Head of Delivery Operations

Any UKHSA Core Office – Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)

Job Summary

The Directorate provides strategic leadership and oversight for developing and managing a common and bespoke suite of performant, modern, secure, data and analytical tools, services, platforms and applications, ensuring access to high quality data and analytics services, internally and externally.

The Directorate is focused on acquiring, collecting, processing and enriching data as well as guiding the design and delivery of the data platforms, dashboards and tools with a responsibility for surveillance systems and the UKHSA bioinformatics capability. We work with Agency-wide stakeholders, business owners and suppliers to revolutionise enterprise data capability and technology.

This critical post will lead the Service and Project Delivery Operations function in the Data and Surveillance Services division. The remit includes overseeing a team to design, build and run processes and capabilities within key parts of the Directorate that supports UKHSA colleagues across areas such as relationship building across clinical, scientific and health protection. This will support the development and translation of requirements, drive health incident responsiveness – learning and embedding best practice locally, utilise standardised tools and approaches to drive delivery of data roadmaps and business continuity. It also includes oversight and improvement of a ’Front Door’ capability, key services used to manage demand and access specialist resources to support with data-related projects.

Role

This post will ensure close matrix working and collaboration between Subject Matter Experts, Data Specialists and colleagues working within core and temporary roles. As an experienced Manager, you will have responsibility for driving the delivery of large scale, complex or contentious projects. This will include:

• the associated business change activities
• establishing appropriate governance and assurance processes
• monitoring progress, risks and issues
• ensuring the business readiness for change

The role requires professional expertise in the effective use of project delivery methodologies and techniques. You will be responsible for the overall integrity and coherence of the programmes and services delivery status.

Delivery of results through others and effective negotiation at senior levels will be key. It will be critical to develop and maintain strategic partnerships and relationships and influence others where there may be divergent and conflicting views. This role requires significant leadership, management, problem solving, representational and influencing skills both within the organisation and with external stakeholders. Work at this level can have a major impact on the achievement of departmental objectives or bear a significant risk for the department.

Job Description

Your key responsibilities will include to:

• Delivery – Create and lead the project/service to deliver the agreed outcomes within time, cost and quality constraints.
• Project/Service Delivery – Provide effective leadership and management controls. Set project/service controls. Design the project/service structure and organisation appropriate to meet deliverables and realise benefits. Set and use appropriate delivery methodologies. Manage effective transition between project/service phases.
• Business Case – Develop and draft business cases, with input from specialists as necessary.
• Budget and Resources – Develop the budget and track delivery within budget. Identify skill requirements; and deploy and develop resources. Day to day management and leadership of the project/service and the project/service team.
• Benefits Realisation – Deliver the agreed Business Case benefits and outcomes. Ensure appropriate Benefits Realisation Strategy is in place and monitor longer term delivery of benefits against the Business Case.
• Stakeholder Management – Identify and manage stakeholder relationships and need for senior level support. Manage internal and external relationships as appropriate.
• Risks & Issues – Identify and monitor risks and issues, working closely with the directorate risk lead. Develop mitigating actions and escalate as appropriate. Identify and work with related projects to manage interdependencies.
• Governance – Support effective governance and decision making. Provide reporting and engage in mechanisms that hold you, as Head of Delivery, to account for delivery.
• Assurance – Engage with assurance reviews and support action on recommendations. Organise assurance processes such as gateway reviews, as required.
• Change Management – Ensure effective Change Management processes are in place to agree and document changes to deliverables as agreed with stakeholders.
• Guidance & Support – Provide support, guidance and coaching for the team. Show commitment to personal development. Promote effective individual and team performance.
• Project Performance & Controls – Cascade vision and translate into delivery objectives for the team. Develop and maintain Project Plan. Identify and set appropriate Project Controls. Manage performance and report progress to sponsors.
• Communication and Key Working Relationships – The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This may include: UKHSA Directorates and other teams, ministers, suppliers, Cabinet Office, Dept. of Health and Social Care officials, NHS local authorities, voluntary bodies, stakeholders and members of the public. Communication with these stakeholders may be face to face, including delivering presentations and facilitating workshops, by phone, email, correspondence or via reports and briefings.

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.

Person specification

Essential criteria – you will be assessed on the below 8 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

• Masters level qualification in an appropriate project delivery discipline of relevance to the role/NVQ7 or equivalent experience working at a senior management level, leading large complex digital and data projects, including people and stakeholder relationship management.
• Experience of leading large scale, complex or contentious projects, programmes or portfolios.
• A track record in delivering major or complex projects.
• Significant knowledge and understanding of project delivery practice.
• Understanding of procurement and business development policies and procedures.
• Experience using digital tools and knowledge of when best to apply them.
• Experience of working on incident responses or fast paced issues.
• Knowledge and experience of digital product discovery and familiarity with database technologies.

Alongside your salary of £68,568, UK Health Security Agency contributes £19,864 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 employer contribution of 28.97%

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1 – Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the 8 essential criteria listed, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application
• 750-word Statement of Suitability

This should outline how you consider 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 will be moved through to the shortlisting stage.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

• Experience of leading large scale, complex or contentious projects, programmes or portfolios in a public sector setting

Please do not exceed 750 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.

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.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)

You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.

Behaviours, technical, experience, ability and strengths will be tested at interview.

There will be a 5–10-minute presentation at interview, full details of the subject will be provided at the shortlisting stage.

The Behaviour\’s Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be

• Changing and Improving (lead)
• Leadership
• Developing Self and Others
• Managing a Quality Service

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

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).

Eligibility Criteria

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

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: Intelligence (AI)

Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.

Organisation info

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 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.

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.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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)
• 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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in 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 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 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 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 new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in new window).

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in 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 : Harry McCullagh
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

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: 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: #J-18808-Ljbffr