Head of Strategy & Partnerships

Job summary

The government has committed to a multi-billion-pound investment in UKHSA’s new laboratory facilities – the most significant investment the UK has made in biosecurity infrastructure in a generation. These state-of-the-art laboratories, to be built at a new site in Harlow, will replace UKHSA’s existing facilities at Porton Down and Colindale and will be critical to the UK’s public health resilience and national security for decades to come.

This decision marks a pivotal moment for UKHSA and the wider government science landscape. The new facility will bring together world-class capability under one roof, enabling cutting-edge research, pandemic preparedness, and the protection of the UK from major biological threats.

We are looking for a Head of Strategy & Partnerships to help shape the direction of the estate for the future.

Working for your 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

• Leading a strategic partnerships function to design, develop and coordinate strategic positioning and partnership opportunities for the HSC programme. This includes leading and coordinating cross-cutting partnership projects with external stakeholders to support the delivery of the HSC programme, taking into account stakeholder views, budget and resource realities, and key risks and opportunities
• Working collaboratively with colleagues and leaders to drive UKHSA’s strategy for the Health Security Campus, identifying and securing opportunities for collaborative working and influence to build and maintain strategic relationships and partnerships to support the delivery of the HSC programme
• Leading work to identify and secure opportunities for collaborative working and influence, including to shape and deliver strategic priorities. This includes consulting and negotiating with colleagues across UKHSA, and with DHSC and other government departments, to agree common ground on strategic directions and their delivery
• Assisting colleagues and leaders to maintain clarity of direction, approach and understanding of strategy and associated delivery plans across the directorate

Main Duties

• Leading work to identify and secure opportunities for collaborative working and influence, including to shape and deliver strategic priorities. This includes consulting and negotiating with colleagues across UKHSA, and with DHSC and other government departments, to agree common ground on strategic directions and their delivery
• Assisting colleagues and leaders to maintain clarity of direction, approach and understanding of strategy and associated delivery plans across the directorate
• Leading the design, development and quality assurance of high-quality strategy and policy products, including commissioning, drafting or quality assuring policy submissions and strategy documents, working with the Director, UKHSA’s Board Secretariats, Ministers’ private offices, colleagues in the Directorate and teams across UKHSA and wider stakeholders as appropriate
• Effectively engaging analytical, policy, legal, delivery and other colleagues to define policy problems and develop solutions and clearly communicate these to stakeholders
• Leading and coordinating high-quality briefs and presentations that communicate our strategy and priorities in a clear and engaging way, relevant to the audience addressed a high-performing team that works with colleagues across the HSC programme and ensures coherence of work across the portfolio and with wider strategic priorities. This includes driving forward work, actively managing risks and opportunities and ensuring a joined up approach
• Leading a virtual high performing team for an environment of continuous improvement, setting direction and supporting staff well-being and development
• Providing mutual support and guidance to colleagues in your team, Directorate, Group and the Agency on strategy for the HSC programme

Please note this list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential role criteria:

• Excellent leadership skills, demonstrating an ability and proven track record of developing and leading inclusive and multi-disciplinary teams to manage competing and changing priorities and establish environments for ongoing learning, development and continuous improvement
• Significant experience of leading strategy, partnerships and/or engagement in complex and changing environments to deliver successful outcomes, including a track record of identifying policies or levers and influencing senior stakeholders across disciplinary, organisational and/or other boundaries to deliver successful outcomes
• Significant experience of leading delivery and quality assurance of high-quality communications, strategy and policy products, including for example briefings, presentations, submissions and broader products for senior stakeholders
• Significant proven ability to work flexibly and at pace to lead teams on a variety of projects and tasks concurrently to deliver successful outcomes. This includes the ability to prioritise effectively and switch rapidly between different topics and shifting priorities to ensure effective delivery of outcomes across a competing and complex portfolio and in the context of wider priorities
• Significant experience of working collaboratively across sometimes overlapping or ambiguous mandates, communicating sensitively and building strong, trusting relationships with a wider range of stakeholders across varied specialities and in complex and changing environments to deliver successful outcomes
• Significant experience of working with and advising senior stakeholders, including very senior stakeholders such as ministers and their private offices, coupled with excellent oral and written communication skills

Desirable role criteria:

• Experience in leading change and transformation initiatives, in either a project or operational environment, or ideally a blend of both

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £70,797, UK Health Security Agency contributes £20,509 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 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%

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Experience, Behaviours and Technical Skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 6 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 750 word supporting statement

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 750 words.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV).

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications, we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria

We will take pile "Meets all essential criteria" through to shortlisting. Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Excellent leadership skills, demonstrating an ability and proven track record of developing and leading inclusive and multi-disciplinary teams to manage competing and changing priorities and establish environments for ongoing learning, development and continuous improvement
• Significant experience of leading strategy, partnerships and/or engagement in complex and changing environments to deliver successful outcomes, including a track record of identifying policies or levers and influencing senior stakeholders across disciplinary, organisational and/or other boundaries to deliver successful outcomes
• Significant experience of leading delivery and quality assurance of high-quality communications, strategy and policy products, including for example briefings, presentations, submissions and broader products for senior stakeholders

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/large amount of successful candidates.

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be invited to a single remote interview. Behaviours and Technical skills will be tested at interview. The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Seeing the big picture
• Leadership (lead behaviour)
• Making effective decisions
• Changing and improving

There will be a Presentation. You will be asked to present for 5-10 mins on the topic of "What are the 3 biggest challenges you think you will face as the head of strategy and Partnership and how would you approach tackling them?"

Interviews dates to be confirmed.

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

Additional Information

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQs. 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 HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport links and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

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.

Grade 6

• £70,797-£81,450 (National)
• £72,950- £83,443 (Outer London)
• £75,104- £85,436 (Inner London)

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Check.

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 beenresident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) 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.

Eligibility Criteria

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

Qualifications and Registrations

For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.

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.

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: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

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.

Careers website

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

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.

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

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Tom Geldeard
• Email : tom.geldeard@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@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 the UKHSA Complaints team via email at: 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 for further information: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk