Job summary
This post is positioned within the Emerging Infections and Zoonoses Section of the Tuberculosis; Acute Respiratory, Gastrointestinal, Emerging /Zoonotic Infections; and Travel Health (TARGET) Division which is part of the PHE National Infection Service, alongside 5 other national topic specific areas and a number of cross-cutting functions including NIS Laboratories and NIS Laboratory Operations. This department will transition into the UK Health Security Agency on 1st October 2021.
The work of the Unit covers a range of activities including providing scientific support to the Human Animal Infections Risk Surveillance group (HAIRS); horizon scanning for global emerging infectious disease threats; risk assessing any potential threats identified; coordinating activities related to zoonoses across PHE; undertaking national surveillance of zoonoses; and working closely with animal health colleagues on the assessment, management and control of zoonoses.
Main duties of the job
The principal functions of this post are as head of the EIZ section to lead the emerging infections activities and provide support to the national zoonoses functions in the EIZ section. This includes ensuring the maintenance and development of epidemic intelligence through horizon scanning and risk assessment activities, provision of clinical and public health advice on the management for emerging health threats, participating in and leading the scientific secretariat for the Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) group, ensuring information and advice on the surveillance, prevention and control of emerging infections and zoonoses is readily available and further developed, teaching and training, and the development of research.
About us
Public Health England provides strategic leadership and vision for protecting and improving the nations health. Its ambition is to lead nationally and enable locally a transformation in the health expectations of all people in England regardless of where they live and the circumstance of their birth. It will achieve this through the application of research, knowledge and skills. It is a distinct delivery organisation with operational autonomy to advise and support Government, local authorities and the NHS in a professionally independent manner.
Option 3 External
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a specialist Consultant Epidemiologist position in the EIZ Section, the purpose of which is to consolidate and further develop the emerging infections portfolio, and provide senior level input into a wide range of activities carried out by EIZ Section relating to emerging infections and zoonoses. The post holder will line manage medical and scientific staff within the EIZ Section, undertaking yearly appraisals and provide career development support as necessary.
Please refer to the Job Description for full remit and responsibilities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a specialist Consultant Epidemiologist position in the EIZ Section, the purpose of which is to consolidate and further develop the emerging infections portfolio, and provide senior level input into a wide range of activities carried out by EIZ Section relating to emerging infections and zoonoses. The post holder will line manage medical and scientific staff within the EIZ Section, undertaking yearly appraisals and provide career development support as necessary.
Please refer to the Job Description for full remit and responsibilities.
Person Specification
Education and 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 [see shortlisting notes below for additional guidance]
- 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 [see shortlisting notes below for additional guidance]
- Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements (i.e. be up to date) in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body
- Minimum of 6 months training in health protection
- MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment; or alternatively MRCPath or MRCP
Desirable
- Masters in Public Health or equivalent
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Able to influence senior colleagues within the same organisation and externally
- 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
Experience
Essential
- Understanding of epidemiology and statistics and public health practice
- Understanding of key agencies involved in health protection
- Understanding of social and political environment of work
- Understanding of laboratory microbiology services
- Understanding of clinical infectious diseases services
- Experience of providing information and advice to those at a senior level, e.g. for parliamentary questions, or to NHS or PHE senior teams
- Extensive experience of communicable disease control including outbreak management in a wide variety of settings
- Experience of working in a change environment
- Scientific publications or presentation of papers at international conferences
- Staff management and training
Desirable
- Experience of emergency planning
Skills
Essential
- Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills and operational nous
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Skilled at dealing with public and media
- Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
- Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances
- Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data
- Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement policies
- Resource management skills
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, but also in relation to management system
Person Specification
Education and 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 [see shortlisting notes below for additional guidance]
- 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 [see shortlisting notes below for additional guidance]
- Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements (i.e. be up to date) in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body
- Minimum of 6 months training in health protection
- MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment; or alternatively MRCPath or MRCP
Desirable
- Masters in Public Health or equivalent
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Able to influence senior colleagues within the same organisation and externally
- 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
Experience
Essential
- Understanding of epidemiology and statistics and public health practice
- Understanding of key agencies involved in health protection
- Understanding of social and political environment of work
- Understanding of laboratory microbiology services
- Understanding of clinical infectious diseases services
- Experience of providing information and advice to those at a senior level, e.g. for parliamentary questions, or to NHS or PHE senior teams
- Extensive experience of communicable disease control including outbreak management in a wide variety of settings
- Experience of working in a change environment
- Scientific publications or presentation of papers at international conferences
- Staff management and training
Desirable
- Experience of emergency planning
Skills
Essential
- Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills and operational nous
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Skilled at dealing with public and media
- Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
- Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances
- Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data
- Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement policies
- Resource management skills
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, but also in relation to management system
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
