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The Health Policy Fast Track Scheme (HPFTS) is a three-year DHSC accelerated leadership development scheme. When you join the Health Policy Fast Track Scheme, you are joining the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) who play a vital role in leading the nation’s health and social care, to help people live more independent and healthier lives for longer.
The Health Policy Fast Track Scheme provides an exciting opportunity to develop an understanding of the political environment and gain hands-on experience of how health and social care policy is developed and delivered by Government, in an unprecedented time. Working with front-line services, think tanks, academia, and stakeholder organisations, you’ll build the skills needed to become a top-class policy professional and health care leader, developing, and delivering high quality, evidence-based policies. You’ll develop a rewarding career that makes a real impact on people’s lives.
About the role
You will be based at our headquarters in either Leeds or London and will undertake several work placements over three years in your preferred location. The Scheme includes placements in core policy roles, operations, Arm’s Length Bodies/NHS and Private Office, to give first-hand experience of working intensively with Ministers and senior leaders across other government departments.
Throughout your time on the Scheme you will receive a comprehensive learning and development package to suit your needs. You will be provided with a fully financially supported study package, towards a postgraduate qualification in Health Policy, undertaken in the 2nd and 3rd years. We will facilitate your development from day one with support from your day to day line manager, HR development lead , as well as buddies from cohort peers, mentoring , staff networks and sponsorship from senior leaders in the department.
On successful completion of the scheme, we expect participants to compete for leadership roles within the department offering a competitive salary around circa £49,529 to £53,355 bracket.
Who you are
We believe the best policy professionals come from all walks of life. We want people who have a real passion for making improvements across the health and social care area.
You will need to be
- A good communicator and be comfortable in dealing with ambiguity and shifting priorities.
- An innovative leader and somebody who looks for opportunities to do things differently, while anticipating economic, social, and technological opportunities and risks.
- Someone who enjoys working with others, has good influencing skills, and can build collaborative relationships that balance challenge with support, developing trust and mutual respect across the wider health care system.
- Able to use sound judgment and evidence to make effective decisions.
- Able to manage and thrive in an environment which requires the ability to think and absorb information quickly.
- Someone with a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree, in any subject. Current Civil Servants, who have served their probation period can apply without a degree. Please take time to read the attached Candidate Pack for further information about this role, what it feels like to be a Fast Tracker on the Scheme and the recruitment process.
Qualifications
External candidates must have a minimum qualification of an undergraduate degree at 2:1, for those currently working towards and expecting to achieve this by September 2021 please select yes to this question.
All OGD's, who have served their probation period please select yes to this question to prevent your application being rejected on eligibility.
We accept applications from candidates with overseas degrees, provided that they can supply evidence that their degree is at a comparable level to that required. The onus (including any costs) of providing appropriate documentation is on the candidate. The UK National Information Centre (UK ENIC) provides information about the comparability of different international qualifications. We would not normally ask for such evidence until you had been declared successful: it would then be required for our pre-appointment checks.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Working Together
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
- Developing Self and Others
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension
