Private Secretary - #1797387
UK Health Security Agency
Date: 21 hours ago
City: London
Contract type: Contractor
Work schedule: Full day
London
Job Summary
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.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Private Office of the Commercial, Vaccines & Countermeasures Delivery directorate in UK Health Security Agency as a Private Secretary.
Job Description
Your key responsibilities will include:
This role has line management responsibility for executive support/diary manager, as well as supporting the effective running of the office and the leadership of the business area.
The Vaccine and Countermeasures Delivery teams within CVCD play a critical role in delivering UKHSA's mission to protect and improve public health. These teams oversee the supply and delivery of a comprehensive portfolio of life-saving vaccines, countermeasures and immunisation products across the UK, spanning children's, adults', rapid response and seasonal programmes. Drawing on expertise from diverse disciplines, the teams ensure the seamless operational execution and optimal supply of regulated pharmaceutical products while adhering to GDP best practices and maintaining the resilience of these essential public health initiatives.
By coordinating and supporting the relevant internal and external workstreams across the UK, the team ensures all nations (where appropriate) are effectively represented and operationally prepared. This includes ensuring supply reaches the right place, at the right time, and in the right volumes, while supporting the mobilisation of those supplies into impactful delivery campaigns. Through extensive collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, suppliers, clinical experts, and data analysts, the team drives continual improvement, fosters knowledge-sharing, and ensures better patient outcomes—all while delivering value for taxpayers.
Your Key Responsibilities Will Include
This role has line management responsibility for executive support/diary manager, as well as supporting the effective running of the office and the leadership of the business area.
The Vaccine and Countermeasures Delivery teams within CVCD play a critical role in delivering UKHSA's mission to protect and improve public health. These teams oversee the supply and delivery of a comprehensive portfolio of life-saving vaccines, countermeasures and immunisation products across the UK, spanning children's, adults', rapid response and seasonal programmes. Drawing on expertise from diverse disciplines, the teams ensure the seamless operational execution and optimal supply of regulated pharmaceutical products while adhering to GDP best practices and maintaining the resilience of these essential public health initiatives.
By coordinating and supporting the relevant internal and external workstreams across the UK, the team ensures all nations (where appropriate) are effectively represented and operationally prepared. This includes ensuring supply reaches the right place, at the right time, and in the right volumes, while supporting the mobilisation of those supplies into impactful delivery campaigns. Through extensive collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, suppliers, clinical experts, and data analysts, the team drives continual improvement, fosters knowledge-sharing, and ensures better patient outcomes—all while delivering value for taxpayers.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
We will only assess on desirable criteria in the event of a strong field of candidates and as a second stage after essential criteria have been considered.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Required
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 5 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
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:
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
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 (success profiles)
You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.
Behaviours will be tested at interview.
Interviews will be held week commencing 28th July, please note this date is subject to change.
The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be
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 Canary Wharf office. 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). 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).
Additionally some work travel may be required to support the Director.
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum with willingness and capability to work towards Security Check (SC).
You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years to obtain Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Link Below
Artificial intelligence and recruitment , Civil Service Careers
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Careers website
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Working for our organisation
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
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
Job Summary
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.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Private Office of the Commercial, Vaccines & Countermeasures Delivery directorate in UK Health Security Agency as a Private Secretary.
Job Description
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Supporting the Director of CVCD and the Deputy Directors of CVCD through delivery of an effective and efficient Private Office service, including support for meetings, drafting briefings, high quality correspondence responses, communications, and ensuring the Director of CVCD’s priorities are taken forward
- Providing a high-quality service for your portfolio area, taking a key role in driving delivery and ensuring coherence across the senior leadership team, business areas, wider agency and across Whitehall
- Build and maintain strong relationships with the executive leadership of UKHSA and their Private Offices to collectively drive forward work, understand risks, engage with senior officials and help deliver operationally
- Developing a team culture and environment of continuous improvement that supports the wider organisation to deliver
- Offering ad hoc support to the wider Private Office team, including deputising for the Chief of Staff when required.
This role has line management responsibility for executive support/diary manager, as well as supporting the effective running of the office and the leadership of the business area.
