Policy Advisor

Job description

About the job

Job summary

In the Department of Health and Social Care, we are proud of our purpose - to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you would like to work in, we would love to hear from you.

These roles are situated within the Global, Public Health and Emergencies Group (GPHE).

GPHE leads DHSC's delivery across 4 key areas:

1. 'Primary prevention' and public health policy

Primary prevention is the term for protecting the whole population from ill-health. For example, by legislating to change the law on tobacco and vapes, or changing how unhealthy food is advertised to children, or improving housing standards. This is critical to reducing health inequalities.

2. Preventing ill-health through secondary prevention

By this we mean more targeted interventions, where people themselves choose to engage directly with services when they are otherwise well. We lead on vaccination, screening, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes policy.

3. International work

This covers everything from promoting global health, to leading the UK's engagement with the World Health Organisation or working with the EU or G7/ G20. We also lead our engagement with the devolved nations of the UK.

4. We lead the department's response on emergencies

This is anything from national security to outbreaks of infectious diseases, and preparing for new risks.

Job description

These roles will be focused on developing policy and delivering high-priority programmes within the Group. That means you will need to be flexible and agile and able to quickly get to grips with new areas of work, working alongside topic leads. Support will be required on a wide range of policy, programme, practice, business, and research projects, many of which are high profile, and central to the team's business plans and objectives.

These are roles require policy, organisational, project management, planning and communication skills. We are looking for candidates who have a flexible approach and can work with the minimum of supervision across different programmes.

Responsibilities may include:

• Own and coordinate complex, short notice ministerial and parliamentary commissions, working with teams across the Department, arm's length bodies and other government departments.
• Play a lead role in parliamentary activity, including producing briefings, drafting correspondence and lines for answering parliamentary questions, debates and official correspondence.
• Policy development in key areas, delivering for, and providing advice to Ministers and senior leaders on policy issues
• Show resilience and adaptability, re-prioritising tasks, often at pace, to pivot to new areas of work.
• Working with your team to develop a broader understanding of your policy area and the challenges and opportunities associated with it
• Help to build and maintain strong relationships across the Department, with arm's length bodies, other policy teams and key stakeholders.
• Work with analytical colleagues to identify evidence gaps and apply evidence and insight to delivery and policy questions.
• Be actively involved in promoting a positive and inclusive culture across the Group and Department.
• Work with the team lead and others to help manage workloads and priorities and contributing to team activities and wider corporate engagement.
• Develop your skills across policy development, strategic oversight, project management, operational response/delivery, and stakeholder engagement.

Person specification

Essential criteria 1 (Lead criteria)

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and adapt messages for different audiences, including senior leaders.

Essential criteria 2

Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines, and adapt to changing circumstances.
Essential criteria 3

Ability to analyse information from a range of sources, use evidence to inform recommendations, and make sound decisions in a timely manner.
Essential criteria 4

Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, collaborating across teams to achieve shared objectives.

Desirable Criteria

A good understanding of the wider health system.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,208, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £10,489 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 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%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Applications will be sifted W/C: 02/11/2026

Interview date: W/C 23/11/2026

Interview location: By video

Further details and interview slots will be released to candidates who are successful at sift.

Applications will be sifted on your CV, Personal Statement, the Lead Behaviour -"Communicating and Influencing" and an Online Test.

An initial sift based on the Lead Behaviour -"Communicating and Influencing " may be held if a large number of applications are received. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Please use your CV to set out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. These can be found in the 'key skills and experience required for the role' section of the advert.

Please use your personal statement to (in no more than 750 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.

Candidates will be required to complete a Verbal reasoning Test as part of the online application, this will follow immediately after the initial short application form is submitted. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the full application. Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended) to give yourself enough time to complete your full application. The closing date for the tests and for submitting your full application is 27/10/2026. If you fail to complete the online test and submit your full application before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the tests will be available on the Civil Service online tests page. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours and Strengths.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service careers website https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/departments/working-for-the-department-of-health-social-care/ and to find out more information on how to apply visit the Civil Service careers website https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/

Applicants who are appointable but were not successful in appointment to this vacancy, may be held on a reserve list for up to 12 months, and contacted if similar vacancies become available.

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.

Candidates must ensure that all information provided in their application is factually accurate. Any examples provided must be taken from personal experience. The Civil Service abides by honesty and integrity as part of its core values, if evidence of plagiarism is found, applications may be withdrawn.

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.

Further Information

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DHSC from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the 'Assistance required' section in the 'Additional requirements' page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC's Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful.

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC's modernised terms and conditions:

Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King's birthday
Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months' full pay and five months' half pay
Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC's modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on promotion

If DHSC's modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC's pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC's modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

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.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Jonathan Rhodes
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact the DHSC Central Recruitment Team at [email protected]
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact/