Detailed job description and main responsibilities

RESPONSE

1. Management and supervision of the day-to-day acute response service to ensure high quality safe and effective delivery. 
2. Use expertise and knowledge to support and where required to support the management of routine and complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases 
3. Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for specific workstreams  ensuring accurate, up to date records of contacts/action by completion of relevant records and compliance with team handover procedures, in line with UKHSA  standards for record keeping.
4. To utilise an evidence-based approach to manage clinical/professional advice and discussions within the team and support and participate in the team’s formal case review process. 
5. To monitor standards, ensuring quality and consistency and to escalate to senior manager and/or take action where any shortfall occurs as appropriate to role.
6. Contribute to and support the development of policies and guidance 
7. Contribute to planning for incident response and resilience.
8. Contribute to the UKHSA response during incidents as defined by line manager  
9. May be required to travel away from usual base or to participate in a local on call rota at local, regional or national level as required.

SURVEILLANCE

1. Contribute proactively to the development and maintenance of effective systems for the surveillance of communicable disease and environmental hazards.
2. Proactively use surveillance outputs to inform and influence local and national Public Health actions, policies and strategies.
3. Contribute to health needs, health inequalities and health impact assessments. 

PARTNERSHIP WORKING

1. Support the development of key relationships with a wide range of individuals and stakeholders and take responsibility as delegated line manager for the maintenance of professional networks relevant to role. 
2. Employ effective communication and influencing skills to support stakeholder relationships to deliver objectives with: 
   •    External organisations and wider NHS stakeholders to ensure collaboration in the strategy in the Sector
   •    Internal leaders and staff to gain input to the development of systems, processes and activities
3. Deal with at times, highly challenging and/or conflicting subject matter problems or in day workload in workshops, meetings, one to one communications and other events, comprising various parts of the business, referring/escalating to senior manager(s) as appropriate. 
4. Contribute actively to the development and implementation of system wide priorities and programmes for IPC or improvement.

RESEARCH, TEACHING AND TRAINING 

1. Contribute to research activity to complement the IPC evidence base
2. Develop and deliver appropriate teaching resources and activities across a range of audiences with support from senior manager(s) as appropriate. 
3. Ensure appropriate clinical supervision and mentorship systems are in place.
4. Provide clinical/professional supervision and mentorship as appropriate.  

Please see attached job description for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

Essential role criteria:

• Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration (e.g. NMC, HCPC) (lead criteria)
• Educated to a minimum level of Masters degree in IPC or Public Health (lead criteria)
• Substantial experience in an IPC or public health role at a senior level with specialist knowledge and expertise in IPC including antimicrobial resistance, environmental IPC e.g. the microbiological safety of water; ventilation and infection transmission dynamics; environmental cleaning and disinfection; the decontamination of reusable medical devices, and application of these principles to health as well as non-healthcare settings (lead criteria)
• Extensive experience and expertise in leading and contributing to multidisciplinary incident and outbreak investigation and management, in a diverse range of settings, applying principles of epidemiology and understanding the wider public health agenda. Ability to interpret and analyses complex and sensitive information in a concise yet insightful way, pre-empting and evaluating issues and recommending appropriate course of action. Ability to undertake on call responsibility for public health
• Proven experience and ability to prioritise own work effectively, with capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly, including being able to direct activities of and to others.
• Evidence of ability to handle challenging issues taking a problem-solving approach to ensure proactive and effective resolution
• Ability to identify areas for policy development and experience of delivering these for service improvement utilising a variety of literature and resources
• Development, delivery, and evaluation of education and training programmes and events, research, and quality improvement projects ensuring alignment with national and strategic objectives
• An understanding of and ability to work under the current Health and Social Care Act (e.g. safeguarding vulnerable adults; data protection, information governance) and experience of leading and maintaining quality and governance frameworks including robust audit and quality improvement initiatives
• Effective verbal, written and presentation communication skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office including Teams, Word, Powerpoint, and Excel
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, and in relation to management systems and the ability to take actions which support and promote this agenda
• Ability to travel away from base (including occasional overnight stays) when necessary to meet UKHSA and stakeholder business objectives.

Selection Process:

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge,  experience, skills and ability as outlined in the essential criteria. 

Stage 1: Application & Sift 

Competency-based

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 12 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a: 

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1250 word Statement of Suitability. 

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 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 

Piles meets all essential criteria and meets some essential criteria will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the lead criteria listed above.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment 
 
Please do not exceed 1250 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 single remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview. 

You will be given an IPC scenario where you will have 10 minutes to present on the scenario.

Interviews will be held week commencing 30th June. Please note, these dates are subject to change.

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

Selection Process

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 Criteria
 
External- 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 any of our Core HQ’s. 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 HQ’s (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 for this role must pass an enhanced disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.  

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.