UK Health Security Agency
Project Support Officer
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Job Summary
Do you enjoy working on projects and seeing them through to completion? Are you passionate about collaborating with others to deliver? Do you want to work somewhere where you can make a difference?
The role of the Project Support Officer within Regions Data Science, Epidemiology Data Science Unit covers a diverse range of activities to support the delivery of the project objectives, which will typically be moderate in complexity.
You will enable the smooth running of the project by supporting the Senior Project Manager and Project Leads through the operation of project management processes, and the co-ordination of business management actions and activities on their behalf.
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
This role is based on the Government Project Delivery Profession Project Support Officer (HEO) role profile and is closely aligned to the Project Delivery Capability Framework (PDCF). Operating within a Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) environment, the role contributes to the delivery of projects, programmes, portfolios and services.
Depending on business needs and assigned responsibilities, activities may include governance and assurance coordination, portfolio support, project reporting, digital and data project coordination, service coordination, Jira workflow administration, Confluence knowledge management, stakeholder engagement, risk and dependency management, and support to the delivery of digital, data and technology services.
Other, Typical Role Responsibilities:
- Planning and scheduling – Implement and maintain appropriate systems to enable effective planning and scheduling.
- Monitoring and reporting – Establish and maintain project controls, keeping the project manager aware of the project status. Prepare project performance reports, presenting statistics and researching new information.
- Administration – Ensure organisational tasks are carried out efficiently. Manage and monitor compliance of the project with Departmental Security, Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity, Business Continuity and Business Planning.
- Resources – Lead a team responsible for identifying, developing and deploying resources. Manage workforce planning, providing information to support effective decision-making by the Project Manager. Procurement of supplies and services related to project support within Delegated Financial Authority limits.
- Stakeholder management – Manage professional relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and act as the lead point of contact for some external parties. Draft and sign-off correspondence.
- Financial control – Monitor project spend and contribute to the compilation of budgets and the development of the business case. Ensures an accurate asset register is maintained.
- Risks and issues – Manage potential risk areas, working with risk managers and escalating as appropriate
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Please note: The Digital and Data Directorate, where this role sits, is reviewing its Target Operating Model. While the process is still in the planning stage, some roles may be affected by future changes. We are committed to keeping candidates informed and will share updates as they become available.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Working knowledge in a project or programme environment covering planning, scheduling, resource management, risk and issue management, change control, governance, project methodologies and assurance.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to challenge effectively to ensure the correct information is presented at the right time.
- Strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to develop effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Works well under pressure, effectively manages multiple tasks and has a keen attention to detail.
- Ability to use digital tools and data analytics to support effective decision making in projects.
- Experience of promoting best practice and lessons learned to support continuous improvement.
- Strong capability in using Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
Alongside your salary of £33,422, UK Health Security Agency contributes £9,682 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%
This role is offered under Agenda for Change (AFC) Terms and Conditions. If you are already on AFC T&Cs or accept the role on a fixed-term contract, you will be enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme or keep your current AFC Pension. If you take the role on a loan or temporary promotion, you will retain your existing substantive T&Cs. If the role is available under either AFC or Civil Service T&Cs depending on your registration, your pension scheme will align accordingly.
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 technical skills.
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:
- an application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- a 300 word supporting statement.
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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 statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 300 words. We will not consider any words over 300 words.
Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
- Meets all essential criteria
- Meets some essential criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
If used, the pile ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- Working knowledge in a project or programme environment covering planning, scheduling, resource management, risk and issue management, change control, governance, project methodologies and assurance
- Ability to use digital tools to support effective decision making in projects
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a remote interview via MS Teams.
Behaviours and technical skills will be tested at interview.
You will be required to prepare a one-page A4 document containing an exemplar of one of the following:
- Project status report
- RAID log extract
- Project plan excerpt
- A brief summary outlining any concerns, risks, issues or dependencies you would raise with the Senior Project Manager or Project Lead, together with the actions you would recommend.
This will need to be submitted to sarah.patel@uksha.gov.uk at least three days prior to your scheduled interview and will be used to help assess your technical skills.
The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be:
- Working together (Lead behaviour)
- Communicating and influencing
- Delivering at pace
Interviews will be held in early November 2026. Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool or London (Canary Wharf).
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) on-site.
Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Eligibility criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
If this role is fixed term and you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed
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