People Transition Lead

Job summary

The government has announced a £3.5bn investment in UKHSA’s new laboratory facilities and corporate headquarters which will be built at a new site in Harlow and will replace the facilities UKHSA has at Porton Down, Colindale and Canary Wharf. These facilities are critical for the UK’s public health response and for our national security.

We are looking for a People Transition Lead to manage the people elements of this significant programme to ensure that the agency effectively transitions into the new facilities, as well as supporting our colleagues through this significant change.

This role will work closely with the People and Workplace Directorate to develop and deliver elements of the People Plan for the transition for the over 2000 staff directly impacted.

The role is offered as a 6-month fixed term appointment with potential for extension or conversion to permanent.

Working for your 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

Job description

• Identify requirements for HR products, policies and interventions that underpin our people transition plan, influencing and commissioning People and Workplace to design and develop these, co-ordinating delivery plans. You will lead and monitor delivery activity, flagging any risks or issues across the wider team as appropriate.
• Support the development of our programme’s Transition Plans and support delivery of these plans working in partnership with the People and Workplace Directorate and the wider programme.
• Identify requirements for staff support packages (financial, wellbeing, career advice, family relocation support) to ease the transition, influencing and commissioning People and Workplace to design and support implementation of these.
• In partnership with Workforce Planning experts in People and Workplace, build and iterate Workforce Plans that identify how the move to Harlow impacts talent pipelines and critical skills as part of Agency-wide workforce planning, and using this insight to identify supporting people solutions and commissioning People and Workplace to implement these to ensure that business continuity throughout the lifecycle of the programme and upon transition.
• Build and leverage positive relationships and maintain engagement with a range of stakeholders to identify people impacts, issues and solutions that enable effective transition into Harlow.

• Commission the People Analytics function to develop the effective and innovative use of people data to provide insight that supports delivery of our people transition and business change plans.
• Support and lead effective and positive Trade Union engagement and consultation in relation to people-related matters throughout the lifecycle of the programme.
• Support effective programme governance by maintaining plans, risks and dependencies and linking into the PMO to ensure our people transition plans are accurately reflected in the critical path and programme delivery plans.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Ability to lead, understand, and engage with key stakeholders to implement people related changes and initiatives.
• Experience of and the ability to make strong, influential, trust-based professional partnerships with a range of stakeholders, providing constructive challenge and with experience of influencing at a senior level in boards and wider forums.
• A proven track record of working as part of, or in partnership with HR specialist teams to deliver successful major change or transformation through commissioning and deploying enabling HR interventions such as workforce planning, organisational design and organisational development.
• Experience of working in a cross-cutting environment and delivery challenging outcomes and supporting successful delivery of organisational transformation, meeting a broad range of needs with an ability to thrive in periods of ambiguity.
• A proven track record in delivering within a unionised and challenging environment, including experience in supporting Trade Union engagement and consultation at a senior and/or national level.
• Ability to understand the client business, identify people issues in a proactive way and communicate confidently and persuasively about solutions in the language of the business.
• Good data management, insight, and analysis skills to understand, inform and implement people-related plans and initiatives and an understanding of governance, in terms of risk management and mitigation to support delivery of team priorities to achieve successful business outcomes.
• You must have achieved CIPD Chartered membership or be willing to work towards this upon commencement of your role.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,581, UK Health Security Agency contributes £16,391 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift - Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (8) 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.

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