UK Health Security Agency

Talent Lead

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

In UKHSA, we're here to prepare for, prevent and respond to health threats, save lives and protect livelihoods. Our vision is exciting. Through our scientific and operational experience, we aim to protect every person, community, business and public service from infectious diseases and environmental hazards, helping to create a safe and prosperous society.

How we do this is equally important. Our values are key to how we operate. In everything we do, we are impactful, insightful, and inclusive.

Our aim is to create a workplace where all colleagues feel proud and supported, enabling all of us to make a meaningful impact on the health security both in the UK and around the world, while realising our full potential to learn, grow, and innovate. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and providing the necessary support and resources, together we can lead our organisation towards a successful future.

The Talent Lead is an influential and business critical role that will help shape and influence the strategic direction of how we retain and develop talent across UKHSA, our 6,000+ people.The Talent Lead will support the Head of Talent and Inclusion in driving a strategic direction that appreciates the value of our deep experts, broad generalists and those looking to elevate their careers. The successful candidate will help grow internal talent to meet our future skills needs.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will:

  • Be customer focused and passionate about talent development. They will know how to harness the power of Cross Government Schemes and internal programmes, to build a culture that values and recognises the benefits of talent management.
  • Drive the launch of our new innovative 'Own Your Talent' approach across UKHSA, gaining senior leadership buy-in and working closely with enablers such as the HR Systems team, to ensure a data driven approach that provides the business and strategic workforce teams intelligence for planning.
  • Establish and embed a comprehensive Talent offer, maximising the use of Cross Government Talent Schemes such as Beyond Boundaries, Future and Senior Leaders Schemes and the Civil Service Fast Stream, whilst leading Accelerate, our in-house flagship talent programme.
  • Work with Heads of Profession, Performance Management, Talent Acquisition and the Capability Team to bring together an eco-system that works as one, enabling a customer centric approach that supports our overall employee value proposition, contributing towards making the UKHSA a great place to work, and a high performing agency.
  • Form part of the Culture, Talent and Capability senior leadership team, establishing and maintaining great collaboration across the Heads of Profession, and other key stakeholders across UKHSA and wider relevant Civil Service networks and broader industry.

Continues below

About us

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

Details

Date posted

10 March 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£54,416 to £68,344 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

919-LT-305635-EXT

Job locations

Core HQs

Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)

E14 4PU


Job description

Job responsibilities

Continued from above

  • Actively support the development of a Culture, Talent and Capability Centre of Expertise supporting the whole of UKHSA and beyond
  • Be future focussed, innovative and proactive in adopting technological advancements, external best practice and opportunities to make improvements and efficiencies in ways of working that benefit the UKHSA and its people.

The Talent Lead is an exciting and business critical role which helps to shape and nurture colleagues at all levels to be their best in order that we can deliver a truly effective health protection and security system.

You will be knowledgeable on the latest talent theories and thinking, and act with a continuous improvement mind-set to ensure that we are developing new and innovative methods for talent management.

You will be a highly capable, flexible, driven individual who is able to see the bigger picture as well as having a high level of energy and attention to detail. You will role model the UKHSA values in your leadership style and operate with a curious mind.You will:

  • Ensure high standards and expectations of the impact you and the team have on the organisation
  • Deliver at pace and with clarity, understanding, responding to and challenging the differing cultures across the groups within UKHSA
  • Have the ability to develop lasting stakeholder relationships with strong influencing and negotiation skills
  • Understand the development challenges and opportunities across the Agency related to all our professions, including those related to the talent development of under-represented groups and the nuances of leading in an complex, science-led, often operational and sometimes high-risk environment.

You will need to be mindful of, and collaborate on the development of culture, people experience, talent and inclusion within the talent offer. Main Activities / Responsibilities

