JOB SUMMARY

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.

The Microbiology laboratory at Cambridge current provides services to Addenbrooke’s, Royal Papworth, and the E&N Herts Hospitals, the surrounding district, and other NHS Laboratories. It has active research and epidemiological interests. The laboratory undergoes assessment against UKAS ISO 15189 standards, and has strong teaching interests. Set on the outskirts of the university city of Cambridge, Addenbrooke’s Hospital is one of the top hospitals in the UK and a thriving NHS Foundation Trust. Addenbrooke’s is closely associated with leading educational providers including the University of Cambridge and is a major centre for biomedical research and education.
The department undertakes a wide range of manual and automated routine and specialist microbiological and molecular investigations, for clinical and public health service delivery.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Your key responsibilities will include to:

• Provide high level administrative support to the team, including diary management and travel arrangements
• Maintain a range of office management systems and processes
• Use the functions of MS Office including Excel spreadsheets, databases, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Contribute to and propose changes and improvements to local office management systems.
• Maintain an efficient system for managing sustainable development records.
• Maintain an efficient system for managing UKHSA’s staff security files.
• Act independently on day-to-day issues and to use own judgement within the autonomy and limitations of the post.
• Promote the adherence to policies and procedures of UKHSA, and to its values and behaviours.
• Manage the timely return of data for HR purposes, to include sickness absence reporting, and any other relevant information requested.
• Maintain effective records of departmental resources to meet the needs of internal and external audit.
• Manage administrative systems for the directorate including staff amendment forms, sickness and annual / special leave.
• Organise meetings, prepare agenda’s take notes and minutes and ensure follow-up action for meetings.
• Responsible for ensuring that all UKHSA HR policies are adhered to , e.g. visiting working and flexible working requests.
• Co-ordinate local documentation for new starters e.g. IT set up, plus general administrative support.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential Criteria - you will be assessed on the below 9 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

• Communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing. Take time to consider the best communication channel to use for the audience, including making the best of digital resources and considering value for money
• Significant administrative/ secretarial experience including developing, implementing, and maintaining office systems and handling sensitive information
• Experience of organising meetings and producing supporting paperwork, including agendas, and taking minutes/action notes
• Experienced at working under pressure handling multiple tasks and prioritising own workload
• Ability to use finance systems and support financial analysis for reports
• Ability to work without supervision working to tight and often changing timescales
• Line management skills
• IT skills and advanced Microsoft Office experience, including Word, Outlook, Excel
• You work well as part of a team and strive to ensure the team pulls together and is effective

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL ONLY BE ASSESSED ON THE ESSENTIAL CRITERIA LISTED WITHIN THE ADVERT AND NOT ALL THOSE LISTED IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION.

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

Piles Meets all essential criteria will be moved through to the shortlisting stage.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

• Significant administrative/ secretarial experience including developing, implementing, and maintaining office systems and handling sensitive information.

Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

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

Your key responsibilities will include to:

• Provide high level administrative support to the team, including diary management and travel arrangements
• Maintain a range of office management systems and processes
• Use the functions of MS Office including Excel spreadsheets, databases, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Contribute to and propose changes and improvements to local office management systems.
• Maintain an efficient system for managing sustainable development records.
• Maintain an efficient system for managing UKHSA’s staff security files.
• Act independently on day-to-day issues and to use own judgement within the autonomy and limitations of the post.
• Promote the adherence to policies and procedures of UKHSA, and to its values and behaviours.
• Manage the timely return of data for HR purposes, to include sickness absence reporting, and any other relevant information requested.
• Maintain effective records of departmental resources to meet the needs of internal and external audit.
• Manage administrative systems for the directorate including staff amendment forms, sickness and annual / special leave.
• Organise meetings, prepare agenda’s take notes and minutes and ensure follow-up action for meetings.
• Responsible for ensuring that all UKHSA HR policies are adhered to , e.g. visiting working and flexible working requests.
• Co-ordinate local documentation for new starters e.g. IT set up, plus general administrative support

Essential Criteria - you will be assessed on the below 9 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

• Communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing. Take time to consider the best communication channel to use for the audience, including making the best of digital resources and considering value for money
• Significant administrative/ secretarial experience including developing, implementing, and maintaining office systems and handling sensitive information
• Experience of organising meetings and producing supporting paperwork, including agendas, and taking minutes/action notes
• Experienced at working under pressure handling multiple tasks and prioritising own workload
• Ability to use finance systems and support financial analysis for reports
• Ability to work without supervision working to tight and often changing timescales
• Line management skills
• IT skills and advanced Microsoft Office experience, including Word, Outlook, Excel
• You work well as part of a team and strive to ensure the team pulls together and is effectiv