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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Deputy Director oversees a broad programme of work including:  

• Developing and implementing the strategic vision for bioinformatics in alignment with UKHSA’s wider goals and in particular its Pathogen Genomics Strategy
• Line management responsibility for the core bioinformatics team
• Delivery of complex projects that require cross Agency engagement and multi-disciplinary working
• Providing a focal point for bioinformatics within the Agency including undertaking the role of Head of Profession for bioinformatics. This will include promoting training, bringing teams together, ensuring that Bioinformaticians across the Agency are aligned to strategic priorities, are following guidelines, and working within defined remit
• Identifying emerging trends, technologies, and tools in microbial genomics and bioinformatics to stay at the forefront of the field
• Communicating complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders across all organisation-levels
• Contributing to external presentations and grant applications, and engaging in academic collaborations relevant to genomics and bioinformatics
• Working with external partners to ensure best practice is shared and collaboration are in place to continuously improve the service
• Provide strategic and operational leadership across groups and oversee work of Programme lead to ensure all core bioinformatics projects, including managing timelines, budgets, and resources, while maintaining a high quality of work and analysis
• Contributing high-level input to data analysis pipelines and interpretation

• Collaborating with other teams and wet lab scientists to provide bioinformatics support
• Ensuring that the service provides expert advice for wider public health delivery to internal and external customers.
• Having strategic and operational oversight of the development and maintenance of bioinformatics pipelines and keeping them efficient, accurate, and up to date, while ensuring that best practices are upheld
• Working closely with Data, Analytics and Surveillance colleagues, ensure strategic alignment with the UKHSA Technology Strategy, in the context of data storage, archiving etc and that technology requirements are fit for purpose to support the ongoing Bioinformatics pipelines and requirements
• Ensuring strategic engagement with all parts of the UKHSA that contribute to pathogen genomic surveillance, supporting a “one system” approach, including ensuring sequencing data are available as required

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

• Directors and Deputy Directors across
  • Science
  • Clinical and Public Health
  • Technology
  • Health Protection Operations
  • Data, Analytics and Surveillance
• Science Data and Performance Lead
• Relevant colleagues across wider UKHSA

External

• Key academic partners
• Relevant stakeholders within Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, other government departments, non-departmental bodies, and potential funding organisations
• Professional leads across HMG
• Relevant stakeholders within identified external data providers and users (public and private sector)
• Devolved Administrations, departments, and organisations
• Private sector leaders

Application stage

Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the Person Specification of the Job Description as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.

At sift stage you will be assessed on the essential criteria listed in the job advert and statement of suitability.

Your statement of suitability must be no more than 1500.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage. 

Interview stage

This vacancy is being assessed using Success Profiles. During the interview we will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
 
Behaviours to be assessed:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working together
• Communicating and influencing
• Managing a quality service

You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-10 minute presentation. The subject of this will be sent to you prior to interview.

Location information  

UKHSA operates 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 usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at UKHSA’s locations (London incl Colindale, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham). That is approximately 3 days a week in the office (pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home. Majority of the team is Colindale based and therefore there is an expectation to travel on regular basis.  Specialist or regional roles will be based at the appropriate UKHSA site. For certain roles, some additional flexibility may be possible, which will be agreed upon with the hiring manager based on individual requirements and business needs. 

Option 1 - External  

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).  

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: SC.  

Working for the Civil Service  

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 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.  

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.  

It’s important to note that there are currently exceptions to applications being considered if your conviction relates to any of the following:  

• life sentences  
• arson 
• sexual offences 
• hate and terror offences  

Some departments will also consider the specific offence against the nature of the business, i.e., a conviction for fraud may rule you out for a finance role.  

Reserve List:

Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post will be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be contacted if similar roles become available. 

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available 

Starting salary:

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.   

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase.   

Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.  

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment 

Further information 

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 here.