Surveillance and Strategy Advisor: Community Based Surveillance

Job summary

You will be part of the team responsible for surveillance transformation which includes the design/delivery of a sustainable approach to community surveillance programmes and research underpinning it. You will be leading distinct elements of this work & work across UKHSA including with senior public health professionals, using your policy, operational, engagement & communication skills in delivering this important and exciting work.

As part of the team, you will drive forward, in partnership with experts & senior leaders across UKHSA – development of existing or new programmes, ensuring new initiatives & data streams are embedded and insights disseminated for effective use by overseeing reporting of results to senior leaders and for government briefing.

As part of a team, lead on high profile elements of CDO’s cross-agency work on surveillance transformation and UKHSA’s remit under the government’s bio surveillance network as part of a new and expanding team charged with this work and, importantly, help set direction for the new team.

Job description

• To support setting the strategic direction of sustainable community surveillance to fulfil UKHSA’s remit.
• Work with the strategic partnership team to develop and lead collaborative relationships with relevant internal and external stakeholders to ensure the supports the delivery of UKHSA’s organisational priorities and strategic plan.
• To support monitoring and reporting of 26/27 and future related programme funding as appropriate.
• Build and maintain a network of close relationships with teams within UKHSA, across and key stakeholders through the current and future SR periods.
• Develop and maintain a clear understanding and timely escalation of the risks and issues.
• Contribute and lead on elements of parliamentary work (e.g. PQs, other correspondence, and executive and ministerial engagement, and requests for briefing for the public inquiry
• Proactively contribute to the provision of learning and improvement internally, and in national and international programmes relating to community surveillance.
• Maintain close working relationships with commercial and finance business partners, and central project management teams.
• To work as part of the team and respond positively and flexibly to any changing and/or emerging priorities in as the team’s function further develops and matures.
• To work as part of the team and respond positively and flexibly to any changing and/or emerging priorities in as the team’s function further develops and matures.

We are looking to fill the existing post of Surveillance Advisor (Community Based Surveillance). The role offers the opportunity to play a key part in shaping UKHSA’s approach to large-scale pandemic preparedness surveillance to fitful UKHSA’s remit and our new strategy – taking account of the learning from the COVID-19 pandemic and pandemic and epidemic threat infections more widely. This role provides the opportunity to join the team on this important work through a period of transition in 26/27 as we develop and deploy critical assets identified through COVID-19 lessons learned exercises and tested in the 2025 National Pandemic Exercise. The role will require a candidate able to develop in public health policy, adapt to operations, continually act on lessons identified from the COVID-19 pandemic and other exercises, and able to work at pace in an ambiguous and ill-defined policy context.

The candidate should have practical experience in large scale programmes and should be able to understand their financial and operational governance, to authoritatively participate in cross-agency work about the future surveillance approaches and ensure UKHSA learns the lessons to date. As part of a team, you will work closely with senior public health leaders in UKHSA, including specialist, scientist and public health policy and operational teams, as well as key stakeholders from across government and academic advisors. This role requires the ability to help influence and shape an ill-defined policy context. Key to success will be an ability to build trusting relationships with key internal and external stakeholders using policy, delivery, engagement and communication skills.

This list is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable expertise in, or understanding of, the public health landscape or equivalent health-family discipline
• Demonstrate resilience and flexibility in delivering fast paced work in an ambiguous ill-defined context.
• Understand how to work across multidisciplinary teams, influence seniors beyond immediate area, and communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience of collaborating with other government departments or external organisations on programme planning and delivery
• Have excellent presentation skills with ability to present complex concepts and communicate/influence senior management and subject experts
• Have demonstrable active interest in team and self-development
• Have a high level of competency with Microsoft Office 365 packages and business applications such MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,983, UK Health Security Agency contributes £12,162 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 is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours & Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success Profiles - GOV.UK

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

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

• 1000 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, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 words. We will not consider any words over 1000words.

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 may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Demonstrable expertise in, or understanding of, the public health landscape or equivalent health-family discipline

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 profilesSuccess Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be invited to a single remote interview.

Behaviours will be tested at interview in the form of questions.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Lead Behaviour - Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Interview dates are 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 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).

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 Baseline Personnel Security Standard

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.

Senior Executive Officer (SEO)
£41,983- £48,128 (National)
£44,148- £50,121 (Outer London)
£46,310- £52,113 (Inner London)

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.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