Group Leader- Dental X-ray Protection Service - Chilton - ref. l10394015

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

• Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
• Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
• Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
• Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
• Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

Job overview

The expected annual income for the operational services department is approximately £4M, of which, the contribution from the DXPS group will typically be in the region of £1.2M. The post holder will be experienced in the organisation and delivery of radiation protection services, ideally in a range of settings, from industrial, although majoring in healthcare, to education and research.

This is a senior management position within the department; as such, the post holder is expected to work with the other group leaders to ensure delivery of the departmental work programme. In addition to management functions, the post holder is required to be involved in delivery of income earning work and to support RCCE’s emergency preparedness and response function.

UKHSA are a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in the event of a radiation emergency, and our staff may be required at short notice to transport radioactive substances or equipment from, or to, an offsite emergency centre or radiation monitoring unit.

• Strategic oversight of the dental X-ray protection service delivered from the department. The postholder will be responsible for planning and organisation of this complex service, including preparation of business plans, setting objectives and service development. At this grade this is a high level and responsible duty, with the postholder being the primary person with direct responsibility for the planning and development of the service
• Support for, and active delivery of, other income generating services as required eg consultancy and training work etc. To include acting as professional adviser for clients with complex radiation protection issues including supervision of more junior professional staff, maintenance of professional standards, and membership of the operational services management team, which has responsibility for oversight of the Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) Body in accordance with its recognition from the Health and Safety Executive
• Management of the scientific staff in the group (up to 15)
• Management of capital projects as required
• Monitoring of financial performance and attainment of income targets (up to £1.2M)
• Monitoring of expenditure (up to £100k)
• Ensuring business continuity arrangements with third parties as appropriate
• Advice and support to government departments and agencies (environment agencies, Health and Safety Executive, DHSC, BEIS, MoD) as required

Continued below

Working for our 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

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

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main duties of the job continued:

• Support for RCCE's engagement with international organisations as and when required, including input into development of international standards
• Support to RCCE's emergency preparedness and response function. As required fulfilling senior roles in the emergency response plan. This will include attending national nuclear and anti-terrorist exercises/emergencies as principal RCCE adviser, dealing with other agencies (police and national agencies such as Food Standards Agency and environment agencies). Duties will include assessing the radiation risk to the public and advising on the need for countermeasures such as evacuation and shelterin
• Participation in national and international scientific conferences, presenting high level papers to large audiences (>100) on a range of specialised subjects
• Contributing to the development and delivery of professional level training courses provided to senior radiation protection professionals
• Contribute to the development and training of developing RCCE staff who have not attained RPA and/or Medical Physics Experts (MPE) certification, through practical demonstration and instruction in the application of legislation, the use of radiation monitoring equipment, quality control, and restriction of exposure. This will include checking the written work of developing and certificated RPAs and MPEs in accordance with RPA Body Quality Assurance protocols
• Support the head of department and other OSD group leaders with respect to the overall management of this busy and friendly department

We offer a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance, including generous annual leave entitlement, flexible working hours, possibility of working from home and membership of the excellent civil service pension scheme.

The post is based at one of our three sites (Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in South Oxfordshire, Glasgow and Leeds), which offer ample free parking and are close to a wide range of amenities:

• Didcot (Harwell Campus) – a modern dedicated science campus in an attractive rural setting on the edge of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offering exceptional quality of life and just 20 min drive from the historic city of Oxford
• Glasgow (Hardgate Road) – a vibrant and diverse city in which to live and work and the perfect base for access to the Highlands and beyond. The city boasts efficient motorway connections, affordable property prices and excellent options for schools and further education
• Leeds (Cookridge) – often ranked as one of the best places to live in the UK, Leeds offers excellent shopping, nightlife and culture as well as easy access to Yorkshire’s beautiful landscapes and countryside

For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Selection Process Details

Stage 1: Application & Sift- Competency based

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 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.

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

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following essential criteria:

• Certificated medical physics expert.
• Full clean UK driving licence and willingness to travel on UKHSA business

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 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 and abilities will be tested at interview

There will be a written test, assessment, and a presentation, details of the latter will be given on selection for interview.

Interviews will be held week commencing 24th February 2025. 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 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).

You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Person specification

Qualifications

• A higher scientific degree, e.g., MSc or PhD in a relevant science/radiation protection field or a BSc in a relevant science (or equivalent) plus substantive experience in operational radiation protection
• Certificated medical physics expert

• Certificated radiation protection adviser
• Membership of professional body, e.g. Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine; Society for Radiological Protection

Knowledge and Experience

• Proven experience in, and an established reputation for, work in operational radiation protection, with evidence of particular expertise in one or more areas of interest
• Experience of financial management, complex contract negotiation and development of service business plans
• Experience in the effective management of professional staff, including the prioritisation of workloads and dealing with sensitive personnel issues

• Understanding of emergency response arrangements and experience of taking senior roles in emergency exercises

Skills and Capabilities

• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, formally, informally, orally and in writing to clients, UKHSA staff and representatives from other organisations. This should include excellent presentation skills and the ability to prepare high quality written reports
• Excellent insight to assess complex situations and interpret detailed documents that may include legislation, along with creativity to develop novel interpretations and development of advice
• Excellent decision-making skills with demonstrable capability to act upon incomplete information using experience to make inferences and aid decision making
• Vision, drive and determination to critically analyse working practices, develop new service delivery options and modernise old, with the skills to manage the change effectively
• Full clean UK driving licence and willingness to travel on UKHSA business

• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes, with a focus on deadlines and adjust plans accordingly

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

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.

Applicants must also meet necessary security and vetting requirements, along with any other relevant pre-employment checks.

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

For more information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules (opens in a new window) and the UK Visas and Immigration rules (opens in a new window)

Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

The Civil Service pay structure and progression is different from NHS Agenda for Change (AfC), most local authority pay grades and other systems that have annual pay increments. For further details, please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.

For AfC or Medical/Dental posts, you must have the correct professional registration to be appointed. The pay will follow the AfC or Medical & Dental terms & conditions. You may be asked to provide evidence of previous service whilst we are conducting pre-employment checks to determine your starting salary.

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.

Given the nature of the work of the UKHSA, as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, you may be required in an emergency, if deemed a necessity, to redeploy to another role at short notice. You may also be required to work at any other location, within reasonable travelling distance of your permanent home address, in line with the provisions set out in your contract of employment.

Late Applications will unfortunately not be considered.

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 equality of opportunity. 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.

Reserve List - If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list.

Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.

UKHSA is required to check employment and/or education history covering three consecutive years. Please ensure you give details of at least two different referees, even if you were employed in one company for three years or more.

If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

Benefits of working at UKHSA include:

• Generous annual leave:
• 26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service
• 28 days after 5 years of continuous service
• 32 days after 10 years of continuous service
• Plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
• Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
• We also promote flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours). UKHSA views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.
• We also offer a generous maternity/ paternity and adoption leave package.

Hybrid Working

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 one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home.

Disability Confident Scheme

If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form.

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 take into account 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 could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud check

Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.