The Vaccine and Countermeasures Delivery teams within CVCD play a critical role in delivering UKHSA's mission to protect and improve public health. These teams oversee the supply and delivery of a comprehensive portfolio of life-saving vaccines, countermeasures and immunisation products across the UK, spanning children's, adults', rapid response and seasonal programmes. Drawing on expertise from diverse disciplines, the teams ensure the seamless operational execution and optimal supply of regulated pharmaceutical products while adhering to GDP best practices and maintaining the resilience of these essential public health initiatives.
By coordinating and supporting the relevant internal and external workstreams across the UK, the team ensures all nations (where appropriate) are effectively represented and operationally prepared. This includes ensuring supply reaches the right place, at the right time, and in the right volumes, while supporting the mobilisation of those supplies into impactful delivery campaigns. Through extensive collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, suppliers, clinical experts, and data analysts, the team drives continual improvement, fosters knowledge-sharing, and ensures better patient outcomes—all while delivering value for taxpayers.
Your Key Responsibilities Will Include
- Supporting the Director of CVCD and the Deputy Directors of CVCD through delivery of an effective and efficient Private Office service, including support for meetings, drafting briefings, high quality correspondence responses, communications, and ensuring the Director of CVCD’s priorities are taken forward
- Providing a high-quality service for your portfolio area, taking a key role in driving delivery and ensuring coherence across the senior leadership team, business areas, wider agency and across Whitehall
- Build and maintain strong relationships with the executive leadership of UKHSA and their Private Offices to collectively drive forward work, understand risks, engage with senior officials and help deliver operationally
- Developing a team culture and environment of continuous improvement that supports the wider organisation to deliver
- Offering ad hoc support to the wider Private Office team, including deputising for the Chief of Staff when required.
This role has line management responsibility for executive support/diary manager, as well as supporting the effective running of the office and the leadership of the business area.
The Vaccine and Countermeasures Delivery teams within CVCD play a critical role in delivering UKHSA's mission to protect and improve public health. These teams oversee the supply and delivery of a comprehensive portfolio of life-saving vaccines, countermeasures and immunisation products across the UK, spanning children's, adults', rapid response and seasonal programmes. Drawing on expertise from diverse disciplines, the teams ensure the seamless operational execution and optimal supply of regulated pharmaceutical products while adhering to GDP best practices and maintaining the resilience of these essential public health initiatives.
By coordinating and supporting the relevant internal and external workstreams across the UK, the team ensures all nations (where appropriate) are effectively represented and operationally prepared. This includes ensuring supply reaches the right place, at the right time, and in the right volumes, while supporting the mobilisation of those supplies into impactful delivery campaigns. Through extensive collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, suppliers, clinical experts, and data analysts, the team drives continual improvement, fosters knowledge-sharing, and ensures better patient outcomes—all while delivering value for taxpayers.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- The ability to work at pace on a range of competing priorities, whilst remaining calm under pressure and demonstrating resilience.
- The ability to work flexibly and quickly develop expertise on new policy areas and exercise judgement often working with incomplete or inconclusive information and data.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and motivate people at all levels, building trust with stakeholders to achieve goals.
- A proven track record of making a strong personal impact, demonstrating effectiveness and credibility to operate at a senior level.
- Ability to grasp new challenges and concepts at pace.
We will only assess on desirable criteria in the event of a strong field of candidates and as a second stage after essential criteria have been considered.
- Experience of working in Private Office or executive assistant in the public or private sector
- 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 employer contribution of 28.97%
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Required
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 5 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 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
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and motivate people at all levels, building trust with stakeholders to achieve goals
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 (success profiles)
You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.
Behaviours will be tested at interview.
Interviews will be held week commencing 28th July, please note this date is subject to change.
The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
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 Canary Wharf office. 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). 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).
Additionally some work travel may be required to support the Director.
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum with willingness and capability to work towards Security Check (SC).
You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years to obtain Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Link Below
Artificial intelligence and recruitment , Civil Service Careers
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Careers website
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Working for our organisation
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
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
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).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
- Name : Grace Clark
- Email : [email protected]
- Email : [email protected]
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
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