Chief of Staff (we have office locations in Cambridge, Leeds & London)

We are hiring a Chief of Staff to work in close partnership with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team translating strategic priorities into clear and effective operational delivery across Genomics England.  

The role provides oversight of the systems processes and cross organisational ways of working that support efficient day to day operations. Working collaboratively with senior leaders the Chief of Staff helps align teams coordinate organisational workflows and ensure governance reporting and operational requirements are consistently met.  

In this role the Chief of Staff builds strong partnerships with external stakeholders across DHSC and the NHS to support organisational performance planning cycles and business operations. Through thoughtful coordination operational discipline and proactive problem solving the Chief of Staff helps enable Genomics England to deliver its mission effectively. 

Everyday responsibilities include: 

• Partner closely with the CEO to shape and deliver organisational priorities maintaining a clear overview of strategic objectives business as usual activity and priority projects and deputising where appropriate. 
• Act as a trusted adviser to the CEO Executive Leadership Team and Board providing thoughtful challenge sound judgement and well considered advice. 
• Support the CEO in navigating political organisational and systemwide considerations ensuring they are well briefed on key developments risks and opportunities. 
• Lead and deliver CEO commissioned projects bringing structure pace and clarity to complex or ambiguous work. 
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Strategy and Portfolio Management Office to shape company level strategy long term roadmaps and assurance of delivery. 
• Ensure robust governance reporting and risk management arrangements are in place and embedded across the organisation to support effective delivery. 
• Oversee agendas papers and submissions for key internal and external meetings including chairing meetings or leading groups on behalf of the CEO when required. 
• Build and sustain strong trusted relationships across government DHSC the NHS and the wider ecosystem to support delivery of Genomics Englands mission. 
• Lead support and develop an inclusive high performing team ensuring the right skills capacity and ways of working are in place. 
• Model Genomics Englands behaviours in all aspects of the role fostering a culture of trust collaboration accountability and continuous improvement. 

Skills and experience for success: 

• Extensive experience operating within UK government or the wider public sector with well established relationships across relevant organisations and the credibility to manage sensitive external engagement with discretion. 
• Strong organisational capability with the ability to manage a complex fastmoving agenda across multiple workstreams while bringing structure clarity and focus to the CEOs office. 
• Proven ability to prioritise effectively balancing pace with rigour to ensure high quality outcomes in a dynamic and often ambiguous environment. 
• Strong people leadership skills including experience leading developing and supporting a small high performing team in an inclusive and empowering way. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the confidence to build trust and resolve issues constructively across senior stakeholders both internally and externally. 
• A natural integrator able to hold strategy delivery and communications in view simultaneously and translate priorities into coherent plans and messaging. 
• High levels of political and organisational awareness with sound judgement and the ability to anticipate risks and emerging issues. 
• Trusted and credible when acting on behalf of the CEO in sensitive or complex situations demonstrating calm discretion and good judgement. 

Desirable skills: 

• Excellent understanding of governance and accountability frameworks relevant to government companies and ALBs including Managing Public Money and the expectations of sponsors shareholders and auditors.  
• Experience supporting organisational change with insight into the leadership demands this places on a CEO and the ability to respond with flexibility and sound judgement.  
• Exposure to life sciences health data digital health or research infrastructure policy enabling confident engagement with Genomics Englands operating environment.  
• Experience of drafting and quality assuring a wide range of outputs from board papers and ministerial submissions to internal and external communications.  
• Comfort working at the interface of public and private sector cultures including experience with commercial partnerships procurement governance or income generating activity within a public interest context. 

Qualifications :

BSc or MSc in business administration Management Economics Public Policy Political Science or a related field preferable but not required.

Additional Information :

Please note the successful candidate will be required to travel to our Canary Wharf office minimum 3 times per week. 

Salary from: 95900 

As part of the application process candidates are requested to submit a cover letter detailing how their skills and experience align with the requirements of this role. 

Closing date for applications  Wednesday 29th April at midnight.  

Being an integral part of such a meaningful mission is extremely rewarding in itself but in order to support our people were continually improving our benefits package. We pride ourselves on investing in our people and supporting them to achieve their career goals as well as offering a benefits package including: 

• Generous Leave: 30 days holiday plus bank holidays additional leave for long service and the option to apply for up to 30 days of remote working abroad annually (approval required).
• Family-Friendly: Blended working arrangements flexible working enhanced maternity paternity and shared parental leave benefits.
• Pension & Financial: Defined contribution pension (Genomics England double-matches up to 10% however you can contribute more if you wish) Life Assurance (3x salary) and a Give As You Earn scheme.
• Learning & Development: Individual learning budgets support for training and certifications and reimbursement for one annual professional subscription (approval required).
• Recognition & Rewards: Employee recognition programme and referral scheme.
• Health & Wellbeing: Subsidised gym membership a free Headspace account and access to an Employee Assistance Programme eye tests flu jabs.

Equal opportunities and our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace 

Genomics England is actively committed to providing and supporting an inclusive environment that promotes equity diversity and inclusion best practice both within our community and in any other area where we have influence. We are proud of our diverse community where everyone can come to work and feel welcomed and treated with respect regardless of any disability ethnicity gender gender identity religion sexual orientation or social background. 

Genomics Englands policies of non-discrimination and equity and will be applied fairly to all people regardless of age disability gender identity or reassignment marital or civil partnership status being pregnant or recently becoming a parent race religion or beliefs sex or sexual orientation length of service whether full or part-time or employed under a permanent or a fixed-term contract or any other relevant factor.  

Genomics England does not tolerate any form of discrimination harassment victimisation or bullying at work. Such behaviour undermines our mission and core values and diminishes the dignity respect and integrity of all parties. Our People policies outline our commitment to inclusivity. 

We aim to remove barriers in our recruitment processes and to be flexible with our interview processes. Should you require any adjustments that may help you to fully participate in the recruitment process we encourage you to discuss this with us. 

Culture

We have four key behaviours that represent what we would like Genomics England to feel like and the culture we want to encourage in order for us to achieve our mission. These behaviours help us all work well together deliver on our outcomes celebrate our successes and share feedback with each other. You can read about these and other aspects of our culture here Culture Genomics England

Blended working model

Genomics England operates a blended working model as we know our people appreciate the flexibility that hybrid working can bring. We expect most people to come into the office a minimum of 2 times each month. However this will vary according to role and will be agreed with your team leader. There is no expectation that people will return to the office full time unless they want to however some of our roles require full time on site attendance e.g. lab teams reception team. 

Our teams and squads have and will continue to reflect on what works best for them to work together successfully and have the freedom to design working patterns to suit beyond the minimum. Our office locations are: Canary Wharf Cambridge and Leeds.

Onboarding background checks

As part of our recruitment process all successful candidates are subject to a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.  We therefore require applicants to disclose any previous offences at point of application as some unspent convictions may mean we are unable to proceed with your application due to the nature of our work in healthcare. 

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time