Head of Evidence Job Vacancy in South Tyneside, England, UK

Job description

Job responsibilities

Specific

• Co-ordinate, manage and deliver a series of all-hazards evidence products o including high profile reviews
• Work with colleagues across the organisation to identify priority topics
• Working with Knowledge and Library Services, support the delivery of evidence products as required,
• Promote the development and delivery of best practice in evidence products across UKHSA
• Support and deliver innovation in aUKHSA evidence service, leading the development of methods, tools and approaches
• Build and network UKHSAs capacity and capability for evidence synthesis
• Provide leadership for the communication and mobilisation of evidence products, ensuring evidence can be used by policyProvide support and leadership to the coordination of evidence synthesis activity across the public health system, including coordination with 1) NICE, 2) NIHR and 3) international Evidence centres, including the devolved administrations
• Manage a team of people working on evidence products in the Evidence Service
• Forge positive working relationships with internal colleagues in order to support matrix management and similarly with other managers across the public health system to support achievement ofUKHSAs objectives.
• Seek innovative opportunities to maximise benefits to the public health system.

General

• Ensure relevant issues relating to their activity/policy area are effectively fed into strategy and big picture considerations.
• Bring together views and perspectives of stakeholders to gain a wider picture of the landscape surrounding activities and policies.
• Draw together and present reasonable conclusions from a wide range of incomplete and complex evidence and data able to act or decide even when details are not clear.
• Identify the main issues in complex problems, clarify understanding or stakeholder expectations, to seek best option.
• Make difficult decisions by pragmatically weighing the complexities involved against the need to act.
• Clarify strategies and plans and give a clear sense of direction and purpose for self and team.
• Confidently engage with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate commitment to goals.
• Lead by example, role modelling ethics, integrity, impartiality and the elimination of bias by building diverse teams and promoting a working environment that supports the Civil Service values and code.
• Be open and inviting of the views of others and respond despite pressure to ignore, revert or concede.
• Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on objectives and shared interests.
• Demonstrate genuine care for staff and others build strong interpersonal relationships.
• Encourage contributions and involvement from a broad and diverse range of staff by being visible and accessible.
• Effectively manage team dynamics when working across departmental and other boundaries.
• Actively involve partners to deliver a business outcome through collaboration that achieves better results for citizens.
• Seek constructive outcomes in discussions, challenge assumptions but remain willing to compromise when it is beneficial to progress.
• Exemplify positive customer service behaviours and promote a culture focused on ensuring customer needs are met.
• Establish how the business area compares to customer service expectations and industry best practice and identify necessary improvements in plans.
• Make clear, pragmatic and manageable plans for service delivery using programme and project management disciplines.
• Create regular opportunities for staff and customers to help improve service quality and demonstrate a visible involvement.
• Ensure the service offer thoroughly considers customers needs and a broad range of available methods to meet this, including new technology where relevant.
• Ensure adherence to legal and regulatory requirements in service delivery and build diversity and equality considerations into plans.
• Get the best out of people by giving enthusiastic and encouraging messages about priorities, objectives and expectations.
• Clarify business priorities, roles and responsibilities and secure individual and team ownership.
• Adopt clear processes and standards for managing performance at all levels.
• Act as a role model in supporting and energising teams to build confidence in their ability to deliver outcomes.
• Maintain effective performance in difficult and challenging circumstances, encouraging others to do the same.
• Review, challenge and adjust performance levels to ensure quality outcomes are delivered on time, rewarding success.

Other

The above is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. You will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by the directorate.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation.

STAGE 1 – APPLICATION & SIFT:

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency based framework which will assess your Qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and capabilities outlined in the person specification.

You will be required to complete an application form. You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised criteria.

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a detailed personal statement / statement of suitability (max 1500 words) based on the essential criteria advertised. This should outline how you consider your skills, knowledge and experience meet the selection requirements. It should provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the person specification criteria outlined.

Applicants are strongly advised to use the person specification section as sub-headings in the application to make it clear how you meet each of the selection criteria.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to a single video interview and assessment

STAGE 2 INTERVIEW

All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will progress to a single video interview OR an in-person interview and/or assessment andwill be assessed on the essential criteria as advertised.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed for this role isBPSS

Option 3 External

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

Unfortunately, late applications can not be accepted.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to at least masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in an appropriate scientific or technical specialist area relevant to the role.

Knowedge and experience

Essential

• High level of understanding of evidence for public health, public health practice and health intervention evaluation.
• Numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data.
• Experience of managing and delivering evidence reviews, publishing in peer reviewed journals, understanding the theory and practice of evidence-based decision making, including knowledge of best practice in evidence review and synthesis.
• Proven track record of developing and supporting an evidence-based approach to public health.
• Experience of delivering programmes of work preferably in public health or related area, with experience of successful negotiation and influencing at a senior level
• Understanding of quality assurance procedures and working to best practice processes

Desirable

• Experience of managing complex multi-agency projects, including partnership working across the health system

Skills and capabilities

Essential

• Presentation skills (verbal and written) to a high standard in a range of settings and at a range of levels to large and small groups.
• Ability to problem-solve, take decisions or present options on difficult and contentious issues and complex information against unexpected demands and tight timescales.
• Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
• Ability to work on own initiative and plan and organize a broad range of complex activities, formulating and adjusting plans to reflect changing circumstances.
• Strategic thinking skills – ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
• Skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders and working with Stakeholders to develop performance improvement plans and plans for innovation.

Desirable

• Skills for delivering results through managing through others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility.

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 systems.

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) .