This vacancy is using Competency .

At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential listed in the Job Description & Person Specification attached to this vacancy advert.

You will be required to complete an:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
  • 1500 word Statement of Suitability/ behaviour statements / technical statements

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible)

An initial sift against the lead criteria will be conducted:

• Proven international leadership experience in global health and with relevant global health partners

We will only take through applications to full sift that meet the lead essential criteria.

Longlisting: A long list stage may be introduced if we receive a large number of very credible applications

We will longlist into 3 piles.

Meets all criteria

Meets some essential criteria but not lead criteria

Meets no essential criteria

Only those who meet all essential criteria will progress to sift

Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Interview (competency based)

This vacancy is being assessed using a competency based method. During the interview we will assess against the below:

Knowledge
Experience
Skills and Abilities

You will be invited to a face to face interview, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Interviews will be held at 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, E14 4PU April / May. Please note this date is subject to change.

You will be asked to prepare and present a 5 minute presentation around the subject of “Leading through uncertainty – outlining how you would propose to lead Global Operations Division including the global health programmes in UKHSA through the changing global and domestic context”. The specific details of the required presentation will be sent to you prior to interview.

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

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

This role requires the successful candidate to obtain or hold Security Check (SC) clearance upon commencement of employment, with a requirement to obtain Developed Vetting (DV) clearance within 12 months if not already held. If you fail to obtain DV clearance within 12 months of starting employment, then your contract of employment is at risk of termination in accordance with the terms of your contract of employment

Security Check (SC)

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Developed Vetting (DV)

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 10 years as the role requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

International Police check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud Check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub, and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for external candidates to the Civil Service.

Location:

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s. If based outside of London, regular travel to the London HQ will be required. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using 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 one of UKHSA’s core HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London)

Salary Information

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

SCS1

• £81,000 - £117,800

Medical and Dental Consultant

• £109,725 - £145,478 (National & Outer London)
• £109,725 - £145,478 (+£2,126 London Weighting allowance)

Agenda for Change Band 9 (AfC)

• £109,179 - £125,637 (National)
• £109,179 - £125,637 (+20% of basic salary (Min: £5,609, Max: £8,466 Inner London HCAS).
• £109,179 - £125,637 (+15% of basic salary (Min: £4,714, Max: £5,941 Outer London HCAS).

UK Health Security Agency promoted diversity in the workplace and is an Equal Opportunities employer

Reasonable Adjustments

The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers

Careers website

Please visit our careers site for more information UKHSA Hub , Civil Service Careers

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're
appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 2 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

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 developed vetting (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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Chris Lewis
• Email : Chris.Lewis2@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : SCS.MDrecruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk