National Contact Point – Health (Cluster 1)

Job summary

Context & Job Purpose:

The role holder will be one of three specialists covering the Health cluster opportunities within the EU’s Horizon Europe programme as one of the Horizon Europe UK National Contact Point (NCP) to support UK entities as they apply for Horizon Europe funding.

An NCP is a European Commission-recognised technical expert with privileged access to European Commission officials, who works closely with and advises UK Government policy leads responsible for the relevant programme area. This collaboration ensures future calls for proposals are informed by UK interests and priorities and enables a proactive approach to identifying key UK organisations to benefit from engagement in the Programme, and by enabling UK entities to navigate and identify the most suitable opportunities and partners to take forward their research and innovation priorities.

The network of NCPs is the main structure through which Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe influence priorities and provide essential guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe. The objective is to enable UK entities to navigate and identify the most suitable opportunities and partners to take forward their research and innovation priorities. This in turn will contribute to the increase of UK engagement, funding secured by UK entities and success in the Programme.

We particularly welcome female applicants as women are under-represented within Innovate UK in this type of role.

Job description

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Reach out and assist all types of UK entities to better understand, navigate and participate in Horizon Europe Cluster 1, and any subsequent Framework Programmes, using a diverse set of communication methodologies including: presentations/webinars (face to face and virtual), newsletters, online resources, meetings and email. Throughout, ensure adherence to the European Commission’s key principles for National Contact Points.
• Attend Cluster 1 Programme Committee Meetings in Brussels/online, and actively engage and interact with personnel from the European Commission and NCP colleagues from Member States and other Associate countries, to further develop and maintain positive working relationships.
• Continue to effectively communicate with relevant UK health public bodies, such as the NHS to encourage their participation as part of the eligibility criteria across the 6 destinations of Horizon Europe Cluster 1 projects, partnerships and the Cancer Mission.
• Work with others across UKRI and other business areas within Innovate UK, including Innovate UK Business Connect and Innovate UK Business Growth, DSIT and other UK NCPs, to contribute to the ‘boosting UK participation to Horizon Europe’ initiatives.
• Proactively liaise and arrange regular meetings with the Cluster 1 Horizon Europe Engagement Group (HEEG) UK, to provide details of draft Work Programmes and gain evidence-based insight to influence the content of Work Programmes for the inclusion of UK civil security priorities.
• Participate in the Cluster 1 NCP CSA (Coordination and Support Action), and undertake activities that contribute to deliverables, that raise the quality of Horizon Europe proposals, including developing and delivering training to applicants across all clusters in Pillar II.
• Attend and contribute to relevant UK Health meetings internal and external to UKRI/IUK to ensure effective exchange of information on new strategic approaches and initiatives introduced by the European Commission across the Cluster 1 domain.

Person specification

Person Specification:

This position requires a person with commercial awareness who can manage competing priorities and a complex domestic and international stakeholder environment. The role holder will need to make sense of multiple data sources, to establish underlying patterns and articulate a clear and compelling vision and strategy of what needs to be done, as well as being able to engage an external audience on regular occasions through being an accomplished communicator. A good team player, willing to share knowledge and ideas with others and to learn from them. Able to self-start when needed.

Experience & Qualifications:

Essential –

• Educated to degree level or equivalent relevant experience. (S)
• Strong understanding of the European health and life sciences funding landscape, particularly Horizon Europe Cluster 1 (Health), including experience enabling or promoting effective UK engagement in EU R&D programmes. (S&I)
• Comprehensive knowledge of the UK health and life sciences ecosystem, spanning biomedical research, biotechnology, therapeutics, medical technologies, diagnostics, digital health, and data-enabled innovation across government (e.g. DHSC, UKRI, NIHR), NHS, academia, and industry. (S&I)
• Strong understanding of the health and life sciences stakeholder landscape across the UK and Europe, including SMEs, start-ups, large industry, investors, clinical networks, regulators, and innovation support organisations. (S&I)
• Experience of senior stakeholder engagement and ecosystem building, including working with industry leaders, policymakers, clinicians, and research organisations to identify priorities, align interests, and build high-value collaborations and consortia. (S&I)
• Experience supporting innovation translation and commercialisation, including SME growth, scale-up, and access to international markets, with an understanding of the challenges and opportunities in bringing health and life sciences innovations (including therapeutics, biotech, and health technologies) to healthcare systems. (s&I)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,589, Innovate UK contributes £16,973 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

1st Interview incl presentation.

Interviews will either take place remotely via Teams or in person face to face.

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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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

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Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Recruitment@ukri.org
• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org