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UK Health Security Agency

Data Release & Acquisition Officer

The closing date is 27 July 2025

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Job summary

Information Management and Privacy (IMP)'s mission is to provide modern, robust IG (Information Governance) services and assurance of UKHSA data, information, and records.

We do this by enabling the organisation to prepare and respond more effectively to health threats by enhancing the controlled and lawful use of our data and information, building public trust, and safeguarding the reputation of the organisation.

As an integral part of our Information Management and Privacy division, you will play a pivotal role as a data protection subject matter expert, conducting thorough data protection impact assessments, ensuring compliance with relevant data protection laws and standards, and serving as a primary point of contact for inquiries about data sharing.

Your expertise will be instrumental in providing insightful advice on data protection requirements, as well as striking a balance between safeguarding data and maximizing the public health benefit derived from sharing data with public health partners, the NHS, universities and industry. Your efforts will directly contribute to serving UKHSA's health security remit, making a tangible impact on public health outcomes through data driven decision making.

To thrive in this role, you should bring a foundation of data protection knowledge, coupled with strong organisational skills and an unwavering attention to detail. Being a self-starter is essential, as is the ability to manage competing demands and prioritise effectively.

Main duties of the job

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties:

  • Acting as a Data Protection subject matter professional and the first point of contact for data sharing related process queries, providing specialist advice on request
  • Providing effective support to stakeholders and undertaking assessment of requests to process UKHSA data or for UKHSA to acquire data controlled by a third party.
  • Preparing and maintaining documentation to demonstrate compliance with data protection laws.
  • With supervision, executing data sharing agreements with external partners, outlining the terms, conditions, and safeguards for sharing personal data while protecting the rights of data subjects.
  • Logging, updating, and tracking the progress of data requests, taking personal responsibility for maintaining good records.
  • Supporting the update and maintenance of the corporate data sharing register, Register of Processing Activities (ROPA), public-facing Data Approvals Register and other relevant risk and issues registers.
  • Understanding, in detail, the legal, policy or ethical constraints that may impact sharing of data, ensuring these are understood and adhered to within data sharing applications and agreements.

For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

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

15 July 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£31,997 to £43,552 a year Per Annum/Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

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

Reference number

919-CW-303655-EXT

Job locations

Any Core HQ

Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)

E14 4PU


Job description

Job responsibilities

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, is also a prerequisite for this position.

This position sits within the Data Release & Acquisition team, who deliver a request-response service for UKHSA specialising in supporting third parties to access UKHSA data for secondary purposes, including research.

As part of DR&A, the postholder is expected to use their own initiative and be able to work with minimal supervision to facilitate the end-to-end management of data access applications, providing specialist advice and recommendations on data sharing, as well as, undertaking specific project work as and when necessary to support the acquisition of new data into UKHSA.

The role will require you to liaise with internal and external stakeholders to deliver a customer-centric service, while working within data protection laws and ICO best practice.

You will manage a portfolio of data application requests, preparing and maintaining documentation and under supervision of senior managers and the Head of Data Release & Acquisition, be responsible for drafting and executing data sharing agreements with external partners, ensuring the terms, conditions, and safeguards for sharing personal data are well-defined, while safeguarding the rights of data subjects.

Throughout everything you do, you will champion the highest levels of information governance and customer care. You will develop working relationships and communicating regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This includes:

Internal

  • Managers and staff in other IMP teams
  • Data Protection Officer
  • Caldicott Guardian Office
  • Information Asset Owners and system administrators
  • Directorate and division information governance support officers

External

  • Department of Health and Social Care Information Risk Management and Assurance team
  • External data controller and data processor representatives
  • Prospective and active applicants for data

Essential criteria

You will be assessed on the below 11 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

  • Educated to degree level in a relevant subject such as law, computer science, information security or equivalent level of experience
  • Interest in, and understanding of, data protection legislation and its application to health data
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to prioritise between competing pressures and demands
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including for periods without direct supervision
  • Self-awareness and resilience when dealing with conflict or challenging situations
  • A values-based approach to how data is utilised, ensuring that it is not only lawful but fair, meeting the reasonable expectations of the people whose data UKHSA is entrusted to protect
  • Proficient in using Microsoft 365, including Excel.
  • An understanding of and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
  • Understand that bullying, harassment, and discrimination are unacceptable.

