Chief of Staff (we have office locations in Cambridge, Leeds & London)

Genomics England is a global leader in enabling genomic medicine and research, focused on creating a world where everyone benefits from genomic healthcare. Building on the 100,000 Genomes Project, we support the NHS's world‐first national whole genome sequencing service and run the growing National Genomic Research Library, alongside delivering numerous major genomics initiatives. By connecting research and clinical care at national scale, we enable immediate healthcare benefits and advances for the future. Our mission is to provide the evidence and digital systems so that by 2035 genomics could play a role in up to half of all healthcare interactions, whilst securing the UK's position as the best place to discover, prove and benefit from genomic innovations.

We are hiring a Chief of Staff to work in close partnership with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, translating strategic priorities into clear and effective operational delivery across Genomics England. The role provides oversight of the systems, processes, and cross‐organisational ways of working that support efficient day‐to‐day operations. Working collaboratively with senior leaders, the Chief of Staff helps align teams, coordinate organisational workflows, and ensure governance, reporting, and operational requirements are consistently met. In this role the Chief of Staff builds strong partnerships with external stakeholders across DHSC and the NHS to support organisational performance, planning cycles, and business operations. Through thoughtful coordination, operational discipline, and proactive problem solving, the Chief of Staff helps enable Genomics England to deliver its mission effectively.

Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and deliver organisational priorities, maintaining a clear overview of strategic objectives, business‐as‐usual activity, and priority projects, and deputising where appropriate.
• Act as a trusted adviser to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board, providing thoughtful challenge, sound judgement, and well‐considered advice.
• Support the CEO in navigating political, organisational, and systemwide considerations, ensuring they are well briefed on key developments, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead and deliver CEO‐commissioned projects, bringing structure, pace, and clarity to complex or ambiguous work.
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Strategy and Portfolio Management Office to shape company‐level strategy, long‐term roadmaps, and assurance of delivery.
• Ensure robust governance, reporting, and risk management arrangements are in place and embedded across the organisation to support effective delivery.
• Oversee agendas, papers, and submissions for key internal and external meetings, including chairing meetings or leading groups on behalf of the CEO when required.
• Build and sustain strong, trusted relationships across government, DHSC, the NHS, and the wider ecosystem to support delivery of Genomics England's mission.
• Lead, support, and develop an inclusive, high‐performing team, ensuring the right skills, capacity, and ways of working are in place.
• Model Genomics England's behaviours in all aspects of the role, fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience operating within UK government or the wider public sector, with well‐established relationships across relevant organisations and the credibility to manage sensitive external engagement with discretion.
• Strong organisational capability, with the ability to manage a complex, fast‐moving agenda across multiple workstreams while bringing structure, clarity, and focus to the CEO's office.
• Proven ability to prioritise effectively, balancing pace with rigour to ensure high quality outcomes in a dynamic and often ambiguous environment.
• Strong people leadership skills, including experience leading, developing, and supporting a small, high‐performing team in an inclusive and empowering way.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the confidence to build trust and resolve issues constructively across senior stakeholders, both internally and externally.
• A natural integrator, able to hold strategy, delivery, and communications in view simultaneously and translate priorities into coherent plans and messaging.
• High levels of political and organisational awareness, with sound judgement and the ability to anticipate risks and emerging issues.
• Trusted and credible when acting on behalf of the CEO in sensitive or complex situations, demonstrating calm, discretion, and good judgement.

Desirable Skills

• Excellent understanding of governance and accountability frameworks relevant to government companies and ALBs, including Managing Public Money and the expectations of sponsors, shareholders, and auditors.
• Experience supporting organisational change, with insight into the leadership demands this places on a CEO and the ability to respond with flexibility and sound judgement.
• Exposure to life sciences, health data, digital health, or research infrastructure policy, enabling confident engagement with Genomics England's operating environment.
• Experience of drafting and quality‐assuring a wide range of outputs, from board papers and ministerial submissions to internal and external communications.
• Comfort working at the interface of public and private sector cultures, including experience with commercial partnerships, procurement governance, or income‐generating activity within a public‐interest context.

Qualifications

• BSc or MSc in business administration, Management, Economics, Public Policy, Political Science, or a related field preferable but not required.

Additional Information

• The successful candidate will be required to travel to our Canary Wharf office a minimum of 3 times per week.

Benefits

• Generous Leave: 30 days' holiday plus bank holidays, additional leave for long service, and the option to apply for up to 30 days of remote working abroad annually (approval required).
• Family‐Friendly: Blended working arrangements, flexible working, enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave benefits.
• Pension & Financial: Defined contribution pension (Genomics England double‐matches up to 10%, however you can contribute more if you wish), Life Assurance (3× salary), and a Give As You Earn scheme.
• Learning & Development: Individual learning budgets, support for training and certifications, and reimbursement for one annual professional subscription (approval required).
• Recognition & Rewards: Employee recognition programme and referral scheme.
• Health & Wellbeing: Subsidised gym membership, a free Headspace account, and access to an Employee Assistance Programme, eye tests, flu jabs.

Equal Opportunity Policy

Genomics England is actively committed to providing and supporting an inclusive environment that promotes equity, diversity and inclusion best practice both within our community and in any other area where we have influence. We are proud of our diverse community where everyone can come to work and feel welcomed and treated with respect regardless of any disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, or social background. Genomics England's policies of non‐discrimination and equity will be applied fairly to all people, regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, being pregnant or recently becoming a parent, race, religion or beliefs, sex or sexual orientation, length of service, whether full or part‐time or employed under a permanent or a fixed‐term contract or any other relevant factor. Genomics England does not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying at work. Such behaviour undermines our mission and core values and diminishes the dignity, respect and integrity of all parties. Our People policies outline our commitment to inclusivity. We aim to remove barriers in our recruitment processes and to be flexible with our interview processes. Should you require any adjustments that may help you to fully participate in the recruitment process, we encourage you to discuss this with us.

Culture

We have four key behaviours that represent what we would like Genomics England to feel like and the culture we want to encourage, in order for us to achieve our mission. These behaviours help us all work well together, deliver on our outcomes, celebrate our successes and share feedback with each other.

Blended Working Model

Genomics England operates a blended working model as we know our people appreciate the flexibility that hybrid working can bring. We expect most people to come into the office a minimum of 2 times each month. However, this will vary according to role and will be agreed with your team leader. There is no expectation that people will return to the office full time unless they want to, however, some of our roles require full‐time on‐site attendance e.g., lab teams, reception team. Our teams and squads have, and will continue to reflect on what works best for them to work together successfully and have the freedom to design working patterns to suit, beyond the minimum. Our office locations are: Canary Wharf, Cambridge and Leeds.

Onboarding Background Checks

As part of our recruitment process, all successful candidates are subject to a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We therefore require applicants to disclose any previous offences at point of application, as some unspent convictions may mean we are unable to proceed with your application due to the nature of our work in healthcare.