Trac proudly powers the recruitment for
UK Health Security Agency
About
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prevents, prepares for and responds to infectious diseases, and environmental hazards, to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods.
We provide scientific and operational leadership, working with local, national and international partners to protect the public’s health and build the nation’s health security capability.
UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Contact
- Address
- 10 South Colonnade
- London
- E14 4PU
Business Support Manager
Accepting applications until: 11-Jun-2026 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 11-Jun-2026 23:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- London
- Town
- London (Colindale)
- Postcode
- NW9 5HT
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- 2 years (Fixed term ending 31/05/2028)
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
Salary
- Salary
- £37,749 - £45,353 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (Civil Service: Higher Executive Officer (HEO))
Specialty
- Main area
- Business Support
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) prevents, prepares for and responds to infectious diseases, and environmental hazards, to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods.
We provide scientific and operational leadership, working with local, national and international partners to protect the public’s health and build the nation’s health security capability.
UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Job overview
We are looking for a Business Support Manager to join the Viral Vaccines team in Immunisation & Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division which is within the Clinical and Medical Advisory Group. The team are responsible for:
- Wastewater surveillance for the Cabinet Office Integrated Security Fund/ PRISM Project-high priority pathogen targets which includes polio, enterovirus and any other named diseases as requested.
- Potentially Infectious Materials - polio survey
- Wastewater surveillance for polio
- Kitting service for MMRV, pertussis, hepatitis and other workstreams as requested
- Support for other projects within the IVPD Division
Advert
As a Business Support Manager, you will:
- support or lead on the day to day running of at least two workstreams including PRISM and the PIM polio
- be responsible for logistics, financial support, administration, liaising with a broad and diverse range of stakeholders and other activities
- have a key role in supporting the Senior Project Manager and Senior Business Manager to ensure all workstreams are compliant and delivered to quality
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
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Project Support
- Support projects and service reviews, identifying requirements and providing options to improve ways of working across the Directorate.
- Undertake project support responding to information requests and other tasks which will involve meeting tight deadlines.
- Assist and work closely with members of the relevant project teams, providing information (including statistical information) to the project lead, planning, and
managing elements of projects as directed by the relevant lead for business services or project manager.
Financial and Resource Management
- Support the effective management of finance for the team, Directorate, including:
- Follow UKHSA financial governance processes and support colleagues and budget holders to engage with national and local finance processes as needed.
- Ensure effective monitoring of project budget expenditure.
- Provide reports for the management team as required.
- Undertake procurement of services, supplies and equipment as directed and in line with corporate policy.
- Respond to the requirements of internal and external audit as directed
Leadership and Management
- Be a visible, positive and a competent role model and motivator; and contribute to the induction of staff.
- Problem solve, make decisions and accept responsibility for own actions.
Quality and Governance
- Provide support to ensure adherence to governance and quality policies and procedures within the team/Directorate which may include:
- Contributing to the development and monitoring of the Directorate business plan, with responsibility for delivering activities within area of responsibility.
- Contributing to the development, testing and exercising of a Directorate business continuity plan.
- Producing written guidance and standard operating procedures for administrative procedures and protocols.
- Contributing to the Directorate governance agenda and working groups.
- Adopt and role model a culture of continuous improvement.
Communication and Key Working Relationships
The post holder will develop effective working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, . This may include communicating verbally face to face, by email, phone or in writing and may also involve external stakeholders as well as other public health organisations e.g., NHS and other Civil Service departments.
Personal and Professional Development
Undergo a programme of on-going development and education, including the annual appraisal process, to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to meet the behaviours and competencies required to undertake the role.
Key Working Relationship
The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical. lnternal and external to UKHSA.
The above provides an outline of the tasks, responsibility and outcomes required of the role. The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the team, Directorate and the Organisation.
Essential Role Criteria:
-
Educated to degree level in Business Management or relevant experience in business support environment.
-
Experience of undertaking secretariat functions/administering meetings, events
-
Experience of writing and preparing reports for senior colleagues and/or meetings.
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Experience of understanding of budget management, business planning and business continuity processes.
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Experience of writing and preparing reports for senior colleagues and / or meetings.
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Experience of use in systems to order goods and services and an understanding of relevant policies and procedures.
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Experience in IT skills, advances MS Office skills, including Word,Outlook,Excel, PowerPoint
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Ability to work without supervision working to tight and often changing timescales.
-
You are detail-focussed, you ensure everything is accurate and error free.
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Ability to work in a continuously changing environment.
-
You take a positive approach to tackling problems and find ways to identify suitable solutions.
Desirable role criteria:
-
Awareness of commercial and procurement processes, scheduling budget and cost management, quality management, business case development and benefits management
-
Understanding of project principals, techniques and tools
Selection Process Details
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
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)
-
1,000 word Supporting Statement
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500 but your supporting statement must be no more than 1,000 words. We will not consider any words over 1,000 words.
This should outline how you consider 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 CV. 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.
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
If used, the pile ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.
Shortlisting
In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on :
- Educated to degree level in Business Management or relevant experience in business support environment.
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/successful candidates.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Knowledge, Experience, Skills & abilities will be tested at interview.
Interviews dates to be confirmed.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Eligibility Criteria - External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).
Location - Office Based : London (Colindale)
This role is an office /lab-based role at our Scientific Campus in Colindale.
Based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. 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 basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is:
- Baseline Personnel Security Standard
- Counter Terrorism Check
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.
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
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
Application Form and Supporting Statement
Essential criteria
- Application Form and Supporting Statement
Interview
Essential criteria
- Question on knowledge, experience, skills and abilities
Documents
- Business Support Manager JD (PDF, 350.5KB)
- Civil Service Recruitment Principles (PDF, 2.6MB)
- Civil Service Nationality Rules (PDF, 195.3KB)
- Application Form Guidance Notes (PDF, 77.3KB)
- Information Sheet - Starting salaries and benefits (PDF, 129.4KB)
- Information Sheet - Selection Process (PDF, 110.1KB)
- Working at UKHSA and your benefits (PDF, 219.2KB)
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Conny Agyei
- Job title
- Resourcing Officer
- Email address
- [email protected]
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