11 Oct
UK Health Security Agency
London
Job description
Job summary
The UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST)
Launched in 2016, the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) is an innovative government-academia partnership funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and co-led by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), with a consortium of academic and implementing partners in the UK and internationally.
It comprises a multidisciplinary team of public health professionals and researchers with a novel integrated triple-remit of outbreak response, research,
and capacity strengthening to prevent and control epidemics of infectious diseases in countries eligible for UK Official Development Assistance (ODA).
Objectives
1.Support partners in ODA-eligible countries to prepare for, prevent, detect, and respond rapidly to disease outbreaks, with the aim of stopping a public health threat from becoming a health emergency.
2.Identify research questions with partners and deliver rigorous research with partners that improves the evidence base for best practice in disease outbreak prevention, detection, and response in ODA-eligible countries.
3.Support the strengthening and development of in-country capacity for improved national response and readiness to respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
The UK-PHRST is a multidisciplinary team that includes a range of technical skillsets from across public health, core programme / operational management, and senior leadership.
Main duties of the job
Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) is an essential component in any public health response. The Senior RCCE specialist will be a key member of the multi-disciplinary UK-PHRST.
The postholder will be responsible for leading the RCCE functions of the UK-PHRST and for providing expert advice during outbreak responses and emergencies, where required.
The Senior RCCE specialist will co-lead the RCCE and Social Science team, alongside the UK-PHRST's Social Science lead. The postholder will directly line manage a small team of RCCE and equity and human rights experts.
As a member of the Core Deployable Team, the post holder will be available to be rapidly deployed to outbreaks in response to requests for RCCE support .
They will also be expected to conduct and lead on research projects and capacity strengthening activities with partner countries on behalf of the UK-PHRST.
The post holder will be employed by UKHSA with an honorary contract with LSHTM. The successful applicant will be expected to work closely with both institutions.
When not required for outbreaks, the post holder will, among other things, contribute to capacity strengthening activities overseas, and conduct research relevant to the UK-PHRST's role and remit in partnership with well-established networks of collaborators.
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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Response Expertly lead RCCE and Social Science outbreak response activities, including developing evidence-based RCCE strategies appropriate to the local social and cultural context, establishing and / or strengthening community feedback mechanisms, designing and conducting rapid qualitative assessments and supporting participatory action planning, for the country of deployment and the UK-PHRST for risk communication and community engagement activities,
to assist with outbreak management and reducing the spread of disease.
Identify and develop strong partnerships with key stakeholders - community groups, leaders and other partners in the community and civil society - for the promotion of key practices to stop disease transmission.
Provide training and capacity strengthening opportunities to response staff and volunteers as needed whilst on closely with local and regional counterparts for RCCE and social science, ensuring coherence of strategy, materials and activities.
Ensure that technical material produced by the response locally integrates community engagement principles and practice.
Provide additional support to the development,
implementation and evaluation of social and behavioural science components within the national outbreak response (, revisions to guidance documentation, advising on national intervention design and implementation).
Support response in affected countries to reduce the impact of the outbreak, including scoping the need for further support and on sustainable RCCE plans.
Projects conducted by RCCE UK-PHRST should aim to be sustainableProvide professional supervision, coaching and mentorship to RCCE / Social Science reservists and full-time staff members whilst on response deployments
Partnership Working Identify, develop and nurture key relationships with a wide range of individuals and stakeholders as required for highly effective communication,
negotiation and diplomatic skills to enable stakeholder relationships to deliver objectives with : a) Internal leaders and staff, to gain input to the development of systems, processes and External organisations and wider stakeholders to ensure collaboration in the required response;
including research partners, contributing to development of protocols and materials, anticipating research needs in advance of deployment as well as when in the field.
Capacity strengthening Co-lead on the development and delivery of dynamic and evidence-based capacity strengthening programmes and activities on RCCE / Social Science in outbreaks, in partnership with the Social Science lead.
Provide professional supervision, coaching and mentorship to reservist and full-time members of staff within the UK-PHRST on RCCE / Social Science.
Research Co-lead on the development of an RCCE / Social Science research workstream and strategy, aligned to the UK-PHRST research strategy and plan, in partnership with the Social Science lead, and develop and implement projects to enable its deliveryProactively collaborate with partners in LMICs to co-identify novel areas of research in response to current emerging needsPresent at scientific conferences, meetings and other fora.
Maintain active participation with the LSHTM and other academic partners and networks.
Management Be responsible for managing own workload, including developing objectives and reviewing progress against these.
Line management of a small team of RCCE and Equity and Human rights RCCE and Social Science team, in partnership with Social Science lead for UK-PHRST at LSHTM.
Define and deliver joint workplans and strategies for the team.
Selection Process Details
Application stage
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the 11 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a : CV / Application form (Employer / Activity history section on the application) 1250 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 CV / Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.
Your statement of suitability must be no more than 1250 words.
Please note : The system will allow you to write up to 1500 words but please do not exceed 1250 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Interview (Competency-based)
You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities (your competencies) will be tested at interview as outlined in the attached job description.
There will be a presentation- details to be confirmed.
Interview dates to be confirmed.
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).
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements : the level of security needed is Security Check (SC) - willingness and capability to obtain this For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time.
You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) clearance.
UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Additional Location Information
This post will be based at London (10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf with hybrid options) but will involve overseas travel as required by the UK-PHRST.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
PhD, or MSc and clearly demonstrable equivalent experience, in Social and Behavioural Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Education, Communication, Public Relations or another relevant Public Health Communications related field
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Proven experience of developing and applying innovative approaches to risk communication and community engagement and / or in operational social science in outbreaks or other public health emergencies
- Proven experience of designing and conducting rapid qualitative assessments, social science research and analysis, including participatory and qualitative methods, with proficiency in qualitative data analysis software such as NVivo, supported by peer-reviewed publications.
- Proven experience in the development and implementation of RCCE and rapid social science strategies and plans in LMICs
- Experience of delivering training and / or capacity development in risk communications, community engagement, health promotion, operational social science or communication for international development.
- Experience of qualitative data collection and analysis, including community feedback data, during outbreak response
Skills and Capabilities
Essential
- Experience of providing effective project and people management.
- Ability to provide a clear strategic direction for UK-PHRST Risk Communication and Community Engagement research and capacity strengthening, and to effectively apply Risk Communication and Community Engagement principles and concepts in acute emergency settings in countries eligible for UK-aid.
- Highly effective verbal, written and presentation communications skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear ideas and concepts concisely and accurately for diverse audiences.
- Able to build and maintain effective relationships with co- workers and key stakeholders both in the UK and overseas
Equality and Diversity
Essential
Demonstrate appreciation and acknowledgment of the range and complexities of diversity; self-awareness in terms of emotional intelligence, biases and personal triggers;
cultural competence - cultural sensitivity and awareness
▶️ Senior Risk Communications and Community Engagement (RCCE)
🖊️ UK Health Security Agency
📍 London