Project Coordinator

Job summary

The Radiation, Chemical, Climate & Environmental Hazards Directorate (RCCE) is part of the UKHSA Chief Scientific Officer Group and is responsible for promoting improved health and reduced harm from:

• Radiation
• Hazardous chemicals in the environment
• Environmental change
• Extreme weather events such as flooding.

RCCE’s functions & responsibilities include providing advice, assessment of health risks through research & projects, providing commercial services & covering key roles in the RCCE Emergency Plans.

Personal Dosimetry Service

The Personal Dosimetry Service (PDS) is a commercial service, approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) that serves over 5,500 employers working with ionising radiation in the industrial, research & medical sectors, by assessing the radiation doses to their employees. This is carried out by means of passive personal dosemeters, which are worn by the employee for a period then returned to PDS for processing and reporting. PDS is a group of around 35 staff issuing dosemeters to over 90,000 workers in the UK a& overseas.

Supporting PDS is specialist equipment, supplies and software which requires on-going management, support, & development. The operations team is responsible for maintaining the reliability and resilience of these business-critical items and ensuring PDS continues to meet its requirements as an Approved Dosimetry Service and ISO17025 Laboratory.

Job description

The post holder will be responsible for assisting the PDS Manager and Technical Development Manager in the organisation and support of PDS projects, new and existing and will include:

• Promoting liaison between UKHSA PDS, suppliers, and other sections of UKHSA including Procurement, Facilities, Finance and IT.
• When required, assist in pursuing progress against agreed targets as set out in the project documentation and expenditure including capital.
• Working with PDS operational staff and suppliers, to ensure that the planned solutions meet their needs of the business and the customer, pursuing adjustments where necessary.
• Working with suppliers and PDS staff to deliver new equipment/services
• Managing customer facing inbox
• Provide customer demonstrations and answer queries on PDS operations
• Raise and receipt all purchases for PDS group
• Manage Inventory for PDS group
• Working with PDS staff to research and advise on items and any new equipment available to procure.
• To work on new projects such as replacement document/CRM system, replacement Lab equipment and support contracts.
• Responsibility for administration of ISO17025 Accreditation to include:
• Assisting with monthly audits
• Provide support for continued ISO approval
• Managing the Audit Schedule
• Liaising with staff and suppliers to resolve any issues

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To fully understand the service context, the post holder will be required to familiarise themselves with PDS’s routine operations and business functions. This will involve working closely with laboratory and office supervisors of each team to gain experience of various operational tasks.

The post holder will be expected to develop a close working relationship with PDS’s appointed contractors/suppliers, helping to ensure that they understand and are delivering PDS’s requirements, to feed back their questions to PDS and to ensure that any queries are speedily resolved. This will entail frequent telephone and electronic communication and occasional face-to-face meetings, potentially including travelling to the contractor’s premises.

The post holder’s main duties will be to liaise with all parties involved in project’s, assist the project team, ensuring deadlines are kept. This will require the post holder to have a good level of knowledge of each of the areas of the group and their interactions with internal and external systems. The post holder will offer suggestions for improvements and resolutions to problems. They will have a proactive approach to work and ensure projects runs smoothly and on time.

This role requires a high level of organisational skills to include thoroughness, good attention to detail and checking to ensure orders and financial details are accurate. Full on-the-job training will be provided.
The post holder should have:

• Good IT experience
• A good understanding of customer care
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent organisational skills
• Experience in procurement and supply chain management
• Good prioritisation and time management skills

and will need to:

• Liaise with PDS teams including the PDS Manager, responding to their queries and complaints in a timely manner
• Maintain a professional business approach
• Build business relationships with stakeholders to understand their needs; including procurement and suppliers to ensure resilience
• The jobholder will be responsible for his/her own work. This will be carried out by accurately interpreting requirements and reviewing these against business capabilities.

This list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essentia criteria:

• A Levels and GCSEs including Maths and Science (or equivalent level of qualification) or experience in project management or administration.
• Experience of working in a commercial environment to include direct contact with customers.
• Experience of procurement and support contracts
• Experience of working in a team & running projects
• Ability to form good working relationships with customers, staff and suppliers; working flexibly within the PDS team.
• Ability to communicate effectively: orally and in writing to customers and colleagues
• Excellent organisational and planning skills; including prioritisation

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of working in a scientific environment with general awareness of radiation safety issues
• Good degree of self-motivation; ability to motivate others

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,441, UK Health Security Agency contributes £8,818 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%

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

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Competency Based

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)

• 1500 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.

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). Please do not email us your CV.

Longlisting:

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

1. Meets all essential criteria

1. Meets some essential criteria

1. Meets no essential criteria
   

If used, the pile ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

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

• Experience of procurement and support contracts (Lead)
• Excellent organisational and planning skills; including prioritisation

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

Competency Based

You will be invited to a face to face interview at Chilton, Didcot.

If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview

Interview 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.

Location

This role is based at Chilton. Didcot. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

This role is being offered as office/lab based at our site in Chilton. Didcot. You will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. 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 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances 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.

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 Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC).

Eligibility Criteria

External : 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: Reasonable Adjustments , Civil Service Careers

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: UKHSA Hub , Civil Service Careers

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.

Civil Service - Executive Officer.

£30,441 - £35,578 (Outer London)

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist 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 : Nigel Poole
• Email : Nigel.Poole@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/