Job Description

Details

-----------

Reference number

418140

Salary

72,739 - 82,746
per annum pro rata + Market Pay Supplement
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Grade 6
Grade 6 Inner London

Contract type

Permanent

Type of role

Administration / Corporate Support

Digital

Engineering

Information Technology

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

------------

Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

------------


Canary Wharf, London

About the job

-----------------

Job summary

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Head of Development to lead our software development initiatives across various platforms in UKHSA. This is a unique and exciting opportunity to lead a team of talented developers in the delivery of world-class digital solutions for UKHSA.


You will:

oversee the software development lifecycle, ensuring projects are completed on time, to budget, and the highest quality. Your ability to balance technical expertise with strategic vision will drive innovation and efficiency across our digital platforms. A key aspect of this role is maintaining robust software development governance frameworks and best practices. play a critical role in managing service levels, overseeing Level 2 and Level 3 service management teams, ensuring that issues are resolved quickly and effectively. oversee all aspects of testing, including non-functional, functional, and Quality Assurance testing, ensuring our software meets stringent quality standards before deployment.

You will:

lead the integration of DevOps methodologies, promoting collaboration between development and operations teams. Your expertise in CI/CD and Infrastructure as Code will enable us to automate and manage our infrastructure efficiently, ensuring consistent and repeatable deployments across various environments. be leading a diverse team of G6's including Principal Developers and Principal DevOps Engineers who in turn will be managing teams of engineers.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive expertise in software development best practices, service management, and DevOps methodologies, with a strong track record of managing suppliers, contracts and ensuring the highest standards of quality assurance.

Job description

Lead the development and deployment of robust services, APIs, and mobile applications. Oversee project lifecycles from requirements gathering to implementation, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with strategic objectives Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, develop, and deploy innovative solutions and enhance service delivery Establish and enforce software development governance frameworks, standards, and best practices. Promote a culture of continuous improvement and adherence to industry standards Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and policies across all development

Person specification

Responsibilities will include

Manage a team of various grades, from G6 to HEO Manage L2 and L3 support teams to provide effective and efficient incident resolution and management. Develop and implement service management processes to ensure high availability and reliability of applications and services. Monitor / report on service performance, identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions Oversee the planning and execution of testing strategies, including non-functional, functional, and quality assurance testing Ensure the development of automated testing frameworks and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines Champion DevOps practices and collaboration between development and operations teams Implement / manage CI/CD pipelines to streamline the development and deployment process. Utilise Infrastructure as Code to automate and manage infrastructure, ensuring scalability and consistency across environments Establish core patterns of reusability for deployment of services Manage relationships with suppliers, negotiate contracts and ensure compliance with SLAs

Essential criteria:

Educated to degree level in a relevant subject such as computer science or software development Proven experience in a leadership role within a software development team Extensive experience in software development methodologies, tools, and techniques, including Agile, Scrum, DevOps, etc. (lead criteria) Strong technical expertise in programming languages, frameworks, and technologies relevant to web and application development Excellent communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to effectively interact with diverse stakeholders at all levels. Demonstrable ability to lead and motivate a team, drive results, and foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment. Proven track record of successfully delivering complex development projects on time and within budget, including experience in supplier management, vendor selection, contract negotiation, and relationship management.

Desirable criteria:

Demonstrated ability to stay updated on emerging technologies and trends in software development, and to recommend innovative solutions to enhance organisational capabilities.

Benefits

------------


Alongside your salary of 72,739, UK Health Security Agency contributes 21,072 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%

Things you need to know

---------------------------

Selection process details

Selection Process Details:

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

Application form ('Employer/ Activity history' section on the application) 1000 supporting statement.

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 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 - these will be taken to shortlist

Meets some essential criteria Meets no essential criteria

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on "Extensive experience in software development methodologies, tools, and techniques, including Agile, Scrum, DevOps, etc"


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 & assessment


Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.


Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Technical Test

Candidates who are successful at the SIFT stage will be invited to complete a technical test designed to assess the essential criteria for the role.

The test must be completed and submitted within 48 hours of receipt. Late submissions will not be considered and will not progress to the interview stage. Candidates who do not meet the required standard in the test will not progress to the interview stage.

We appreciate your interest and understanding as we ensure a fair and thorough recruitment process

Stage 3: Interview (success profiles)

You will be invited to a single face to face interview at our Canary Wharf office. If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview


The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

Leadership (lead behaviour) Seeing the Big Picture Making Effective Decisions Communicating and Influencing

Interviews will be held week commencing 25th August 2025. Please note, these dates are subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

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 is Basic Personnel Security Standard

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Core HQ in Canary Wharf, 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).

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.

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/

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



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.

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

Working for the Civil Service

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 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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

---------------------------------


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 : Recruitment Team Email : recruitment@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 here: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.