Trac proudly powers the recruitment for

UK Health Security Agency

About

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will be responsible for planning, preventing and responding to external health threats, and providing intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage. UKHSA will ensure the nation can respond quickly and at greater scale to deal with pandemics and future threats.

Contact

Address: 10 South Colonnade; London; E14 4PU

Find out more

Jobs Website

Login changes are coming

From July 2025 onwards, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be introduced to this site. This will add an extra step to the login process: a requirement to enter a One Time Passcode (OTP) upon login to minimise fraud and maintain security. See our summary page here for more details.

Closed

Ref: 919-CP-355247-XGOV Vacancy ID: 6500517

Chief Financial Officer

Closed for applications on: 22-Jul-2024 14:59

Vacancy status: Closed

Closed for applications on: 22-Jul-2024 14:59

Location

Site: 10 South Colonnade
Town: London
Postcode: E14 5EA
Major / Minor Region: London

Contract type & working pattern

Contract: Fixed term: 9 months (Until 30th April 2025)
Hours: Full time - 37 hours per week

Salary

Salary: £97,000 - £120,000 PER ANNUM, PRO RATA
Salary period: Yearly
Grade: (Civil Service: Senior Civil Servant (SCS) 2)

Specialty

Main area: Finance

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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

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 be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London). Specialist or regional roles will be based at the appropriate UKHSA site.

The Interim CFO will provide Finance control, discipline and expertise as a member of the UKHSA Executive Committee, ensuring that strong financial management and value for money are at the heart of UKHSA’s decision-making. This includes overseeing and governing the preparation of financial statements, capital appraisals, driving the budgeting process and establishing annual financial goals that align with the UKHSA strategy. They will develop financial reporting, management information, insightful analysis, and interpretation to enable UKHSA to make clear strategic decisions. The postholder will be a key leader in the delivery of robust financial and people data across the organisation, including effective aligned business processes.

As a result of the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic and the Covid-19 programmes it inherited, UKHSA had a very challenged audit outcome for its first two annual accounts. A finance and control improvement programme is in place, and a top priority for the postholder will be to lead continued progress, with a focus on embedding strong controls and a “right first time” culture across the whole organisation.

The Interim CFO will also have overall accountability at ExCo level for Governance, Risk and Assurance, Legal Services, Health and Safety and Property and Security, which are led and delivered by the Director of Corporate Services, providing appropriate assurance on these areas and acting as ExCo champion.

As a senior leader in the organisation, the Interim CFO will ensure UKHSA meets our health security objectives and multiply our impact by ensuring the services we provide to the organisation are as effective and efficient as possible, ensuring we have surge capability. They will ensure the UKHSA is an organisation that has commercial at its heart and doing some innovative, bold and exciting things that no one has done before to protect public health. A key focus will be on ensuring we shape the market by emphasising social value, sustainability, innovation and collaboration through new and longer contract with our suppliers.

To be successful, you will need to be a collaborative leader, ensuring value for money is an integral part of all decision making and leadership of corporate services functions. This is a key role as part of the Executive Committee on UKHSA and therefore it is fundamental the individual is able to operate as part of a high performing team, comfortable working in ambiguity and always works collaboratively across the whole Executive team.

As the most senior Finance leader and professional for UKHSA during this period of organisational change this individual must exhibit good judgement and strong principles – holding and delivering a pragmatic, professional and evidence-based view under challenge. It is imperative that they have good insights into people, the ability to determine what motivates them and the capability to nurture positive team spirit. They must also be able to galvanise the team in larger settings holding the organisation together, role modelling and enabling the organisation’s core values.

The interim CFO will report directly to UKHSA’s Chief Executive and, for financial matters only, will also have a professional reporting line to the DG Finance in the Department of Health and Social Care, reflecting the importance of UKHSA’s finances to the DHSC group.

Key responsibilities –

Finance:

Leading a first-class, strategic Finance team to enable the delivery of UKHSA’s strategic vision, having a constant and relentless focus on Value for Money.

Accountable and responsible for the overall corporate guardianship of the budgets and protection of the accounting officer

Driving continuing, sustainable improvements in UKHSA’s financial management, controls and accounts.

Accountable for leading a clear financial strategy supported by optimal resource allocations and investment choices, ensuring UKHSA stays within its annual budget and has aggregated reporting of financial and operational performance, delivering a ‘single version of the truth’, and providing in depth analysis of trends and relevant insights to inform decision making.

Building and maintaining excellent relationships with internal functions and stakeholder management including DHSC, Ministers including SofS, HMT, No.10, CO.

Strategic and corporate risk management and assurance systems and processes – escalation to the Executive Committee of risks as necessary

Corporate Services

Provide Executive Committee level accountability, assurance and championing of Governance, Risk and Assurance, Health and Safety, Legal Services and Property and Security within UKHSA, and that sufficient skills, capability and resource are in place both now and in the future in these business-critical functions.

Person Specification –

This role requires an individual who is an outstanding finance leader who can quickly grip and deliver their financial leadership responsibilities build highly effective teams and influential relationships, working collaboratively to deliver across multiple locations. Essential to success in this role is the ability to think strategically, collaborate effectively and work with very broad and complex organisational and cross Governmental structures.

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you provide evidence and examples of proven experience of these essential criteria:

Board level or equivalent experience of developing and delivering the strategic direction of a complex organisation. An ability to confidently, clearly and credibly influence strategic planning.

An outstanding track record in leading strong financial management and delivering value for money as well as managing the legal and technical aspects of complex projects.

Qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent professional qualification and demonstrable experience operating as a Finance Director, Chief Financial Officer or equivalent.

Knowledge and experience across all finance areas including financial control, reporting, assurance, performance in a complex and / or regulated business; with a high level of relevant professional, technical skills.

Strong leadership skills, and the ability to motivate and develop a set of functions, promoting operational excellence whilst leading teams through a period of organisational change.

Strategic thought leader bringing analytical rigour coupled with pragmatic problem-solving and business insight to address complex financial and operational situations. High capacity to drive innovative approaches that can be implemented in the UKHSA.

Successfully built and maintained broad diverse networks and relationships, using communication and collaboration skills to challenge assumptions, negotiate and influence the direction in complex, ambiguous regulated environments.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

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

This is a Non-Reserved post under the Civil Service Nationality Rules. To be eligible for employment in the UK Civil Service applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) which operate independently of and additionally to the Immigration Rules. 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)

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. 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.

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. 

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.

The panel will assess if candidates meet the requirement of the role first, using a specific benchmark system. If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.

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

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview.   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

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.

Security Vetting

Please check the Security Clearance needed for the role and follow the link for more information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels

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.

Person specification

Experience

Essential criteria

Board level or equivalent experience of developing and delivering the strategic direction of a complex organisation. An ability to confidently, clearly and credibly influence strategic planning.
An outstanding track record in leading strong financial management and delivering value for money as well as managing the legal and technical aspects of complex projects.
Qualified with CCAB, CIMA or equivalent professional qualification and demonstrable experience operating as a Finance Director, Chief Financial Officer or equivalent.