Job Description

Details

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Reference number

441767

Salary

56,185 - 70,566
per annum, pro rata
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Grade 7

Contract type

Permanent

Type of role

Property

Science

Security

Working pattern

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

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

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

Location

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Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London

About the job

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Job summary

The government has committed to a multi-billion-pound investment in UKHSA?s new laboratory facilities ? the most significant investment the UK has made in biosecurity infrastructure in a generation. These state-of-the-art laboratories, to be built at a new site in Harlow, will replace UKHSA?s existing facilities at Porton Down and Colindale and will be critical to the UK?s public health resilience and national security for decades to come.


This decision marks a pivotal moment for UKHSA and the wider government science landscape. The new facility will bring together world-class capability under one roof, enabling cutting-edge research, pandemic preparedness, and the protection of the UK from major biological threats.


We are looking for a Physical Security Advisor to help shape the direction of the estate for the future.

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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

We are looking for a Physical Security Advisor to join the UK Health Security Campus Programme. The overall aim of the programme is to deliver new modern fit for purpose science facilities, creating a hub for the critical scientific capabilities the UK needs to deliver on key health security objectives and National Biosecurity. The UK Health Security Campus Programme aims to enhance and replace existing UKHSA critical infrastructure, most importantly its aging high containment laboratories, which are essential for protecting the nation against potentially highly infectious diseases.


The programme has a small civil service core team to deliver high value complex capital infrastructure construction programme of works. It leads, directs, manages and controls the day-to-day work. Overall, this is headed by the Programme Director, supported by Lead Project Manager, project teams, PMO and technical assurance team. The programme is supported by professional services delivery partners appointed through framework of specialist suppliers for design, technical, project management, commercial and cost management and other disciplines.


Your main responsibilities will include:

Working with the Programme Director, the post holder will lead on the security workstream for the UK Health Security Campus Programme, to embed the security design principles across the programme. Work in close corroboration with UKHSA to support the transformation of the security operating model for the UK Health Security Campus Programme and Harlow campus. Providing assurance to the Programme Director that security risks across the programme are being identified, managed and mitigated effectively. Ensuring that security principles and requirements are standard industry practice, and these are embedded across all aspects of the programme, from programme information assurance and personnel security controls to construction security and cyber security controls for new digital services. Working in collaboration with APHA, National Technical Authorities, Counter Terrorism Security Advisor, security colleagues and suppliers to develop requirements and high-level designs for physical and cyber security controls. Assuring supplier delivery against contractual schedules and security management plans. Support UK Health Security Campus Programme work with corporate services and business colleagues to develop transition roadmap from current site status to future end state, making best use of short-term investment in security controls to mitigate risk. Driving strong security culture across the programme, ensuring effective security practices across all aspects including physical infrastructure development, digital development, and changes to business services. Developing and maintaining the UK Health Security Campus Programme?s Security Management System. Reporting on security risks and updates to UK Health Security Campus Programme and wider UKHSA Boards. Ensuring that industry good practice security principles and requirements are embedded across all aspects of security within UK Health Security Campus Programme and UKHSA. Driving strong security culture across UK Health Security Campus Programme and UKHSA, ensuring effective security practices are implemented and maintained. Understanding business and information risk context in relation to physical, personnel and cyber security threats and impacts. Being a role model for the security community and modelling Civil Service values to foster and develop the team?s professional capability. Leading on the continuous improvement of the UK Health Security Campus Programme Threat Vulnerability Risk Analysis and Operating Requirements in collaboration with UKHSA stakeholders. Provide operational management, continuous improvement and direction for the UK Health Security Campus Programme Security Function. Provide leadership and guidance to the security team, building capacity and capability and play a valued role in our organisation wide Senior Leadership Team

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.


The successful candidate will hold or be required to obtain SC clearance or higher and may be required to obtain DV clearance at a later date.

Person specification

Essential criteria

The ideal candidate will have experience of security service delivery, and ideally also some experience of service transition and/ or change management. Strong organisational and interpersonal skills are essential.

Educated to degree level in a security and risk management or related field, or equivalent qualification, or equivalent relevant experience in a similar security and risk management role Demonstrable experience of working in security and risk management, cyber security, physical security, personnel security, or technology fields Experience of working in the Civil Service or a large corporate environment within a high-risk industry. Experience of managing contracts and supplier relationships. Demonstrable experience in security, compliance, business continuity or incident management roles. Proven ability in defining requirements and high-level design criteria for security controls in one or more domains (cyber security or physical security) Ability to anticipate future risks and strategically planning to mitigate them. Ability to work across organisational boundaries and across disciplines to deliver results, collaborating effectively with stakeholders.

Benefits

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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%

Things you need to know

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Artificial intelligence

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.

Selection process details

Selection process

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your behaviours and technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift


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

an application form (?Employer/ Activity history? section on the application) a 1200 word 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.


You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V ?please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.


Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1200 words. We will not consider any words over 1200 words.


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 on:

Demonstrable experience of working in security and risk management, cyber security, physical security, personnel security, or technology fields

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.


Please do not exceed 1200 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.


Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview


You will be invited to a remote interview.


Behaviours and technical will be tested at interview.


You will be required to prepare a 5-10 minute presentation as part of the interview. This will assess your project delivery and technical knowledge. The details of this will be sent to you prior to the interview.


The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

Leadership (lead behaviour) Working Together Changing & Improving Delivering at Pace

Interviews are planned for late January or early February 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 HQs in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool or London (Canary Wharf).


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) in one of our core HQs.


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

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 will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum with willingness and capability to work towards Security Check (SC) clearance.


You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years to obtain Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Salary information

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.


Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

Grade 7

56,185- 66,581 (National) 58,340- 68,574 (Outer London) 60,494- 70,566 (Inner London)

Please note: The Chief Operating Officer (COO) group, where this role sits, is undergoing organisational change over the next 12?18 months. While the process is still in the planning stage, some roles may be affected by future restructuring. We are committed to keeping candidates informed and will share updates as they become available.

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.

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.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .



See our vetting charter .
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

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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

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Job contact :

Name : Jon Payne Email : jonathan.payne@ukhsa.gov.uk
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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


http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/7681465