Selection Process Details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, 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 11 essential 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 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.

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

Please note only Pile 1 will be carried though to shortlisting

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:-

  • Educated to degree level in a relevant subject such as law, computer science, information security or equivalent level of experience
  • A values-based approach to how data is utilised, ensuring that it is not only lawful but fair, meeting the reasonable expectations of the people whose data UKHSA is entrusted to protect
  • Interest in, and understanding of, data protection legislation and its application to health data

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your statement of suitability must be no more than 1000.Please do not exceed 1000 words, we will not consider any words over and above this number.Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

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

Stage 2: Interview

Success Profiles

You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.

Behaviours, Experience and Abilities will be tested at interview.

There will be a Presentation.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be :-

  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Making effective decisions
  • Changing and Improving

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

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.

Eligibility CriteriaExternalOpen to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location

Hybrid Any Core

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 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

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, is also a prerequisite for this position.

This position sits within the Data Release & Acquisition team, who deliver a request-response service for UKHSA specialising in supporting third parties to access UKHSA data for secondary purposes, including research.

As part of DR&A, the postholder is expected to use their own initiative and be able to work with minimal supervision to facilitate the end-to-end management of data access applications, providing specialist advice and recommendations on data sharing, as well as, undertaking specific project work as and when necessary to support the acquisition of new data into UKHSA.

The role will require you to liaise with internal and external stakeholders to deliver a customer-centric service, while working within data protection laws and ICO best practice.

You will manage a portfolio of data application requests, preparing and maintaining documentation and under supervision of senior managers and the Head of Data Release & Acquisition, be responsible for drafting and executing data sharing agreements with external partners, ensuring the terms, conditions, and safeguards for sharing personal data are well-defined, while safeguarding the rights of data subjects.

Throughout everything you do, you will champion the highest levels of information governance and customer care. You will develop working relationships and communicating regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This includes:

Internal

  • Managers and staff in other IMP teams
  • Data Protection Officer
  • Caldicott Guardian Office
  • Information Asset Owners and system administrators
  • Directorate and division information governance support officers

External

  • Department of Health and Social Care Information Risk Management and Assurance team
  • External data controller and data processor representatives
  • Prospective and active applicants for data

Essential criteria

You will be assessed on the below 11 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

  • Educated to degree level in a relevant subject such as law, computer science, information security or equivalent level of experience
  • Interest in, and understanding of, data protection legislation and its application to health data
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Ability to prioritise between competing pressures and demands
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including for periods without direct supervision
  • Self-awareness and resilience when dealing with conflict or challenging situations
  • A values-based approach to how data is utilised, ensuring that it is not only lawful but fair, meeting the reasonable expectations of the people whose data UKHSA is entrusted to protect
  • Proficient in using Microsoft 365, including Excel.
  • An understanding of and commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
  • Understand that bullying, harassment, and discrimination are unacceptable.

Selection Process Details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, 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 11 essential 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 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.

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

Please note only Pile 1 will be carried though to shortlisting

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:-

  • Educated to degree level in a relevant subject such as law, computer science, information security or equivalent level of experience
  • A values-based approach to how data is utilised, ensuring that it is not only lawful but fair, meeting the reasonable expectations of the people whose data UKHSA is entrusted to protect
  • Interest in, and understanding of, data protection legislation and its application to health data

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your statement of suitability must be no more than 1000.Please do not exceed 1000 words, we will not consider any words over and above this number.Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

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

Stage 2: Interview

Success Profiles

You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.

Behaviours, Experience and Abilities will be tested at interview.

There will be a Presentation.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be :-

  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Making effective decisions
  • Changing and Improving

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

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.

Eligibility CriteriaExternalOpen to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location

Hybrid Any Core

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 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 form and Supporting Statement

Essential

  • Application form and Supporting Statement

Behaviours

Essential

  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Making effective decisions
  • Changing and Improving
Person Specification

Application form and Supporting Statement

Essential

  • Application form and Supporting Statement

Behaviours

Essential

  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Making effective decisions
  • Changing and Improving

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

Any Core HQ

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

Any Core HQ

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:

recruitment team

Recruitment team

recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Details

Date posted

15 July 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£31,997 to £43,552 a year Per Annum/Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

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

Reference number

919-CW-303655-EXT

Job locations

Any Core HQ

Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)

E14 4PU


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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