Senior Information Rights Officer

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., Strategy, Policy and Programmes Group sets the strategic direction for UKHSA, supports the organisation to deliver the business plan and evaluates performance of delivery. Positioned in the Strategy Directorate, the Parliamentary and Public Accountability team provides a centralised service working directly with requesters, regulators, Other Government Departments (OGDs), Ministers'/CEO offices, Parliament and members of the public in the delivery of UKHSA's obligations with respect to Parliament and the public. The team works collaboratively across the whole of UKHSA to provide a high-quality service to all our customers in line with UKHSA's values and our key performance indicators. You will be working with a highly motivated and passionate group of people and will be working alongside them in an exciting and fast-paced environment with the opportunity to make your mark and influence government policy and delivery. In line with the UKHSA values, we are inclusive, insightful and impactful in our work. The role will be responsible for providing expert advice, developing a high standard of quality assurance, including requests made in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Environmental Information Regulations and subject access requests under the General Data Protection Regulation, as well as Coroner's Investigations and briefings to deliver the service., This is an excellent opportunity for staff wishing to join the Parliamentary and Public Accountability team and contribute to the delivery of UKHSA's centralised information rights service. The post holder will be part of the Information Rights team within the Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team. Responsibilities will include: + Co-ordination and drafting of responses to requests made under FOIA, the Data Protection Act and other statutory information access schemes, ensuring responses comply with the relevant legislation. + Provision of expert advice and guidance, developing a high standard of quality assurance, to support the business of the team in its centralised statutory information access service + The postholder will help lead the team to undertaking activities relating to reporting, engagement, continuous improvement, learning and development and wellbeing + In line with our work to increase cross-team working within the Parliamentary and Public Accountability Team, and to role model a one team ethos, the postholder may also be required to undertake projects outside their immediate area of responsibility to support parliamentary, complaints and enquiries team activity.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/careersDetailed job description and main responsibilities The post holder will work closely with the Information Rights Lead in the delivery of full accountability to the public for the exercise of UKHSA's functions. It is essential that members of the public have confidence in the health and social care system. UKHSA's Public Accountability team works to secure the trust and confidence of the public and ensure that the service we provide are consistent and seamless. The postholder will be required to:

• Co-ordinate UKHSA's responses to FOIA and other statutory information access requests to UKHSA with consistent and cleared responses and act as liaison point for any further clarification or queries.
• Assist the Information Rights Lead & Head of Public Accountability to ensure that UKHSA complies with the requirements under FOIA, the Data Protection Act and other statutory information access schemes, ensuring responses comply with the relevant legislation.
• Provide expert guidance and support for challenging cases and where escalation is required for more complex cases. Ensure there is a centralised service for the sensitive handling of material and correspondence from the Coroner's Office.
• Develop the team and individuals, build capability and flexibility to support UKHSA as a whole
• Act as one of the primary points of contact for public accountability activity and respond to queries and issues raised from both staff and members of the public including lawyers and journalists.
• Quality assure and consistency check contributions including review of corporate lines received from contributors across UKHSA to ensure up to date lines on key topics feature in responses.
• Provide briefings to Chief Executive Office, Directors and staff across UKHSA on a wide range of UKHSA's issues raised under FOIA, Data Protection Act and other statutory information access schemes.
• Engage across the organisation and externally with other Government departments such as the Department of Health and Social Care and the Information Commissioner's Office.
The post holder will work closely with the Information Rights Lead in the delivery of full accountability to the public for the exercise of UKHSA's functions. It is essential that members of the public have confidence in the health and social care system. UKHSA's Public Accountability team works to secure the trust and confidence of the public and ensure that the service we provide are consistent and seamless. The postholder will be required to:
• Co-ordinate UKHSA's responses to FOIA and other statutory information access requests to UKHSA with consistent and cleared responses and act as liaison point for any further clarification or queries.
• Assist the Information Rights Lead & Head of Public Accountability to ensure that UKHSA complies with the requirements under FOIA, the Data Protection Act and other statutory information access schemes, ensuring responses comply with the relevant legislation.
• Provide expert guidance and support for challenging cases and where escalation is required for more complex cases. Ensure there is a centralised service for the sensitive handling of material and correspondence from the Coroner's Office.
• Develop the team and individuals, build capability and flexibility to support UKHSA as a whole
• Act as one of the primary points of contact for public accountability activity and respond to queries and issues raised from both staff and members of the public including lawyers and journalists.
• Quality assure and consistency check contributions including review of corporate lines received from contributors across UKHSA to ensure up to date lines on key topics feature in responses.
• Provide briefings to Chief Executive Office, Directors and staff across UKHSA on a wide range of UKHSA's issues raised under FOIA, Data Protection Act and other statutory information access schemes.
• Engage across the organisation and externally with other Government departments such as the Department of Health and Social Care and the Information Commissioner's Office.
The postholder will have regular contact with staff at all levels in UKHSA and to support delivery against targets, will also need to establish and maintain efficient and effective working relationships with members of the public, health care professionals and across government departments. In ensuring that UKHSA's responses are timely and accurate, the postholder will work with the organisation's scientists, clinicians and technical staff and will be able to take complex scientific and technical information and be able to adapt it for a wide range of audiences. Strong communication and drafting skills are essential for this role. As the role involves changing priorities, the successful candidate will need to demonstrate the ability to be flexible, adaptable, and resilient through uncertainty. The post holder will have responsibilities within the team and across the organisation around engagement, reporting, continuous improvement, learning and development and well-being., You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a: + Application form ('Employer/ Activity history' section on the application) + 1000 word Statement of Suitability. This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria. The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must to to move forward to interview. Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. Feedback will not be provided at this stage. Stage 2: Interview (success profiles) You will be invited to a (single) remote interview. Behaviours will be tested at interview. The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
Interviews will be held week commencing TBC. Please note, these dates are subject to change. 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 Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants). Security Clearance Level Requirement Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Location Clause Wording This role is being offered as hybrid working. 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 one of UKHSA's core HQ's (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London) IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own. 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. 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 can not 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. 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


• A sound practical knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and ability to guide others on the application of exemptions including conducting public interest tests
• Ability to deal with conflicting demands and pressures and able to solve complex problems, whilst remaining calm under pressure and demonstrating a high level of resilience
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and inspire colleagues at all levels, building trust with stakeholders to achieve goals
• An understanding of and commitment to diversity and inclusion and good working relationships
• Experience of supporting policy teams by the drafting of timely responses regularly reviewing with the team what worked well and what didn't, ensuring best practices are embedded and shared;
• Excellent IT skills - Microsoft, Excel, Adobe
Desirable criteria
• BCS Practitioner Certificate in Freedom of Information and/or GDPR (or equivalent qualification)
• Staff management experience and leadership capability
• Ability to motivate and manage staff
• Experience of working within a correspondence or communications function in a fast-paced scientific or health setting with a primary role of communicating written information to the public.
• Demonstrate problem solving, negotiation, conflict resolution and facilitation skills
  
  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.