Vaccine & Immunisation Programme Operations Lead

Job summary

The wider Commercial, Vaccines & Countermeasures Delivery (CVCD) Directorate is pivotal to UKHSA's mission, overseeing the delivery of commercial, contract management, and business development functions. It manages a vast commercial portfolio, ensuring the agency has the resources to address health security threats. The directorate leads the procurement, storage, and distribution of vaccines and countermeasures for national immunisation and emergency response programmes. It fosters industry partnerships, drives market engagement, and builds supply chain resilience. Additionally, the team is responsible for investment governance, dispute management, and building commercial capability. They also develop and execute income generation strategies, leveraging UKHSA’s expertise and facilities to secure funding and commercial opportunities.

This role is part of the Vaccines Programmes & Operations division and reports into the Head of Vaccine and Immunisation Programmes.

This role leads the delivery of a defined portfolio of immunisation programmes for CVCD, ensuring the programme of work is coordinated to maintain the continued supply of vaccines. It oversees procurement and supply activity, coordinating inputs across functions and delivery partners, and working with colleagues across the health ecosystem and vaccine manufacturers. The role operates within a matrix structure, coordinating delivery across Government Professions including Commercial, Finance, Analysis, and Digital.

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

• Ensuring a continuous supply of vaccines to the UK NHS by supporting procurement efforts for all ongoing and emerging vaccine programmes.
• Creating expert business cases and progressing cases through approvals, including Ministers where necessary. Drawing on relevant functions (e.g., Commercial, Finance, Legal as needed.
• Responsible for UK Vaccine supply and stock optimisation, including leading operational activity within UKHSA, ensuring rapid and responsive actions when required, whilst organising business requirements to deliver a lean and efficient service, and mitigate losses, working closely with the relevant government functions (e.g., Commercial, Finance, Analytical).
• Working closely with different government functions to make best use of the expertise available across teams championing a matrix way of working.
• Programme planning and implementation across the four nations, including wider Programme Governance as (workstream supply lead for each programme) ensuring communication across teams and senior stakeholders.
• Overseeing the ordering and distribution of products to the NHS and other customers in support of immunisation and vaccine programmes responsible for, directing service providers and ImmForm supply functions as and when needed.
• Stakeholder relationship management, including leading, building and maintaining trusted relationships with suppliers and external stakeholders in relation to programmes leading on.
• Developing strategies with Quality and Storage & Distribution (S&D) Team to manage vaccine shortages or recalls, to resume supply as quickly as possible and minimise wastage.
• Contributing to the procurement of future national S&D infrastructure requirements working closely with colleagues to build and execute resilient systems.
• Engaging with a wide array of internal and external stakeholders including UKHSA Public Health Programmes, Department of Health and Social Care counterparts, academics and industry experts. Ensure effective communication with project stakeholders and senior sponsors/Senior Responsible Officers (SROs).
• Proactively reviewing programmes to identify opportunities for enhancements, making collaborative recommendations to drive improvements across the supply chain or deployment. Focus on optimising patient outcomes and ensuring value for money (VfM) by implementing learnings in a timely and inclusive manner, maintaining a culture of ongoing evaluation and refinement.
• Line management responsibilities.
• Identifying, discussing, and actioning own professional performance and training / development needs with their line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal / external training events.
• Participating in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.

This list of duties is not exhaustive.

Person specification

Requirements of the role (e.g. qualifications, licenses and registrations)

Essential criteria:

• Postgraduate level qualification in a relevant discipline (for example public health, public policy, management, economics, or a related field) or significant equivalent experience in progressively responsible roles, demonstrating advanced analytical capability, structured problem solving, and leadership of complex programmes.
• Demonstrable experience of working in a complex programme, operational or delivery environments, which may include pharmaceutical health, supply chain or other large-scale public service programmes.
• Proven experience in managing complex operations or programmes, including planning, monitoring, and delivering end-to-end projects/ workstreams to time cost, and quality.
• Experience in Project and Programme Management including defining scope, managing interdependencies, and delivering against agreed objectives.
• Capable of mitigating risks, optimising processes, and achieving timely, cost-effective outcomes aligned with organisational goals.
• Ability to work autonomously to make decisions and lead projects at middle management level exercising sound judgement.
• Ability to build and sustain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders, partners, and suppliers and to navigate complex stakeholder environments to ensure alignment, effective communication, and collaborative problem-solving.
• An understanding of the core aspects of vaccine or public health programmes and ability to rapidly access and co-ordinate the range of expertise needed across His Majesty Government to maximise impact.
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of line managing a team.
• Ability to draft robust and evidence-based business cases.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams, fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.
• Providing clear direction, empowering team members, and ensuring accountability for delivering objectives.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £60,494, UK Health Security Agency contributes £17,525 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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,Technical skills.

At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the job advert.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profiles

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 9 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1000 word Supporting Statement.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000.

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

The Application form and supporting statement will be marked together.

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:

1. Meets all essential criteria
2. Meets some essential criteria
3. Meets no essential criteria

Those falling into the ‘Meets all essential criteria’ pile will progress to shortlisting.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following lead essential criteria:

• Demonstrable experience of working in complex programme, operational or delivery environments, which may include pharmaceutical, health, supply chain or other large-scale public service programmes.

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

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.

Stage 2: Interview

Success Profiles

You will be invited to aremote interview.

Behaviours and technical skills will be tested at interview.

There will be a Presentation.

You will be asked to prepare and deliver a 7-minute presentation. The subject of which will be provided in advance. This will assess your approach to the operational delivery of a vaccination programme, including risk management and value for money considerations.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Making Effective Decisions (Lead behaviour)
• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service

Interviews 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.

Hybrid attached to a specific core HQ

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Core HQ in London (Canary Wharf). 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). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from 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 disclosure and barring security check.

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

Eligibility Criteria

External

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

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

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 note: The Chief Operating Officer (COO) group, where this role sits, is undergoing organisational change over the next 12–18 months. While the process is still in the planning stage, some roles may be affected by future restructuring. We are committed to keeping candidates informed and will share updates as they become available.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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

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 : Charlene Gwekwerere
• Email : charlene.gwekwerere@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 UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: 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: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/7724155