UK Health Security Agency

Deputy LIMS Operations Manager

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

The UKHSA Laboratory Information Management (LIMS) team has a critical role in protecting the nation's health security. Working across the organisation our team of information management professions provide essential support to the systems and services which manage the day to day working of our UKHSA Laboratories and the provision of data into core UKHSA surveillance systems.

As part of the Data Operations LIMS team, you will directly support the delivery of UKHSA LIMS systems and associated services. Working under direction from the LIMS operations manager you will manage our LIMS system requirements and play a key role in the maintenance and development of our systems.

You will work closely with stakeholders to set priorities, objectives and timescales for service developments and support the delivery of a high-quality service which meet the customers' needs and gives value for money.

Liaising with local site administrators, internal technology teams and external stakeholders you will identify areas for improvement and ensure risks are identified and managed appropriately to protect the integrity of the services we provide.

Main duties of the job

  • Liaise with UKHSA technology colleagues and local site administrators to ensure infrastructure and network is working appropriately and LIMS remains available to users
  • Carry out management and maintenance tasks as recommended by the LIMS provider and in line with internal standard operating procedures to maintain system integrity
  • Validate, triage, manage and resolve issues reported by system users
  • Act as point of contact between external support organisations and internal support personnel
  • Liaise with stakeholders to gather requirements
  • Work to develop and test enhancements
  • Work alongside current support staff to train users as appropriate on new developments and enhancements
  • Liaise with stakeholders to gather requirements for reports relating to primary system management, surveillance and wider health protection use cases
  • Work alongside development teams to develop reports.
  • Review LIMS system documentation and standard operating procedures annually and amend based on changes to functionality or in line with new developments or system upgrades
  • Provide training on all aspects of the daily use of LIMS
  • Collaborate with colleagues across LIMS team and wider Data Operations to share information, resources, and support.
  • Communicate with Users and external stakeholders
  • Attend UKHSA management meetings and report on the status of LIMS systems and services as required
  • The role is National and may involve travel to UKHSA locations in England for some meetings and site visits.

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

Details

Date posted

27 February 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£44,852 to £50,472 a year Per annum, Pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

919-GB-303189-EXT

Job locations

Colindale, London

Colindale, London

E14 4PU


Job description

Job responsibilities

Essential Criteria

  • Educated to degree level in science subject or Information Technology; or equivalent level qualification / significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area
  • Team worker with the ability to prioritise, understand and communicate sensitive information with stakeholders at all levels
  • Problem solving skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
  • Must be able to prioritise own work effectively and be able to direct activities of others
  • Professional, organised and flexible with the ability to cope with uncertainty and change
  • Willingness to travel nationally when required, and to work flexibly / out of hours when business needs demand
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable Criteria

  • An understanding in the areas of application programming, database and system design, the Internet, Intranet, and web based as well as client/server architectures
  • Experience in troubleshooting software and hardware problems and triaging to relevant support colleagues as appropriate
  • Experience of identifying and interpreting National policy

Selection Process Details:

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

Stage 1:Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (7) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
  • 500 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 together.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

  • Meets all essential criteria
  • Meets someessential criteria
  • Meets no essentialcriteria

The following will be taken to the next stage:

  • Meets all essential criteria
  • Meets someessential criteria

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following:

  • Educated to degree level in science subject or Information Technology; or equivalent level qualification / significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.

Please do not exceed 500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview at UKHSA Colindale.If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours, experience, and ability will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

Working Together Lead behaviour Delivering at Pace Managing a Quality Service Changing and Improving

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 - External

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location:

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Core HQ in Colindale. 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). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Security Clearance Level Requirement:

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum with willingness and capability to work towards Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance.

You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years to obtain Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Essential Criteria

  • Educated to degree level in science subject or Information Technology; or equivalent level qualification / significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist area
  • Team worker with the ability to prioritise, understand and communicate sensitive information with stakeholders at all levels
  • Problem solving skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands
  • Must be able to prioritise own work effectively and be able to direct activities of others
  • Professional, organised and flexible with the ability to cope with uncertainty and change
  • Willingness to travel nationally when required, and to work flexibly / out of hours when business needs demand
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Desirable Criteria

  • An understanding in the areas of application programming, database and system design, the Internet, Intranet, and web based as well as client/server architectures
  • Experience in troubleshooting software and hardware problems and triaging to relevant support colleagues as appropriate
  • Experience of identifying and interpreting National policy

Selection Process Details:

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

Stage 1:Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (7) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
  • 500 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 together.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

  • Meets all essential criteria
  • Meets someessential criteria
  • Meets no essentialcriteria

The following will be taken to the next stage:

  • Meets all essential criteria
  • Meets someessential criteria

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following:

  • Educated to degree level in science subject or Information Technology; or equivalent level qualification / significant experience of working at a similar level in specialist

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.

Please do not exceed 500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a (single) face to face interview at UKHSA Colindale.If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours, experience, and ability will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

Working Together Lead behaviour Delivering at Pace Managing a Quality Service Changing and Improving

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 - External

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location:

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Core HQ in Colindale. 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). Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Security Clearance Level Requirement:

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum with willingness and capability to work towards Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance.

You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years to obtain Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Person Specification

Application and Statement of Suitability

Essential

  • Application and Statement of Suitability

Behaviours

Essential

  • Working together - Lead Behaviour
  • Delivering at pace
  • Managing a quality service
  • Changing and improving
Person Specification

Application and Statement of Suitability

Essential

  • Application and Statement of Suitability

Behaviours

Essential

  • Working together - Lead Behaviour
  • Delivering at pace
  • Managing a quality service
  • Changing and improving

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).

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.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Colindale, London

Colindale, London

E14 4PU


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Colindale, London

Colindale, London

E14 4PU


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Resourcing Support

Gurkamal Bhambra

gurkamal.bhambra@ukhsa.gov.uk

Details

Date posted

27 February 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£44,852 to £50,472 a year Per annum, Pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

919-GB-303189-EXT

Job locations

Colindale, London

Colindale, London

E14 4PU


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

UK Health Security Agency's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)