UK Health Security Agency
Director of Health Security Scientific Research
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Director of Health Security Scientific Research
Salary: Senior Civil Servant (SCS) 2 - £100,000 - £162,500 per annum, pro rata Location: Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, or London HQ (hybrid basis)
About the Role
This is a high-profile and influential leadership opportunity within the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), offering the chance to shape the future of health security research and make a lasting contribution to public health outcomes across the UK.
As Director of Health Security Scientific Research, you will provide strategic leadership for UKHSA’s research portfolio, ensuring that scientific activity across the organisation is innovative, impactful, ethically governed and aligned to organisational priorities. You will lead a diverse portfolio spanning specialist laboratory science, behavioural science, evaluation, and epidemiology, driving scientific excellence that supports UKHSA’s mission to protect and improve the nation’s health.
What You'll Do
Reporting within the Chief Scientific Officer Group, you will be responsible for leading critical research and scientific functions across UKHSA. This includes oversight of:
- High-hazard infectious disease research
- Vaccine-related programmes
- Specialist laboratory capabilities
- Safe operation of complex high-containment facilities
You will provide strategic direction for research governance and scientific standards, ensuring all research activity is conducted safely, ethically, and to the highest international standards. Working closely with internal and external stakeholders, you will:
- Strengthen partnerships across government, academia, the NHS, industry, and the global health community
- Enhance UKHSA’s reputation as a world-leading scientific organisation
You will also lead research infrastructure and enabling services, including:
- Research governance
- Information management
- Scientific communications
- Knowledge and library services
Ensuring colleagues across UKHSA have rapid access to high-quality evidence to support decision-making.
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As a member of the senior leadership team, you will contribute to the broader strategic direction of UKHSA, helping to:
- Build organisational capability
- Develop research capacity
- Deliver scientific innovation that supports public health preparedness and response
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Provide inspiring leadership and clear strategic direction for the Directorate
- Develop and deliver ambitious priorities aligned to UKHSA’s objectives and public health mission
- Lead organisational change, workforce planning, succession management, and resilience across the Directorate
Scientific and Research Excellence
- Ensure UKHSA’s research and scientific activities are internationally recognised, impactful, and delivered to the highest standards
- Maintain robust systems of research governance, ethics, quality assurance, clinical governance, and statutory compliance
- Oversee specialist laboratory services and high-containment facilities, ensuring safe and effective operation
Workforce and Culture
- Build, develop, and retain a highly skilled, inclusive, and motivated workforce
- Foster a culture of scientific excellence, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement
- Champion health, safety, and wellbeing across all areas of responsibility
Partnerships and External Engagement
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with:
- Research funders
- Academic institutions
- NHS partners
- Industry
- International organisations
- Lead engagement with the wider research community, including Health Protection Research Units
- Represent UKHSA across government, nationally, and internationally
Governance, Performance and Delivery
- Ensure effective performance management, quality assurance, and supply chain reporting across the Directorate
- Lead business continuity planning and ensure delivery of objectives within agreed timescales and resources
- Drive efficiency, innovation, and continuous improvement across services and operations
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Financial and Operational Management
- Hold accountability for Directorate budgets and resource allocation
- Ensure effective stewardship of public funds and maximise value for money
- Oversee operational delivery to ensure services remain effective, efficient, and sustainable
Corporate Leadership
- Contribute actively to the leadership of the Chief Scientific Officer Group and UKHSA’s Directorate’s Group
- Support organisation-wide priorities and contribute to strategic decision-making across UKHSA
- Act as a visible and credible ambassador for UKHSA across government and partner organisations
Security Clearance
This role requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. If not already held, candidates can start the role once Security Check (SC) clearance has been obtained, but continued employment is dependent on obtaining and maintaining DV-level clearance, which must be initiated within the first 3 months of the agreed start date.
For meaningful National Security Vetting checks, individuals should normally have been resident in the UK for at least 10 years. You may still be eligible if UK residency falls short of this duration; for further advice, contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager.
About UKHSA
At UKHSA, everyone matters. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where:
- Diversity is valued
- Barriers are removed
- Everyone has the opportunity to thrive
We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those currently underrepresented in our workforce. We believe that diverse perspectives drive innovation and help us deliver better outcomes for the communities we serve.
To learn more about working at UKHSA, visit: https://www.gov.uk/ukhsa/careers.
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