Job vacancy: Unit Head/Lead Scientist, Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit, UK Health Security Agency, Colindale

Job summary

Main area: Public Health Microbiology
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 8d
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 919-AR-308215-EXT

Employer: UK Health Security Agency
Employer type: Public (Non NHS)
Site: Lab
Town: Colindale
Salary: £88,168 - £101,677 per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 18/02/2025 23:59

Unit Head/Lead Scientist, Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit

NHS AfC: Band 8d

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Lead and manage the scientific and operational service delivery for the designated Unit to ensure seamless working between teams and corporate business functions.

• Lead on behalf of the Deputy Directors on all areas relating to finance, business planning and commercial development, working with Heads of Laboratory Business Operations, corporate leads e.g. Finance Business Partner, ensuring embedded teams work to common national standards and practices.

• Attend and be an active participant of the Senior Management Team, if required.

• Be responsible for shaping a culture of change and innovation and promoting a positive change culture across UKHSA’s public health microbiology laboratories.

Management

• Deliver the budgeting, resourcing, planning and business management, working with Heads of Laboratory Business Operations, Heads of Technical Services, SM&L divisions and corporate leads in UKHSA to ensure the division meets its corporate requirements and liaises effectively with others.

• Day to day scientific and managerial leadership for all staff assigned to the designated Unit

• Lead for identifying savings in the Unit.

• Lead on the update of all corporate reporting including the maintenance of the Corporate and Divisional Scorecards ensuring there is robust, meaningful, transparent and easily digestible management information to aid decision-making and action

• Lead on the coordination of and the maintaining of the designated Unit’s list of deliverables/outputs and monitor delivery, to ensure that the designated reference services meet the needs of internal and external stakeholders.

Laboratory Service leadership

• Provide expert scientific leadership and be responsible for strategic development and operational service delivery in the designated laboratory Unit.

• To set scientific strategy and direction for the designated Unit, working with the Deputy Directors

• To ensure that the laboratory delivers and develops services and provides expert advice for wider public health delivery, and also provides national and international specialist services and advice to internal and external customers.

• To manage the provision of an efficient, effective and timely service, ensuring maximum productivity within allocated resources and budgets and within agreed performance standards.

• To ensure that services are delivered under a Quality Management System in accordance with UKHSA policies, and the Quality standards set by relevant external accreditation bodies (e.g. UKAS)

• To be accountable for Health and Safety of all staff and visitors within the designated Unit.

• To support and develop the workforce, in line with UKHSA’s remit, to support capability and capacity, including technical and professional skills to meet the challenges involved in protecting and improving the public’s health.

• To maintain and further develop the national and international reputation of the designated Unit through development of strategic academic, public sector and other partnerships including funding application, participation, design, implementation and overall management of appropriate R&D projects.

• To deputise for the Deputy Directors, as appropriate.

Other Information

External - Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)

Application Stage:

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a detailed personal statement / statement of suitability based on the essential criteria advertised (no more than 1100 words).

This should outline how you consider your skills, knowledge and experience meet the selection requirements. It should provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the person specification criteria outlined.

Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the Person Specification of the Job Description as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered

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

Please do not exceed 1100 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Interview Stage:

You will be invited to an in person face to face interview at UKHSA Colindale, London, NW9 5EQ. Remote interview will be offered in exceptional circumstances.

Knowledge, Experience, Skills & Abilities will be tested at interview.

