The mission of the TB, Acute Respiratory, Zoonoses, Emerging infection, and Travel health division (TARZET) is to protect the public from respiratory, imported, emerging, and novel infections through world-leading public health microbiology and virology, outbreak response, surveillance, research and interventions. We are a multidisciplinary team delivering surveillance, epidemiology, public health and clinical advice, microbiology and virology, incident and outbreak response, and advice to government. We work closely with NHS England and NHS Trusts, with international agencies and colleagues, and in a fully integrated way with multiple academic partners, with associated research opportunities.
Within the TARZET Division, the key aim of the UKHSA National Tuberculosis Unit is to improve the prevention, detection and control of TB through the implementation of the 'TB Action Plan, 2021-26'. Implementation of the 'TB Action Plan, 2021-26' will support a year-on-year reduction in TB incidence and in-UK transmission, enabling the UK to meet its commitment to the World Health Organisation (WHO) elimination targets by 2035.
The Action Plan was collaboratively developed between UKHSA and NHSE and ensures a coordinated approach across a number of divisions and departments within UKHSA and across the health sector. The Action Plan consists of a number of projects and activities that contribute to UKHSA's work programme, including strengthening surveillance and genomics, reducing diagnostic delay, optimising contact tracing and the use of data from WGS, optimising vaccine delivery, addressing drug resistance and addressing the needs of TB in under-served populations to reduce health inequalities.
As the TB Action Plan Officer, you will monitor, drive and coordinate activities within the plan to ensure these are delivered to the agreed outcomes within time, cost and quality. You will provide progress and performance reporting and will analyse information to enable prioritisation decisions to be made.
You will play a key role in governance processes and will work closely with project leads and action owners to ensure the agreed outputs from the Action Plan are delivered and benefits realised. You will also have effective leadership, interpersonal and communication skills. You will also identify and effectively manage small projects using coordination skills and project management techniques.
It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 1250 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following criteria:
Essential criteria
- Master of Science degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent experience.
- Project or Programme Management Qualification or equivalent experience
- Knowledge of project and programme management, governance and processes.
- Knowledge of risk management principles and experience in implementing risk processes.
- Experience of scientific report writing.
- Ability to manage highly detailed, high value projects that require analysis, tracking and assessment.
- Able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues.
- Able to present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups of professionals.
- Ability to lead a team including recruitment retention of staff and staff appraisal and development.
- Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
Desirable criteria
- Management qualification or extensive experience
- Experience of managing change and strategy development in a politically sensitive and complex environment.
- Experience of programme management in the public sector healthcare setting.
- Understanding of health and political policies and priorities relevant to TB.
- Demonstrable understanding of information Governance in a corporate/civil service environment.
- Experience of strategy/action plan development and implementation.
- Experience of procurement of services including management of contractual arrangements.
- Experience of analysing and presenting complex quantitative data.
- Strategic thinking and problem solving skills with the ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands.
- Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.