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

  • As part of the Culture, Talent and Development senior leadership team lead and collaborate on creation and delivery of a robust and stretching plan that spans the whole of UKHSA and aims to identify and develop our talent, enable data collection and workforce planning discussions.
  • Launch and embed the Own Your Talent approach to talent management that has been developed and will be delivered in-house. You will work closely with key stakeholders such as Internal Communication and Engagement colleagues, to embed a culture of talent conversations, enabling a high performing workforce and strategic workforce planning culture.
  • Lead on harnessing the power of Cross Government talent schemes such as Beyond Boundaries, Crossing Thresholds, Future and Seniors Leaders Scheme, tracking progress while also maximising the diversity and experience of candidates.
  • Oversight of the UKHSA cohorts on the award-winning Civil Service Fast Stream. This includes the annual bidding process and building a rewarding scheme experience for cohort participants and their managers.
  • Broaden and grow Accelerate, our in-house flagship talent programme, aimed at ensuring a diverse pipeline of talent through the organisation. Managing the cohort leads, who are responsible for hands on delivery of the end-to-end programme and working with senior stakeholders including Executive Board Members.
  • Delivery of a wide-reaching, innovative, impactful and engaging talent portfolio that is responsive to the needs of the Agency. Appreciating the diverse needs of our customer base, delivering specific initiatives that equip individuals with appropriate skills and facilitate continuous talent development.
  • Bringing a customer-centric and commercial ethos to the team, ensuring that the user experience meets expectations and needs, is technology enabled, data driven and drives a continuous talent culture whilst also understanding contract and supplier management.
  • Maintaining successful stakeholder relationships with a range of customers at all levels through consistent, honest and thorough communications.
  • Horizon scanning and forecasting talent trends and needs so that our offer is continually improving and is responsive to the needs of the organisation and wider society. Exploring and making the case for future technology and tools.
  • Ability to clearly present robust recommendations and advice to leaders and colleagues at all levels with confidence and conviction surrounding talent.
  • Other duties as appropriate and required for the role.

Essential Criteria

  • Experience or strong understanding of developing and embedding talent management strategies.
  • Experience of design and delivery of high quality, impactful, strategic workforce related initiatives end-to-end at scale and pace, ensuring value for money and demonstrable return on investment.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with ability to deliver and influence sometimes complex and technical concepts in an accessible way at all levels, demonstrating professional credibility and an evidence-based customer-focused approach
  • Experience of working in a flexible, agile environment.
  • Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver outcomes to deadlines.
  • Highly proficient user of technology to enhance ways of working within a medium/large organisation.
  • Leadership and line management experience.

Selection Process Details:

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profiles

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria and 4 behaviours and this will be in the form of a:

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
  • 500 word Statement of Suitability linked to the essential criteria
  • Behaviour statements linked to each behaviour below (please write a maximum of 250 words linked to each behaviour)

Behaviours:

  • Changing and Improving (lead behaviour for application)
  • Leadership
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Working Together

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 Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

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

We will take piles 'Meets all essential criteria' and 'Meets some essential criteria' through to shortlisting stage.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the lead behaviour of Changing and Improving.

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

Please do not exceed a total of 1500 words (500 words for statement of suitability plus 250 words per behaviour). We will not consider any words over and above this number.

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 a (single) remote interview.

Behaviours, strengths and abilities will be tested at interview.

There will be a 5-10 minute presentation, details will be confirmed to those who are invited to interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

  • Changing and Improving
  • Leadership
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing

Interviews 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.

Eligibility Criteria

External: open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition 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 orLondon).

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.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Continued from above

  • Actively support the development of a Culture, Talent and Capability Centre of Expertise supporting the whole of UKHSA and beyond
  • Be future focussed, innovative and proactive in adopting technological advancements, external best practice and opportunities to make improvements and efficiencies in ways of working that benefit the UKHSA and its people.

The Talent Lead is an exciting and business critical role which helps to shape and nurture colleagues at all levels to be their best in order that we can deliver a truly effective health protection and security system.

You will be knowledgeable on the latest talent theories and thinking, and act with a continuous improvement mind-set to ensure that we are developing new and innovative methods for talent management.

You will be a highly capable, flexible, driven individual who is able to see the bigger picture as well as having a high level of energy and attention to detail. You will role model the UKHSA values in your leadership style and operate with a curious mind.You will:

  • Ensure high standards and expectations of the impact you and the team have on the organisation
  • Deliver at pace and with clarity, understanding, responding to and challenging the differing cultures across the groups within UKHSA
  • Have the ability to develop lasting stakeholder relationships with strong influencing and negotiation skills
  • Understand the development challenges and opportunities across the Agency related to all our professions, including those related to the talent development of under-represented groups and the nuances of leading in an complex, science-led, often operational and sometimes high-risk environment.