Interview date TBC

Please note, these dates are subject to change.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Successful candidates for this role must pass an enhanced disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Location

This role is being offered as office/lab based at our Scientific Campus in Colindale. If based at one of our scientific campuses, 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.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

PhD in a biological science
HCPC Registration or registration to be obtained with 18 months of taking up the role
CPD participation

Desirable criteria

FRCPath

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

National/International recognition for organism specific or subject matter expertise
Expertise in the specialist area covered by the post
Experience in laboratory technology; broad experience of culture, resistance monitoring, molecular and serological assays, and test evaluations as appropriate
Experience of working within a quality system
Understanding of quality assurance principles and procedures
Understanding and experience of laboratory safety regulations and procedures
Experience and understanding of project management
Understands the role of IT in the laboratory
Evidence of using technical experience to assess new and existing systems and processes to innovate and initiate change in laboratory practice
Detailed knowledge of specialist and reference microbiology functions and their contribution to public health

Desirable criteria

Experience of financial management including managing budgets
Experience in business management and development of business plans; relevant business or management training to certificate level

Skills and Capabilities

Essential criteria

Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Able to convey instructions, ideas and opinions clearly and concisely.
Excellent team management skills and strong record of operational delivery.
Presenting evaluation information to meetings/groups where highly qualified experts debate the work the post holder has prepared
Manage many high profile projects simultaneously
Report writing
Presenting to a national and international audience

Other

Essential criteria

Committed and persistent to deliver projects in a timely fashion
Articulate and clear thinking.
Intensive VDU work
Able to achieve tight deadlines

Desirable criteria

Live within reasonable distance of the laboratory
Specific research and development interests
Evidence of complementary interests

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

Aptitude for managing people and assessing performance
Able to motivate others, encourage teamwork, delegate, and get the best out of people
Able to criticize constructively, to design and introduce improvements and to manage change

Skills and Capabilities

Essential criteria

Negotiating and influencing skills required when liaising with managers, senior staff of other teams and NHS experts to move projects forward
Frequent periods of intense concentration are required e.g. when preparing proposals, reviews/edits, proof reading, literature searches etc.
Persuade others to act where post holder has no management authority
Interruptions to attend meetings at short notice. Solve problems associated with the team.
Troubleshooting and problem solving. Self-motivated and to motivate others

Other

Essential criteria

Well organized
Committed to a high standard and accurate work
Enthusiastic
Able to analyse and evaluate evidence
Capacity to think about future direction and strategy
Able to deal with problems in a calm, level-headed and efficient manner
Able to work across organisational boundaries
Prepared to work flexibly and to multi-task
Continual multitasking is required where a number of different tasks are performed at any one time
Managing staff and difficult situations
Negotiating and influencing staff and experts in meetings and in pressurised work environment

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.

This is a Non-Reserved post under the Civil Service Nationality Rules. To be eligible for employment in the UK Civil Service applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) which operate independently of and additionally to the Immigration Rules. Applicants must also meet necessary security and vetting requirements, along with any other relevant pre-employment checks.

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

For more information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules (opens in a new window) and the UK Visas and Immigration rules (opens in a new window)

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

The Civil Service pay structure and progression is different from NHS Agenda for Change (AfC), most local authority pay grades and other systems that have annual pay increments. For further details, please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.

For AfC or Medical/Dental posts, you must have the correct professional registration to be appointed. The pay will follow the AfC or Medical & Dental terms & conditions. You may be asked to provide evidence of previous service whilst we are conducting pre-employment checks to determine your starting salary.

For Temporary Appointments, if 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 the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. 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. 

Given the nature of the work of the UKHSA, as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, you may be required in an emergency, if deemed a necessity, to redeploy to another role at short notice. You may also be required to work at any other location, within reasonable travelling distance of your permanent home address, in line with the provisions set out in your contract of employment.

Late Applications will unfortunately not be considered.

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 equality of opportunity. 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:  [email protected] 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 here.

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 may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list.

Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.

UKHSA is required to check employment and/or education history covering three consecutive years. Please ensure you give details of at least two different referees, even if you were employed in one company for three years or more.

If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

 Benefits of working at UKHSA include:

Generous annual leave:
-26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service
-28 days after 5 years of continuous service
-32 days after 10 years of continuous service
-Plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday
Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
We also promote flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours). UKHSA views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.
We also offer a generous maternity/ paternity and adoption leave package.

Hybrid Working

UKHSA operates 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 usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home.

Disability Confident Scheme

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview.   If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form.

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 take into account 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 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.