Rabies and Immunoglobulin Service Vaccine Support Officer – Team Lead

Job summary

The Rabies and Immunoglobulin Service (RIgS) at UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Colindale is a cross-divisional service supporting the post-exposure treatment of serious infections. RIgS staff comprise a multi-disciplinary team comprising of both clinical and administrative staff within Public Health Programmes and work closely with consultant virologists in Emerging Infections and Zoonoses. Expert guidance and medical support is provided by consultants from each of the divisions responsible for their specific topic area. Immunoglobulins and anti-toxins are specialist products that are issued to the NHS in a range of situation. The post sits within the Business Management Section of the RIgS team.

The post holder will triage calls and will support the exposure risk assessment process to ensure the correct ordering of immunoglobulins or anti toxins for post exposure treatment. The post holder will liaise with external stakeholders on a daily basis to ensure that all products ordered have been delivered at the specified addresses and within appropriate timescales, troubleshooting any problems and providing oversight to the team. Emergency orders also need to be processed in a timely manner. RIgS are also contactable via email through multiple inboxes which the post-holder will manage. In addition to the mailboxes the post holder will provide administrational support for the service by analysing and reporting on service delivery activity.

Job description

• Business Support Functions such as business planning, minute taking etc.
• Operational Support to a range of corporate functions.
• Effective line management of administrative staff and management of administrative functions
• Produce and ensure adherence to governance and quality policies and procedures.
• Manage uploads of ordering forms
• Respond to queries regarding vaccines and immunoglobulin
• Maintain accurate storage and distribution of version controlled documentation
• Participate in an Out Of Hours on call rota for 1 week in 6 (17:30-09:00 Weds-Tues)
• Maintenance of RIgS database (SQL)
• Contribute to effective information management
• Provide cover as directed by line manager for other members of the team in their absence and as required.
• Management of processes / stock when batch changes are required and ensuring all relevant parties are aware as well as rick assessment forms are updated and distributed.
• Project Support - support corporate projects and service reviews
• Financial and Resource Management - support the effective management of finance for the team and directorate
• Leadership and Management - be a visible, positive and competent role model and motivator
• Communication and maintaining key working relationships such as NHS, DHSC and other public health colleagues
• Lead on a number of business support functions for the team and be responsible for the implementation and management of relevant systems and processes Operational Support
• Provide operational support to a range of corporate functions which may include finance, accommodation, HR, governance, business continuity, risk management, staff engagement and internal communications.
• Effective line management of administrative staff and management of administrative functions to ensure flexibility and capacity to meet the service’s needs. Line management will include undertaking appraisals; ensuring direct reports can achieve their objectives and have access to appropriate training; recruitment; induction; and progressing any disciplinary or capability issues
• Deputise for Service Delivery Manager to cover absence and holidays
• Contributing to the development and monitoring of the services business plan, with responsibility for delivering activities within area of responsibility.
• Producing written guidance and standard operating procedures for administrative procedures and protocols.
• Manage uploads of ordering forms to ensure all governance processes are maintained.
• Respond to queries regarding vaccines and immunoglobulin via email and telephone.
• Maintain accurate storage and distribution of version-controlled documentation relevant to the service.
• Maintenance of the RIGS database (SQL)
• Responsible for organising and controlling own workload ensuring deadlines are observed and duties performed efficiently.
• Provide cover as directed by line manager for other members of the team in their absence and assist with their workloads as required.
• Management of processes / stock when batch changes are required and ensuring all relevant parties are aware and risk assessment forms are updated and distributed accordingly.

Project Support

• Support corporate projects and service reviews, identifying requirements and providing options to improve ways of working across the Directorate.

Financial and Resource Management

• Provide reports for the management team as required.
• Respond to the requirements of internal and external audit as directed

Leadership and Management

• Be a visible, positive and a competent role model and motivator; and contribute to the induction of staff.
• Problem solve, make decisions and accept responsibility for own actions.
• Effective line management (if applicable) of administrative staff and management of administrative functions to ensure flexibility and capacity to meet the Directorate’s needs.
• Line management will include undertaking appraisals; ensuring direct reports can achieve their objectives and have access to appropriate training; recruitment; induction; and progressing any disciplinary or capability issues.

Quality and Governance

• Producing written guidance and standard operating procedures for administrative procedures and protocols.
• Contributing to the Directorate governance agenda and working groups.

Communication and Key Working Relationships

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Undergo a programme of on-going development and education, including the annual appraisal process, to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to meet the behaviours and competencies required to undertake the role

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, including clinical and non-clinical, scientists, academics from Directorates and corporate staff e.g. HR and Payroll. This may include communicating verbally face to face, by email, phone or in writing and may also involve external stakeholders and members of the public as well as other public health organisations e.g. NHS and other Civil Service departments e.g. the Cabinet Office.

This list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience or understanding of budget management, business planning and business continuity processes
• Significant administrative/ secretarial experience within a public health environment including developing, implementing and maintaining office systems and handling sensitive patient information.
• Educated to degree level/NVQ 6 in business administration / management or equivalent experience in a similar area of work
• Experienced in IT skills, advanced Microsoft Office skills, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Power BI tool

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,749, UK Health Security Agency contributes £10,935 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).

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. UKHSA's 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.

• 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 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 4 listed 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.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500.

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

If used, the pile(s) that meets ALL essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

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

• Significant administrative/ secretarial experience within a public health environment including developing, implementing and maintaining office systems and handling sensitive patient information
• Educated to degree level/NVQ 6 in business administration / management or equivalent experience in a similar area of work

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Competency Based

You will be invited to a single face to faceinterview at our Scientific Campus, Colindale.

When 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 in the form of questions.

Interview dates are yet 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.

Eligibility Criteria

External - This vacancy is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service as well as internal applicants.

Location

This role is being offered as office/lab based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

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

When based at our scientific campus, you will be required to have a minimum of 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.

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.

Permanent and Fixed Term

If this role is fixed term and you are not currently a Civil Servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment; you may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. Loans are normally agreed for a period of two years. However, this may be extended where required, subject to agreement between UKHSA and your home department. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy. If this role is permanent, it may also be available as a loan (for existing Civil Servants only) or secondment arrangement, subject to business need and agreement from the hiring manager and, where applicable, the employee's home organisation.

Reserve List

If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You maybe contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list. The panel will assess if candidates meet the requirement of the role first, using a specific benchmark system. If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

Incident Response Activity

From time to time, the role holder may be required to support UKHSA’s incident response activity by contributing their appropriate expertise within an Incident Cell; during such periods, supported by the line manager, this work will take priority over normal day-to-day responsibilities, commensurate with their grade, skills and experience.

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 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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : John Inglis
• Email : john.inglis@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