UK Health Security Agency
Vaccine & Immunisation Programme Operations Lead
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
London (Canary Wharf)
Job Summary
The Vaccine & Immunisation Programme Operations Lead plays a critical role in supporting the delivery of national immunisation programmes within the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Reporting to the Head of Vaccine and Immunisation Programmes, the postholder will lead the operational delivery of a defined portfolio of vaccine programmes, ensuring the continuity of vaccine supply across the NHS and wider health system.
The role sits within the Commercial, Vaccines & Countermeasures Delivery Directorate and requires close collaboration with colleagues across Commercial, Finance, Digital, Analytical and Policy functions, alongside external partners including vaccine manufacturers, suppliers, the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS organisations and public health stakeholders.
The Postholder Will:
- Be responsible for programme planning, supply chain oversight, stock optimisation and governance activities, ensuring programmes are delivered effectively, efficiently and in line with strategic objectives.
- Coordinate complex operational activity, manage risks and issues, support procurement activity and contribute to the development of business cases and decision-making processes.
- Provide leadership within a matrix environment, fostering collaborative working across organisational boundaries to achieve programme outcomes.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives, maximise value for money and contribute to the resilience of vaccine supply arrangements, helping to protect public health and ensure the successful delivery of national vaccination programmes across the UK.
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
The Vaccine & Immunisation Programme Operations Lead will:
- Lead the operational delivery of a portfolio of vaccine and immunisation programmes, ensuring the effective procurement, supply, distribution and management of vaccines to support national immunisation objectives and maintain continuity of supply.
- Coordinate programme delivery across a complex matrix of Commercial, Finance, Digital, Analytical, Public Health and Policy functions, developing delivery plans, managing competing priorities, monitoring performance, and ensuring robust governance and assurance arrangements.
- Support vaccine procurement and contract delivery by working closely with commercial teams, manufacturers and suppliers to maintain supply resilience, optimise stock management, minimise wastage, and lead responses to shortages, recalls and other supply chain incidents.
- Prepare business cases, investment proposals and senior briefings, supporting governance processes and securing organisational, departmental and ministerial approvals where required, while providing assurance and advice to senior leaders and programme sponsors.
- Build strong relationships across UKHSA, DHSC, the NHS, devolved administrations, suppliers and external partners, driving collaboration, continuous improvement, value for money and supply chain resilience, while leading and developing staff through effective line management and fostering an inclusive, high-performing team culture.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Main duties of the job
The Postholder Will:
- Lead end-to-end delivery of vaccine and immunisation programmes, ensuring reliable procurement, supply and distribution to maintain vaccine availability.
- Oversee programme planning, implementation and governance, coordinating activity across multiple teams and functions.
- Manage vaccine stock, supply optimisation and operational risks, minimising wastage and ensuring resilient supply chains.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, government, NHS and other key stakeholders, providing clear programme leadership and alignment.
- Drive continuous improvement, value for money and workforce development, including business case support, line
Please note, the above is not exhaustive.
The Postholder Will:
- Lead end-to-end delivery of vaccine and immunisation programmes, ensuring reliable procurement, supply and distribution to maintain vaccine availability.
- Oversee programme planning, implementation and governance, coordinating activity across multiple teams and functions.
- Manage vaccine stock, supply optimisation and operational risks, minimising wastage and ensuring resilient supply chains.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, government, NHS and other key stakeholders, providing clear programme leadership and alignment.
- Drive continuous improvement, value for money and workforce development, including business case support, line
Please note, the above is not exhaustive.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g. public health, public policy, management, economics or related field) or significant equivalent experience demonstrating advanced analytical capability, structured problem solving and leadership of complex programmes.
- Demonstrable experience of working in complex programme, operational or delivery environments, including pharmaceutical, health, supply chain or other large-scale public service settings.
- Proven experience of managing complex operations or programmes, including planning, monitoring and delivering projects/workstreams to time, cost and quality requirements.
- Experience of project and programme management, including defining scope, managing interdependencies and delivering agreed objectives.
- Ability to mitigate risks, optimise processes and achieve timely, cost-effective outcomes aligned with organisational objectives.
- Ability to work autonomously, make decisions and lead projects at middle-management level using sound judgement.
- Ability to build and sustain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders, partners and suppliers, and to navigate complex stakeholder environments.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of line management.
- Ability to draft robust and evidence-based business cases.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor and develop high-performing teams.
- Experience of fostering collaborative and supportive working environments.
- Ability to provide clear direction, empower team members and ensure accountability for the delivery of objectives.
Alongside your salary of £60,494, UK Health Security Agency contributes £17,525 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%
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.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Selection process details
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Success Profiles - GOV.UK
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 supporting statement.
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 500 words. We will not consider any words over 500 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(s) ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.
Shortlisting:
In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:
- Demonstrable experience of working in complex programme, operational or delivery environments, including pharmaceutical, health, supply chain or other large-scale public service settings.
- Proven experience of managing complex operations or programmes, including planning, monitoring and delivering projects/workstreams to time, cost and quality requirements.
- Experience of project and programme management, including defining scope, managing interdependencies and delivering agreed objectives.
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications or large amount of successful candidates.
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
Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK
You will be invited to a single face to face interview at UKHSA, 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4PU.
If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Behaviours and Technical skills will be tested at interview.
You will be required to deliver a 5-minute presentation titled Delivering Project Impact, based on a project you worked on that delivered significant impact.
Please Explain:
- The impact the project achieved
- Your specific role in driving the project forward
- The actions and decisions you took
- How you overcame any challenges along the way.
The Behaviours Tested During The Interview Stage Will Be:
- Managing a Quality service (Lead behaviour)
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
Interview dates are to be confirmed.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Location