Board Secretary

The Board Secretary contributes to the maintenance and development of a high standard of corporate governance in UKHSA by providing leadership and expert advice on matters of corporate governance across UKHSA, and by providing an efficient and well-informed corporate secretariat service to the executive and non-executive bodies of UKHSA.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for planning, preventing and responding to external health threats, and providing intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage. UKHSA will ensure the nation can respond quickly and at greater scale to deal with pandemics and future threats. UKHSA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.

The Corporate Affairs Directorate is led by the Director of Corporate Affairs. The Governance team supports the Chief Executive as Accounting Officer and UKHSA’s Advisory Board in establishing, maintaining and improving governance and accountability standards across the organisation. It is part of the UKHSA Finance, Commercial and Corporate Services Group.

The Board Secretary is responsible for the smooth-running of the business of UKHSA’s Advisory Board and its committees, including taking minutes, progressing actions and liaison between the Board and the Chief Executive.

The Board Secretary also supports the UKHSA Executive Committee, including preparing the agenda, collating and editing papers and taking minutes, and prepares periodic reports on activity across UKHSA to the Advisory Board and others. The Secretariat assists the Chair, Chief Executive and directors in all aspects of corporate secretariat matters. Their job will be informed by a deep understanding of corporate issues, developed from discussions with a wide network of senior contacts, and external advice where necessary.

The Board Secretary also supports the Head of Governance and Director of Corporate Affairs in the production of the accountability elements of the annual report and accounts.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for planning, preventing and responding to external health threats, and providing intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage. UKHSA ensures that the nation can respond quickly and at greater scale to deal with a range of health threats, including those of a future pandemic.

You will be working with a highly motivated and passionate group of people and will be working alongside them in an exciting and fast pace environment with the opportunity to make your mark and influence government policy and delivery.

Key responsibilities

Advisory Board Activities

In addition to facilitating all administrative duties (i.e.. Minute taking, circulation of papers etc) for the Board, working with the Head of Governance, the Board Secretary is required to:

- Advise the chair on governance matters which may arise, regularly reviewing the terms of reference, ensuring that the Board reviews its effectiveness periodically, drafting an annual report on the work of the Board if required;
- Facilitate the induction of newly appointed members;
- Ensure effective information flows within the Board, from the Board to its committees (and vice versa) and between the members and stakeholders;
- Carry out the instructions of the Board, assisting in implementing corporate strategies and giving practical effect to the Board’s decisions.
- Support the annual Board appraisal process
- Provide support to Board members, such arranging processing of expenses, managing travel and accommodation requests, communications and management of the Board SharePoint site.

Corporate Secretariat
- Managing the business of the UKHSA Executive Committee.
- Lead the organisation of the meetings and events associated with the bodies which will include formal meetings, teleconferences, awaydays, visits, training, informal briefing and discussions and meetings with partner organisations.
- For each meeting maintain a forward agenda, commission and prepare papers, dispatch, invite presenters and observers, take note and draft minutes, prepare an action list and follow up actions, assist the chair with setting the agenda, preparing a Chair’s brief and reporting on matters arising.
- Support colleagues in relation to meetings with the Department of Health and Social Care: Ministers, senior public health officials and sponsor branch.
- Contribute from a corporate governance perspective to the work of other team members.

Corporate Go