Quality Officer

At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards.  We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences, and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work.

Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, hearing and acting upon diverse voices and opinions to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working.

The Culture Collections is a Biological Resource Centre that provides a service maintaining and supplying strains of cultured cells and microorganisms for public health research.  It is structured as a fully integrated service, underpinning science with significant scientific, manufacturing and business activities and operates from laboratories across UKHSA and from a specialist cryo-storage facility on the Porton site. 

The Quality Officer will report directly to the Quality Assurance and Regulatory Manager Culture Collections to ensure the application of the management and coordination of the quality systems based on ISO 9001:2008 and ISO17025:2005. The Quality Assurance group has responsibility for managing and facilitating ISO 9001:2008 and ISO17025:2005 compliance applicable to Culture Collections on the UKHSA Porton and UKHSA Colindale.

 Location

Manor Farm Road, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.*

Working Pattern – Full Time, Part Time, Job Share

Responsibilities section:

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

• The supervision of staff and the delivery of the service in the most efficient manner.
• The practical guidance and coordination of cross-function teams in the Culture Collections with quality issues.
• The supervision and organisation of the delivery of work to specification and to schedule.
• The origination of written procedures, report forms, risk assessments and all types of working documentation.
• The recording, analysis and reporting of results, data, and information.
• The use of electronic quality management systems for example document control.
• The supervision of work to ensure it achieves/complies with the highest standards of quality.
• To support and implement the Corporate and local Quality Management Systems.
• To contribute to strategic planning by representing the Quality team as required from time to time.
• The preparation and presentation of regular, written progress reports to senior management, including Key Performance Indicators and progress against objectives.
• Making formal, illustrated presentations of Quality Assurance and its outputs to staff, management or stakeholders as required from time to time.
• The conduct of internal and external ISO-based quality audits according to a defined audit schedule and at senior manager request.
• To write audit reports and agree programmes of corrective actions with the appropriate operational groups.

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.

Please see the attached job description for a full list of responsibilities

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;

Internal

• The Quality Officer will liaise and interact with other managers and staff both within and across Culture Collections and UKHSA generally

 External

• Post holder shall communicate and liaise with external customers, collaborators, suppliers, consultant and other third parties as however required from time to time to prosecute the Culture Collections and UKHSA business

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 750 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:

Essential

• HNC or equivalent in life sciences
• Sound practical experience of working in an analytical/production/research laboratory
• Current good scientific practice
• Communications, written and verbal
• Good interpersonal skills

 Desirable

• Basic auditing qualification
• Sound practical experience of auditing
• Knowledge of other quality standards such as GxP

Please see the attached job description for a full list of essential/desirable criteria

• 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%

Job contact :

• Name : UKHSA Recruitment Team
• Email : ukhsa.recruitment@reed.com

Recruitment team

• Email : ukhsa.recruitment@reed.com