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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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About the job
Job summary
In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment youd like to work in, wed love to hear from you.
The Emergency Preparedness and Health Protection (EPHP) Directorate, within the Global Health and Health Protection Group, plays a vital role in preparing for and responding to all types of national incidents, such as disease outbreaks or terrorist attacks. This busy Directorate leads a great range of policy, covering everything from infectious disease planning and response including Ebola and pandemic flu, to health security, anti-microbial resistance, vaccination and immunisation policy, and counter terrorism preparations and response.
The Governance and Reporting lead will be a key role in the Pandemic Preparedness Strategy and Portfolio (PPSP) branch of the EPHP Directorate. PPSP leads on the development of a new capabilities focused strategic approach to pandemic preparedness, learning from previous pandemics, and strategy implementation through the development and delivery oversight of the Pandemic Preparedness Portfolio (PPP), working closely with the UKHSA Centre of Pandemic Preparedness and Programmes across DHSC, UKHSA and NHSE.
This role sits on the G6-led Portfolio Governance, Assurance and Risk team and will ensure delivery of an effective governance approach for the PPP, including a high performing Secretariat function and by designing and implementing performance reporting that will provide assurance to the Board on delivery of the portfolio, and on appropriate prioritisation and alignment with our strategic approach.
Job description
Within the PPSP team this role reports to the G7 Governance and Planning Manager and will work closely with the wider PPSP team, which is also responsible for pandemic preparedness strategy and cross-government engagement.
This is a varied and challenging role, and the postholder will be expected to quickly get to grips with a variety of policy and delivery areas under the Pandemic Preparedness Portfolio including Programmes on clinical countermeasures, diagnostics, surveillance, research and development and wider health and care sector resilience. The role requires flexibility and close co-operation with strategic planning and policy colleagues to gain sufficient understanding of the key areas of delivery, including key policies, focusing on strategies to establish a resilient and transparent delivery reporting structure. This structure should encompass an appropriate framework and methodology for regular review of assumptions, plans and risks. In this the postholder will need to work collaboratively with colleagues from UKHSA , DHSC and NHSE who lead on the delivery of Programmes under the Portfolio and with the UKHSA Centre of Pandemic Preparedness who leads on Pandemic Preparedness overall in UKHSA.
In this role, you will have an opportunity to engage and influence senior managers, build knowledge and skills around programme and portfolio management and engage with a wide variety of stakeholders across health and social care. You will be responsible for contributing to core PMO functions, managing the Board Secretariat and will have the opportunity to influence senior stakeholders through the analysis and preparation of submissions to the Board to provide assurance and improve delivery of the Portfolio. You will develop a regular reporting cycle to provide insight, information and support that strengthens Portfolio oversight and enables senior management to have a clear line of sight from the strategy to delivery, informing effective decisions and supporting future pandemic preparedness.
We are looking for people with a successful track record in developing and maintaining strong working relationships, ability to analyse and distill key trends or issues from large amounts of information, providing constructive challenge and with the ability to confidently engage with senior colleagues.
Person specification
Role Responsibilities:
- Developing and managing the Portfolio governance processes, including leading the secretariat function for the Pandemic Preparedness Portfolio Board, setting agendas, commissioning and ensuring quality of papers and minutes and supporting the effectiveness of the Board
- Build and maintain good working relationships with key stakeholders across all areas of the Portfolio including DG SROs and Programme Directors UKHSA CPP, DHSC policy teams , NHSE to support the effective governance and overall role of the Portfolio team.
- Develop good knowledge of the key policy areas, and associated priorities, as well as key milestones and key risks across the Portfolio to enable suitable targeting of reporting to the Board and appropriate challenge of delivery reporting
- Develop and lead our performance reporting tools and analyse information provided by Programmes to spot emerging risks and issues impacting the delivery
- Challenge and test assumptions to ensure that plans are realistic and achievable
- Support effective portfolio level planning, and using the performance reporting to track progress against plans as well as proposing specific areas for further assurance
- Line management for an HEO PMO Officer
Key Skills:
- Experience in implementing governance and delivery reporting in a complex policy environment, ideally in a large and complex Portfolio or Programme. This could have been gained in either a policy or project delivery role
- Good working knowledge and skills in effective governance, delivery assurance and performance reporting and planning
- Ability to operate efficiently and effectively in a fast paced and complex delivery environment and deliver to tight deadlines and targets.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and with evidence of building and maintaining effective working relationships with stakeholders, including the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively to senior stakeholders, both verbally and in written form
- Strong analytical skills and the ability to analyse large and complex sets of information to identify key trends or themes, risks and gaps and to identify areas of improvement, or propose options to support the delivery of agreed plans
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
£10,806 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 average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Sift date: expected W/C 13th November 2023
Interview date: expected W/C 27th November 2023
Interview location: By video. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift.
The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.
Applications will be sifted on Statement of Suitability and Behaviours.
Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 1000 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.
An initial sift based on the Lead Behaviour – ‘Delivering at Pace’ may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.
To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service Careers Website here
Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available.
Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to DHSC 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
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the Assistance required section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
Terms and Conditions
Candidates should note that DHSCs Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidates responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.
New Entrants to the Civil Service
New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSCs modernised terms and conditions:
- Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
- Privilege Leave: 1 day – for the Kings birthday
- Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
- Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months full pay and five months half pay
- Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
- Probation: 6 month probation period
Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion
All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSCs modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion
If DHSCs modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSCs pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSCs modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Hajira Mushtaq
- Email : Hajira.mushtaq@dhsc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/
