Job responsibilities
Professional Development
- Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan.
- Attend internal and external training events.
- Participate in all mandatory training as required (e.g. information governance training)
Key Working Relationships
The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include:
- Medical, scientific, ICT/bioinformatics and administrative colleagues within BSHSH and the CPH Group
- Staff in other divisions of UKHSA, especially colleagues in Laboratory Services
- Colleagues in the UKHSA Statistics Unit, Field Services, Local Health Protection Teams and the Communications Dept
- Patient networks and charities
- Department of Health and Social Care
- NHS Digital, NHSx, NHS England and NHS Improvement, NIMS
- Child Health Records Department managers, Screening and Immunisation teams, PHEC staff, Directors of Public
- Health, Immunisation Co-ordinators and immunisation leads
- European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
- Local government
- Devolved administrations (Public Health Scotland, Public Health Wales)
- Other agencies to develop clinical codes, data specifications and data systems related to vaccine coverage
- Other clinical, public health, scientific and academic staff in NHS Trusts, national, regional and local institutions within and outside the UK
Blood Safety, Hepatitis, STI & HIV Division
The Blood Safety, Hepatitis, STI and HIV (BSHSH) Division is the national centre for surveillance of hepatitis, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England. It is within the Public Health Programmes (PHP) Directorate of the Chief Medical Advisor Group and is based mainly in Colindale, north London. The Division consists of around 100 permanent and project-funded medical, scientific, technical and administrative staff including epidemiologists, public health specialists, microbiologists, virologists, data managers and statisticians. The Division works closely with other Divisions, particularly Immunisation and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Health Equity, Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance and Reference and Specialist Microbiology Services and with the Analytics and Data Sciences Directorate and Health Protection Operations. The Division also works in partnership with both national and regional teams in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), NHS England and NHS Improvement and NHSBT. The Division is also closely involved with the work of the NIHR-funded Health Protection Research Units, which are collaborative ventures involving UKHSA and academia.
The BSHSH Division aims to:
- Describe trends in the incidence and prevalence of hepatitis, STIs and HIV, especially in important behavioural population sub-groups;
- Describe trends in the incidence and prevalence of all infections transmissible through blood, tissue and organ donations;
- Provide national reference and specialist microbiology and virology services, for public health, clinical and diagnostic purposes;
- Monitor the outputs and effectiveness of hepatitis, STI and HIV prevention activities and programmes and support development of national policy;
- Provide information for local needs assessment, service commissioning and evaluation, and to guide prevention activities aimed at reducing risk behaviours and interrupting infection transmission, including through blood, organ and tissue donation;
- Investigate national and uncommon outbreaks, respond to international health alerts, and provide advice on the risks posed;
- Train those working in blood safety and in hepatitis, STI and HIV surveillance, monitoring and prevention;
- Lead and contribute to research in hepatitis, STI and HIV epidemiology, diagnostics, and infection prevention and control.
Essential criteria:
- Educated to degree level in a Public Health related subject or equivalent level of experience in health data analysis and/or working in a public health agency/setting
- Data management, analysis and reporting as well as significant experience of working with multiple sets of data and information systems in health or related organisations
- Knowledge of data security and confidentiality issues
- Work on several separate tasks at the same time, whilst keeping to agreed deadlines; identify and solve day-to-day practical problems
- Analysing, summarising and interpreting complex epidemiological data, and resolving problems
- Ability to work independently and take responsibility for own technical work and time and to work as an effective team member
- Communicate ideas and methods clearly and succinctly to include excellent oral and written communication skills
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
Desirable criteria:
- Experience of working as part of an outbreak investigation
- Experience of scripting and applied use of statistical computing environments such as R, SAS, STATA, SPSS, Mathematical or equivalent
Selection Process Detail
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Competency-based assessmentsYou willbe required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 8 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
- Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
- 1000 word Supporting Statement.
The Application form and supporting statement will be marked together.
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.
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:
- Meets all essential criteria
- Meets some essential criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
Those falling into the 'Meets all essential criteria' pile will progress to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following essential criteria:
- Educated to degree level in a Public Health related subject or equivalent level of experience in health data analysis and/or working in a public health agency/setting
- Data management, analysis and reporting as well as significant experience of working with multiple sets of data and information systems in health or related organisations
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.
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.
Stage 2: Interview
Competency based
You will be invited to a face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.
There will be a 20 minute written test at the beginning of your interview.
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.
Eligibility Criteria
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 our Scientific Campus in Colindale, London.
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).
Salary
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 todemonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
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 Counter-terrorist Check.
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. 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.
