Head of Vaccine Supply - Part Time

Job Description

Inner London: £55,799 - £65,089Grade 7Vaccines have been identified as a key strategic priority for UKHSA. The Vaccines & Countermeasures Response (VCR) Team, within the Commercial Directorate at UKHSA, is responsible for the procurement and supply of vaccines and urgent treatments for the NationalImmunisation Programme and the national stockpiles and vaccine agreements for pandemic flu preparedness and emergency response planning. In doing so it provides technical and commercial support and expertise to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)and to the NHS in planning and delivering the national immunisation programmes. These programmes provide millions of vaccines per year, across the whole life course, and are delivered in a range of NHS settings.Within VCR, the Vaccines team is responsible for the procurement of vaccines, immunoglobulins, antivenoms and antitoxins and their supply across the 4 nations of the UK. This includes planning and preparing for Immunisation Programme changes up to 5 yearsahead, financial modelling and securing budgets, implementing new programmes, delivering commercial solutions and negotiating contracts, to ensuring the NHS can access vaccines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.The role of Head of Vaccine Supply is a key role in the team now available on a job share basis for 3 days a week (22.5 hours). The role covers the procurement and supply into the frontline NHS of vaccines and urgent treatments for childhood and adult universalimmunisation programmes. The team is currently managing a wide portfolio of vaccines for 15 National Immunisation Programmes, around 30 major vaccine contracts, and delivering to around 12k customers in the UK, 52 weeks a year.The teams’ work is broad, dynamic, challenging and engagement across the health system is required. The post holder will need to be confident in managing complexity, able to apply analytical expertise and be proficient at collaborating effectively acrossdisciplines within wider UKHSA, DHSC and other Government Departments. We are looking for someone who is outcome driven with strong communication skills and the ability to work with and influence all grades.This is an exciting opportunity to work in a key role contributing to the success of the national immunisation programme. The post holder will be a key member of the Vaccines & Countermeasures Response Team and will have responsibility for providing leadershipand expert advice on the requirements of the programme to inform procurement and ensure approval, while taking the lead on managing UKHSA’s stockpiles and the supply and distribution to frontline NHS of a wide portfolio of products, across the UK. You’ll succeedby working collaboratively with a wide range of external and internal partners who come together to provide the expertise and the infrastructure to make it work. By applying appropriate project management skills, you will plan work, manage risks and monitorprogress to deliver planned outcomes and be able to react to the unique challenges which impact on the vaccine supply chain from policy development, regulatory issues, manufacturing supply failures to final mile logistics.You will be part of a wider team working on developing and improving the National Immunisation Programme and pandemic preparedness. You will collaborate with supply chain specialists, commercial specialists, vaccine coverage specialists, clinicians, modellers,virologists and data scientists.You will be educated to at least degree level in a relevant subject or have significant experience of working at a similar level in a commercial or supply chain context and be motivated to make a difference to the health of the population.Location10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf E14 5EAThe current UKHSA policy is 60% office attendance (3 days out of 5) in line with the most recent UK Govt. directive on office attendance for Civil Servants.*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.* Working Pattern - Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working, Hybrid Working.Essential Criteria:It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of no more than 1250 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):Essential criteria:

• Educated to degree level in a relevant subject or significant experience of working at a similar level in a commercial or supply chain context
• Experience in roles which have a high degree of project management, including operations
• Experience of successfully operating in a politically sensitive environment
• Experience of managing and forecasting budgets and working knowledge of financial processes.
• Experience of managing risks and reporting
• Ability to build constructive working and influential relationships internally and externally
• Must be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, and present complex and sensitive information to influential groups.
• Strong problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands, and deliver on time
• Strategic thinking - ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.

Desirable Criteria:

• Postgraduate degree or equivalent qualification
• Experience of immunisation and vaccines
• Experience of supply chain and stock control systems
• Experience of health economics
• Ability to be able to prioritise own work effectively and be able to direct the activities of others.

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