View Vacancy - CPK - Senior Policy Officer, Health and Life Sciences Team, C4(L)
The China Network is operating with reduced staff because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Recruitment for this position may take longer than usual and may be cancelled or suspended. Job offers will be subject to a return to normal operations.
The successful candidate will be joining a high performing, vibrant team in the Embassy which focuses on deepening our policy collaboration with China in health and life sciences. China is a vital partner in the fight against Covid-19 and other twenty-first century global health challenges, including antimicrobial resistance and non-communicable diseases. Engaging with China and understanding its work across these and emerging issues is vital to the team’s work. China has ambitious plans to reform its health and social care systems and the UK, with its extensive experience in these sectors, can offer policy, expert and commercial collaboration
You will work closely with teams for international trade, programmes, development and science and innovation. Working alongside the Counsellor for Health and Life Sciences, you will lead on specific areas of the health team’s policy portfolio, for example vaccines, infectious disease control and primary care, depending on your prior experience and expertise. You will also be asked to lead on other areas as priorities evolve. You will plan overall strategy and provide policy direction to multi-year programmes on health in China (including Covid-19 and infectious disease control, cancer, primary and elderly care; hospital reform and life science policy). You will be involved with planning and delivering Ministerial visits and high level dialogues, including the UK-China Ministerial Health Dialogue.
You will ideally have experience in the health and life sciences field and/or working for government or an international mission. You will be a proactive self-starter, who has the ability to devise and implement ambitious influencing strategies on policy and advise on how best the UK can project its strengths. You will need to have strong networking skills and have excellent English drafting skills. You will need to demonstrate the drive to take responsibility for high profile pieces of work including expert dialogues and have the experience necessary to deputise for the senior team members in their absence. You will need to be flexible and have a can-do attitude. This will be an exciting opportunity to work in area of growing importance in the UK-China bilateral relationship with a supportive team who are keen to develop your talents.
Analyse China’s healthcare and life-science and deliver strong bilateral relations in the sector: 40%
Working to the Counsellor for Health and Life Sciences, you will take forward the UK’s bilateral relations on healthcare with a particular focus on specific areas, for example infectious disease control, non-communicable diseases and primary care, depending on your prior experience and expertise. This will involve setting strategic direction, identifying and analysing new policy developments, high quality reporting and planning visits. You will develop a strong network of contacts at senior levels across government, academia and the commercial sector in the UK and China.
Drive a strategic approach to maximising the policy and commercial opportunities of the UK’s healthcare links with China a : 30%
You will lead on developing and implementing an influencing strategy for your specific policy areas in line with UK government objectives for health cooperation with China. This will involve driving forward an overall strategy and using your policy expertise to give strategic direction to programme work. You will complement this work with a particular focus on the commercial opportunities presented by the UK’s healthcare sector, working alongside colleagues in the Department for International Trade (DIT).
Support relationships between key UK and China health bodies: 20%
You will support new and existing relationships between health bodies in the UK and China. This will include the relationship between the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP) and China Centre for Disease Control (China CDC), the relationship between Imperial College (formerly NICE International) and the China National Health and Development Research Centre (a key think-tank under the Chinese Ministry of Health), and the relationship between MHRA and the National Medical Products Administration. You will assist them to develop ambitious programmes of work, drawing on available funds.
Develop and lead the team’s communications on health and social care with HMG and external stakeholders:10%
You will lead on ensuring the UK projects its sectoral strengths in the health and social sector and its global health messages to best effect. You will identify and plan the best methods of achieving this, looking at tools such our articles, blogs and speeches, and produce communications materials for these media.
Strong team leadership of Health and Life Science Team: 10%
You will deputise for the Counsellor for Health and Life Science during periods of absence, covering all areas of the team’s remit. You will lead on learning and development for the team.
Resources managed:
- 1 x A2 (L)
- Travel and entertainment budget £15K
- Experience of operating in China
- Experience working with stakeholders in both health and government institutions;
- Sound working knowledge of basic IT packages, including PowerPoint, Word and Excel
- Professional health or life science qualifications e.g. M.A. in Public Health or MBBS
- Experience of UK and Chinese government systems
- Experience of health programming
- Excellent Mandarin (reading, written and oral skills
- Recognised project management qualification (e.g.: PRINCE2, APM or equivalent))
We place a strong emphasis on learning and development. You will be encouraged to undertake developmental training and get involved in corporate activities. This role provides an excellent opportunity to build up programme knowledge and expertise and gain exposure to working across government. You will have access to existing and new Project & Programme Management L&D as well as wider job-relevant L&D and support for your own personal development.
You will have the opportunity to build professional network with senior health contacts in both China and the UK.
You will have access to FCDO Diplomatic Academy Training on modern diplomacy and the UK Civil Service Competency Framework.
The UK in China Network has an active portfolio of continuous professional development through leadership programmes, TED-style talks, mentoring programmes, interest groups and formal training.
We offer a competitive package, which includes basic salary, good leave entitlement, and insurance plan, etc. The gross salary (before all deductions) is CNY 28,769/month for Chinese Nationals and an abated monthly salary of CNY 37,488/month for British Nationals and spouses/ partners (all nationalities) of diplomats who are ‘W’ (diplomatic) visa holders and meet passport criteria.
We also offer excellent development opportunities and a 22-day annual leave entitlement in pro rata.
Conditioned working hours is 35 hours/ week from Monday to Friday and flexible working can be arranged upon personal needs.
For more details on our Total Rewards Package, please visit our website http://www.gov.uk/government/world/china.
Staff recruited locally by the British Embassy Beijing is subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Chinese employment law.
Candidates are required to prepare and submit an application statement (maximum 1,000 works) to APAC.Recruitment@fcdo.gov.uk regarding the below:
How would your professional experience make you suitable for this for this position. In your answer please detail:
- Your experience of infectious disease control or analysis
- Your expertise in primary care or access to medicines in the UK and China
- Your experience of programme management
- An example of leading and communicating
- An example of making effective decisions
Please note that your application must be submitted before 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.
Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.
Indicated start date is provisional and subject to successful completion of reference and security checks.
To those applicants not shortlisted, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
