About this role
Job summary
The role provides strategic leadership for UKHSA's work on health equity, community protection, and national public health guidance, standards and advice. The postholder will lead efforts to reduce avoidable and unjust differences in exposure to, vulnerability, and outcomes from infectious diseases and health hazards, ensuring health protection activities improve health equity, population resilience and health security.
Drawing on lessons from pandemics, outbreaks and major incidents, the postholder will ensure that health security policy, evidence, guidance and interventions are effective, proportionate and informed by the needs of communities most affected by health threats. They will lead the development, quality assurance and implementation of national public health guidance and provide strategic leadership for UKHSA's public health advice, guidance and evidence capability during incidents and emergencies.
The role will lead UKHSA's approach to community protection, including advice and guidance on community-centred interventions and public health and social measures that reduce the health and social impacts of emergencies. Working with national, regional and local partners, the postholder will provide strategic leadership for the advice, guidance and partnerships needed to support effective delivery.
Please see attached Job Description & Person Specification for full details.
Main duties of the job
The post holder is required to:
Work with directors and deputy directors across UKHSA to develop a clear vision and strategy for health equity and community protection in infectious diseases and external health hazards with measurable goals Develop and maintain strategic partnerships within UKHSA and externally across local, regional and national systems, working with government departments (including OHID, DHSC, MHCLG and DfE), NHS England and the voluntary and community sector, with a clear focus on improving outcomes for priority groups and settings. Support the development of appropriate organisational and system assurance for health equity for the areas of responsibility of UKHSA Provide strategic and professional leadership for UKHSA's national public health guidance function, overseeing the development, assurance and implementation of guidance that supports preparedness, response and recovery from infectious diseases and external health hazards. Lead the development and implementation of UKHSA's community protection approach, integrating public health evidence, community insight and engagement to improve resilience, reduce inequalities and protect populations disproportionately affected by health threats. See attached Job Description & Person Specification for full details.
About us
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 Job responsibilities
Support the development, application and quality assurance of tools to enable the systematic assessment of health equity e.g. Health Equity Assessment Tool, Health Impact Assessment/Equality Impact Assessment Work across the public health system to develop comprehensive engagement to magnify the community voice, groups and leadership in the work of health equity and inequalities, focusing on inclusion health groups, protected characteristics and vulnerable people. Work with NIHR Health Protection Research Units to ensure consideration of health equity in their aims and objectives, and to support UKHSA in developing further insight and evidence for the impact and management of infectious diseases and health hazards on specific groups including those in particular high-risk settings e.g. Care Homes, the Prison estate etc. As a system leader foster appropriate relationships and collaborations at national, regional and global levels Provide authoritative consultant-level public health advice to UKHSA Executive Committee, Directors, government departments and national partners on health equity and community protection implications of infectious diseases, environmental hazards and emergency incidents. Provide strategic leadership to ensure health equity and community protection approaches are embedded within preparedness, resilience and response functions, including pandemic preparedness, ensuring that the needs of vulnerable groups and communities experiencing inequalities are systematically considered in planning and response. Lead the development and continuous improvement of UKHSA's public health advice and guidance cell in incident response, ensuring the organisation can rapidly translate emerging evidence into authoritative advice and guidance during incidents, and emergencies. Provide senior public health leadership during incidents and emergencies, ensuring that decisions are informed by population health evidence, assessment of inequalities and consideration of vulnerable populations. Act as Incident Director or Strategic Response Director where required and ensure that health equity considerations are incorporated into preparedness and response activity. Please see attached Job Description & Person Specification for full details.
The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority or if from a background other than medicine to NHS Agenda for Change Band 9.
Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview).
If included in the GMC Specialist Register/ in a specialty other than public health medicine, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health practice.
Public Health Specialty Registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC .
Inclusion in the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists (or eligibility within six months of interview).
Nonmedical applicants who are not yet fully registered with the UKPHR must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within six months of gaining specialist registration at the date of interview. All other nonmedical applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the UKPHR Specialist Register (for example, confirmation that a UKPHR specialist portfolio has been submitted).
ExternalOpen to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Stage 1: Application & Sift
This vacancy is using / Competency based framework.
At sift stage you will be assessed against the essential criteria listed in the job advert.
You will be required to complete an:
Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application) 1000 word Statement of Suitability.
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your statement of suitability must be no more than 1000.
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, referring to the attached Job Description & Person Specification.
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).
Application form & Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Longlisting:In the event ofa large number ofapplications,we will longlist into 3 piles of:
Meets all essential criteria Meets some essential criteria Meets no essential criteria If used, the pile(s) Meets all essential criteria will proceed to shortlisting
Stage 2: Interview
Interview stage (competency based):
You will be invited to a face-to-face interview.
Interviews will be held week commencing 16th November 2026, please note these dates are subject to change.
This vacancy is being assessed using Competency based framework. During the interview we will assess against the below:
KnowledgeExperienceSkills and Abilities
You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-minute presentation at the start of your interview, followed by 5 mins of questions on the presentation, around the subject of priorities in the role. The specific subject of this will be sent to you prior to interview; slides will be permitted.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Please note that you will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Clearance.
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 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC). 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.
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our core HQ in . 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) working at our office. Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport links and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Salary InformationIf 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
Consultant (GMC) - £113,565 - £150,569 (plus £2,162 London Weighting)
AfC Band 9 (UKPHR) - £112,782 - £129,783 (20% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £5,794 and a maximum payment of £8,746)
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice/GDC Specialist List (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) Or Inclusion in the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview). If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine/dental public health, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health practice. Public health specialty registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in dental public health/UKPHR must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC/GDC/UKPHR specialist registers. If an applicant is UK trained in Public Health, they must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview. If an applicant is non-UK trained, they will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT. Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements (i.e. be up to date) in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body. MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment, or equivalent.
Knowledge and Experience Essential
Able to influence senior members including directors and CEOs. Able to both lead teams and to able to contribute effectively in teams led by junior colleagues. Commitment to work within a political system irrespective of personal political affiliations. Delivery of successful change management programmes across organisational boundaries. Media experience demonstrating delivery of effective health behaviour or health promotion messages. Experience of using complex information to explain public health issues to a range of audiences.
Skills/Capabilities/Behaviours Essential
Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills and operational nous. Able to demonstrate and motivate organisations to contribute to improving the public's health and wellbeing through mainstream activities and within resources. Ability to lead and manage the response successfully in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances. Analytical skills able to utilise both qualitative (including health economics) and quantitative information. Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement strategies and policies. In depth understanding of the health and care system and the relationships with both local national government. In depth knowledge of methods of developing clinical quality assurance, quality improvement, evaluation and evidence based public health practice. Strong and demonstrable understanding of interfaces between health, social care and key partners (dealing with wider determinants of health). Understanding of the public sector duty and the inequality duty and their application to public health practice. Demonstrable experience of managing significant budgets and resources, delivering value for money, ensuring robust financial governance and making strategic investment decisions in complex organisations. Participate in senior on-call arrangements and provide strategic leadership during incidents, outbreaks and emergencies, including out-of-hours working where required and agreed with the Chief Medical Adviser and Director of Health Equity & Clinical Governance.
Desirable
Act as an Educational Supervisor, or equivalent professional supervisor for public health specialty trainees, supporting workforce development and the future public health leadership pipeline.
Equality and Diversity Essential
An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, and in relation to management systems.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name UK Health Security Agency
Address 10 South Colonnade
London
E14 5EA
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)