You will need to be mindful of, and collaborate on the development of culture, people experience, talent and inclusion within the talent offer. Main Activities / Responsibilities

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

  • As part of the Culture, Talent and Development senior leadership team lead and collaborate on creation and delivery of a robust and stretching plan that spans the whole of UKHSA and aims to identify and develop our talent, enable data collection and workforce planning discussions.
  • Launch and embed the Own Your Talent approach to talent management that has been developed and will be delivered in-house. You will work closely with key stakeholders such as Internal Communication and Engagement colleagues, to embed a culture of talent conversations, enabling a high performing workforce and strategic workforce planning culture.
  • Lead on harnessing the power of Cross Government talent schemes such as Beyond Boundaries, Crossing Thresholds, Future and Seniors Leaders Scheme, tracking progress while also maximising the diversity and experience of candidates.
  • Oversight of the UKHSA cohorts on the award-winning Civil Service Fast Stream. This includes the annual bidding process and building a rewarding scheme experience for cohort participants and their managers.
  • Broaden and grow Accelerate, our in-house flagship talent programme, aimed at ensuring a diverse pipeline of talent through the organisation. Managing the cohort leads, who are responsible for hands on delivery of the end-to-end programme and working with senior stakeholders including Executive Board Members.
  • Delivery of a wide-reaching, innovative, impactful and engaging talent portfolio that is responsive to the needs of the Agency. Appreciating the diverse needs of our customer base, delivering specific initiatives that equip individuals with appropriate skills and facilitate continuous talent development.
  • Bringing a customer-centric and commercial ethos to the team, ensuring that the user experience meets expectations and needs, is technology enabled, data driven and drives a continuous talent culture whilst also understanding contract and supplier management.
  • Maintaining successful stakeholder relationships with a range of customers at all levels through consistent, honest and thorough communications.
  • Horizon scanning and forecasting talent trends and needs so that our offer is continually improving and is responsive to the needs of the organisation and wider society. Exploring and making the case for future technology and tools.
  • Ability to clearly present robust recommendations and advice to leaders and colleagues at all levels with confidence and conviction surrounding talent.
  • Other duties as appropriate and required for the role.

Essential Criteria

  • Experience or strong understanding of developing and embedding talent management strategies.
  • Experience of design and delivery of high quality, impactful, strategic workforce related initiatives end-to-end at scale and pace, ensuring value for money and demonstrable return on investment.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with ability to deliver and influence sometimes complex and technical concepts in an accessible way at all levels, demonstrating professional credibility and an evidence-based customer-focused approach
  • Experience of working in a flexible, agile environment.
  • Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver outcomes to deadlines.
  • Highly proficient user of technology to enhance ways of working within a medium/large organisation.
  • Leadership and line management experience.

Selection Process Details:

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profiles

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria and 4 behaviours and this will be in the form of a:

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
  • 500 word Statement of Suitability linked to the essential criteria
  • Behaviour statements linked to each behaviour below (please write a maximum of 250 words linked to each behaviour)

Behaviours:

  • Changing and Improving (lead behaviour for application)
  • Leadership
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Working Together

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 Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

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

We will take piles 'Meets all essential criteria' and 'Meets some essential criteria' through to shortlisting stage.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the lead behaviour of Changing and Improving.

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

Please do not exceed a total of 1500 words (500 words for statement of suitability plus 250 words per behaviour). We will not consider any words over and above this number.

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 a (single) remote interview.

Behaviours, strengths and abilities will be tested at interview.

There will be a 5-10 minute presentation, details will be confirmed to those who are invited to interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

  • Changing and Improving
  • Leadership
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing

Interviews 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.

Eligibility Criteria

External: open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition 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 orLondon).

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.

Person Specification

Application, Statement of Suitability and Behaviour Statements

Essential

  • Application, Statement of Suitability and Behaviour Statements

Behaviours

Essential

  • Changing and improving
  • Leadership
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing
Person Specification

Application, Statement of Suitability and Behaviour Statements

Essential

  • Application, Statement of Suitability and Behaviour Statements

Behaviours

Essential

  • Changing and improving
  • Leadership
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Working Together
  • Communicating and Influencing

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Core HQs

Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)

E14 4PU


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Core HQs

Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)

E14 4PU


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Resourcing Support Officer

Lisa Tweedie

Lisa.Tweedie@ukhsa.gov.uk

Details

Date posted

10 March 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£54,416 to £68,344 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

919-LT-305635-EXT

Job locations

Core HQs

Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)

E14 4PU


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

UK Health Security Agency's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)