Pandemic Preparedness and Incident Response Manager
| Posting date: | 30 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £41,983.00 to £52,113.00 per year |
| Additional salary information: | £41983.00 - £52113.00 a year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 14 May 2026 |
| Location: | Birmingham, Colindale, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Porton Down, E14 4PU |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | K9919-26-0133 |
Summary
This role plays a central part in ensuring the Public Health Microbiology Directorate is prepared for pandemic threats across all transmission routes, supporting UKHSAs ability to anticipate, assess and respond to risks identified in the National Security Risk Register. The post holder will bring togetherscientific, policy and operational input to shape clear, evidenceinformed approaches to preparedness and incident response. The role involves translating complex technical issues into clear products, coordinating expert contributions at pace, and supporting the alignment of directorate activities with national priorities. A key component of the role is supporting project delivery across PHMs pandemic preparedness portfolio. This includes supporting the planning, deliveryand monitoring of projects, ensuring workstreams progress to time, quality and budget, and enabling effective risk and dependency management. The post holder will facilitate crossteam coordination, maintain clear governance and reporting structures, and help ensure delivery across a diverse programme of preparedness activity. It also includes contributing to continuous improvement of preparedness and Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) functions, ensuring they are robust, aligned with national priorities and frameworks, and consistently delivered. Essential criteria Degree level education in a scientific or technical related subject (e.g., life sciences, microbiology, molecular biology, virology), or equivalent qualification, or previous relevant experience in a similar role Experience in strategy and/or policy development within complex technical and strategic contexts. Proven ability to build relationships across organisations and collaborate with external stakeholders to agree decisions and deliver projects. Strong communication skills, ability to engage credibly with experts, senior officials and Ministers. Ability to write clearly and concisely, making complex ideas accessible and impactful. Strong attention to detail while maintaining a strategic overview. Ability to manage changing priorities and multiple workstreams. Experience working in multi disciplinary teams, including scientific, clinical, data and delivery colleagues. Desirable criteria Experience working in the public sector or a similar large organisation. Project management qualification or significant delivery experience. Experience in emergency preparedness, incident response. Experience supporting governance and secretariat processes. Selection process This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your behaviours and experience. Stage 1: Application & Sift You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed essential criteria, and this will be in the form of: an application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application) a 1200 word supporting statement This should outline how 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 1200 words. We will not consider any words over 1200 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 Only those meeting all essential criteria will be taken through to shortlisting.Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on: Experience in strategy and/or policy development within complex technical and strategic contexts. Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / 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 You will be invited to a remote interview. Behaviours and experience will be tested at interview. The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be: Delivering at Pace (Lead behaviour) Seeing the Big Picture Changing and Improving Making Effective Decisions Working Together Interviews dates are 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. Location This role is being offered as hybrid working based at either any of our Core HQs in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool or London (Canary Wharf); or at our one of our Scientific Campuses in either Colindale or Porton Down. 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 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). Security clearance level requirement Successful candidates must pass a basic Disclosure and Barring Security check before they can be appointed. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. 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 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check 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. Salary information If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms. Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location: Senior Executive Officer (SEO) £41,983- £48,128 (National)£44,148- £50,121 (Outer London)£46,310- £52,113 (Inner London)