Climate Health Assessment Team (CHAT) Lead

Job Title: Climate Health Assessment Team (CHAT) Lead

Reference number: 380835

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £68,568 - £82,746

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job Grade: Grade 6

Location: The role can be home-based (anywhere in the United Kingdom), or based from Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool or London

Type of role: Environment and Sustainability

Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Closing Date: Apply before 11:55 pm on Tuesday 14th January 2025

About the job

Job summary

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has launched the Centre for Climate and Health Security (CCHS) to provide expert scientific advice and support to partners at all levels. Our mission is to integrate the health impacts of climate change into system design and policymaking. With multi-disciplinary teams, advanced infrastructure, and a broad network of collaborators, CCHS aims to fulfil UKHSA’s ambition to be a global leader in health security and address one of the major national and international risks to health.

Join us in our world-class facility dedicated to pioneering research and impactful solutions in climate and health security.

Job description

The postholder will be responsible for leadership of the CCHS’s ‘Climate and Health Assessment Team’, leading a small team of climate change and health scientists. This high-profile role will have responsibility for setting the strategic direction of the Team, including responsibility for development and implementation of the team’s Business Plan as well as a strategic workplan to develop the Centre’s wider climate and health assessment capacity. This will include developing and leading an assessment reporting cycle, co-delivering, and maintaining a ‘living’ digital evidence base and synthesising and mobilising the evidence base concerning climate and health into useful products and services for UKHSA’s partners.

Providing expert knowledge and experience of climate change and health assessment to lead the CCHS’s Climate Change Assessment Team and be responsible for:

• Developing, synthesising, assessing and providing expert scientific advice and research concerning the health impacts of climate change, climate adaptation, and health co-benefits.
• Leading advancement of evidence synthesis and assessment methods and tools to accelerate assessment and learning on climate and health.
• Identifying and addressing knowledge gaps concerning the public health impacts of climate change.
• Influencing the development of effective policies relating to climate change and public health through close working relationships with key Agencies, organisations and Government Departments.
• Responsible for the synergistic design and development of information systems in partnership with the Data and Analytics Service and Technology Group, particularly concerning the Centre’s evidence synthesis products and services.
• Planning, designing and executing scientific or advisory projects in climate change and acting as lead researcher for initiating contracts and projects. Seeking funding for projects undertaken by the Team and contributing directly to this work.
• Leading teams responsible for undertaking specialist and complex analysis and evaluation of quantitative and qualitative data and research evidence.
• Communicating the results of the Team’s scientific work in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences as well as in UKHSA publications.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and are not intended to be exhaustive. The job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Please refer to the attached job description on the careers section of our website for a full list of duties and responsibilities.

Please be aware that we will assess on 7 essential criteria stated on the advert rather than the full list on the job description document.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• PhD in a relevant scientific field (e.g. climate change science, global environmental health, environmental sciences or management) or equivalent experience.
• Significant post-doctoral or similar experience in managing and leading large policy-relevant scientific projects or teams in climate and health with minimal supervision.
• In-depth familiarity with, and knowledge of, the breadth of climate and health research and practice, including climate impacts, adaptation, and health co-benefits of decarbonisation.
• Broad knowledge of methodologies for climate and health assessment, including experience in epidemiological analysis, qualitative research, systematic review, and policy analysis.
• Experience leading and developing major national and/or international assessment reports in the climate and health field (e.g. IPCC, CCC), including consultation with stakeholders, developing assessment scope, and ensuring scientific rigour and policy relevance.
• Significant experience of scientific report writing and scientific publication including presentation of papers at conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and expert committees.
• The ability to translate vision into effective strategic plans, to direct change, and generate commitment from others.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £68,568, UK Health Security Agency contributes £19,864 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

• 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%.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.