Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London (Canary Wharf)
Job Summary
The UKHSA People and Workplace function plays a key role in supporting the business through change and ensuring we recruit and retain the very best people to achieve our vision. Our people and culture are central to our identity, and the success of our strategy and operations for protecting the public depends on attracting, developing and engaging high-calibre colleagues who work well together. We deliver customer-focused, solution-driven support across the full HR spectrum.
This is an exciting opportunity to join our well-established HR Business Partnering team within the People and Workplace directorate in UKHSA. We’re committed to making a real difference – not only through the services we deliver but also by creating an inclusive, high-performing workplace where every colleague can thrive.
Working in partnership with leaders across public health, clinical, and corporate services to drive transformation, support workforce wellbeing, and build organisational capability for the future. Collaboration, innovation and trust are key to how we work – you’ll be empowered to contribute ideas, influence change, and see the tangible impact of your work.
Although this post is initially offered on a fixed-term basis, there is potential for extension or permanence as we continue to evolve. If you’re looking to make a meaningful difference and be part of a supportive, ambitious team in a purpose-driven organisation – we’d love to hear from you.
Working for your 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
Job Description
As part of the main duties, you will be expected to:
- Develop a deep understanding of UKHSA’s business plans and people priorities to identify workforce requirements.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders to design and deliver effective workforce planning strategies.
- Partner with key leaders through organisational change, ensuring people impacts are fully addressed.
- Work with senior managers and leadership teams to provide strategic HR advice on critical business issues.
- Support leaders in building staff capability, skills, and engagement.
- Build strong stakeholder relationships, guiding business areas though change and coaching senior leaders.
- Develop HR solutions aligned with business needs, embedding diversity and inclusion, and working closely with trade unions.
- Provide expert people management advice and interpretation of UKHSA policies and employment law.
- Contribute to the development and review of employment policies, using business insight to inform improvements.
- Lead HR projects and initiatives across the People agenda.
- Manage job evaluation activities.
- Deputise for Head of HR Business Partnering and support delivery across all people and organisational development initiatives.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.
As part of the main duties, you will be expected to:
- Develop a deep understanding of UKHSA’s business plans and people priorities to identify workforce requirements.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders to design and deliver effective workforce planning strategies.
- Partner with key leaders through organisational change, ensuring people impacts are fully addressed.
- Work with senior managers and leadership teams to provide strategic HR advice on critical business issues.
- Support leaders in building staff capability, skills, and engagement.
- Build strong stakeholder relationships, guiding business areas though change and coaching senior leaders.
- Develop HR solutions aligned with business needs, embedding diversity and inclusion, and working closely with trade unions.
- Provide expert people management advice and interpretation of UKHSA policies and employment law.
- Contribute to the development and review of employment policies, using business insight to inform improvements.
- Lead HR projects and initiatives across the People agenda.
- Manage job evaluation activities.
- Deputise for Head of HR Business Partnering and support delivery across all people and organisational development initiatives.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Proven experience supporting organisations through significant change and transformation programmes.
- Demonstrated ability to partner with and influence senior leaders and stakeholders on a broad range of people priorities and change initiatives.
- Skilled in interpreting, analysing, and communicating highly complex, sensitive, or contentious information to diverse and influential audiences.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to anticipate issues, plan effectively across multiple time horizons, and adapt priorities and resources as circumstances change.
- Chartered Member of the CIPD (MCIPD) or working towards full professional membership.
Desirable role criteria
- Experience managing or leading job evaluation activities and pay and grading reviews.
- Extensive strategic HR experience within a complex, fast-paced, and evolving organisational environment.
- Experience in designing and delivering organisational development or workforce planning initiatives.
- Strong understanding of talent management, leadership development, and succession planning processes.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to respond effectively to unexpected and challenging situations.
- Proven capability to evaluate complex situations, identify and appraise multiple options, and make sound, evidence-based decisions.
Alongside your salary of £56,185, UK Health Security Agency contributes £16,276 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 and strengths.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Required
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed essential criteria, and this will be in the form of:
- an application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- a 1000 word supporting statement
- a 250 word behaviour statement on the lead behaviour (Communicating & Influencing)
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
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.
The Application form and supporting statement 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
Only those meeting all essential criteria will be taken through to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist against the lead behaviour - Communicating & Influencing.
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Please do not exceed 1000 words for your statement of suitability and 250 words for your behaviour statement. We will not consider any words over and above these numbers.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a remote interview.
Behaviours and strengths will be tested at interview.
The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be
- Communicating and influencing (Lead behaviour)
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Bigger Picture
- Working at Pace
Interviews will be held week commencing 19th and/or 26th January 2026. 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.
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s in either Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool or London.
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).
Eligibility Criteria
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 is Basic Personnel Security Standard clearance.
Salary Guide (Grade 7)
National £56,185 - £66,581
Outer £58,340 - £68,574
Inner £60,494 - £70,566
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
For Fixed term posts
For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment. You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy.
Future location
UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.
The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.
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
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) (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
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
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).
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 : Jon Payne
- Email : jonathan.payne@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
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: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk 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
https://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/UK/London/Birmingham_Leeds_Liverpool_London/UK_Health_Security_Agency/Human_Resources/Human_Resources-v7650898?set-locale=en-gb&_ts=1
