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About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
In DHSC, 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’d like to work in, we’d love to hear from you.
This is an exciting opportunity to gain invaluable experience in an operational role working closely with the pharmaceutical industry, NHSE and other Departmental bodies across the UK.
The Branded Medicines Operations team is a small, flexible and dynamic team in a high profile, fast moving and complex area of Branded Medicines, which sits within the Medicines Directorate. This team manages the operations of 2 complex branded medicine schemes: the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG), known as the Voluntary Scheme and the Branded Health Service Medicines Costs Regulations 2018 (the Statutory Scheme).
Both Schemes are pivotal to ensuring the NHS Branded Medicines bill stays within affordable limits and delivers value for money. The Department recovers circa £3.2 billion annual income for the whole UK (estimated in 2023) from 130+ of the largest pharmaceutical companies, as well as assessing the ongoing financial liabilities for a further 180 smaller pharmaceutical companies.
The Voluntary Scheme is a five-year agreement, and this role will be crucial in implementing the new scheme that has just been agreed with the pharmaceutical industry. The successful candidate with have the opportunity to steer one of the Department’s top priorities. The work is fast-moving and challenging and will offer the post-holder a wide range of development opportunities, suitable for someone keen to develop their operational policy implementation, finance, IT skills and pharmaceutical knowledge.
Job description
The postholder will manage a small team, working closely with other team members reporting to a Grade 6, to manage their own portfolio of pharmaceutical companies. The postholder will, through analysis and scrutiny of the work undertaken by the team, provide management assurance of the accuracy and validity of the data, financial reports and income received from companies relating to sales of Branded Medicines across the UK.
The role will include leading on difficult discussions and disputes with companies, often discussing the complexities of specific medicines and patient groups. The ability to lead negotiations in the face of challenge from senior company executives, identifying common ground in negotiations which lead to mutually satisfactory conclusions, being able to grasp complex matters quickly, often under pressure, are key attributes for this role. They will need to make tough but supportable decisions through negotiation so will need to be able to balance several different factors in making a decision. Those factors could include clinical and commercial drivers which are important to the pharmaceutical industry as well as the wider impacts on the NHS and patients. The successful candidate will be able to present clear arguments and comprehensive findings to internal senior management for approval.
A key area of this role includes leading on discussions and decisions on the pricing of new medicines and price increases of existing medicines in accordance with the Voluntary and Statutory Scheme rules. As a senior member of the Pricing Committee the post holder will need to be able to present clear and concise pricing assessments to the Committee based on information gained from the company and other stakeholders. This can require detailed negotiations with the company and the need to constructively deliver unwelcome decisions to companies.
The post-holder will work closely with policy colleagues who are responsible for wider stakeholder management of both the Voluntary Scheme and Regulations. Depending on experience and development needs, the post-holder will have opportunities to learn about and potentially contribute to work in these areas.
Person specification
- As a senior member of the Pricing Committee, lead on discussions and decisions on the pricing of new Branded Medicines and price increases of existing medicines in accordance with the Voluntary and Statutory scheme rules. Liaising and negotiating directly with pharmaceutical companies to ensure the pricing rules of the schemes are adhered to.
- Ensure their portfolio of pharmaceutical companies make appropriate payments to the Department as set out in the Voluntary or Statutory schemes through robust review and challenge of data provided by pharmaceutical companies in compliance with the Schemes’ strict timescales.
- Manage stakeholder engagement with industry bodies and pharmaceutical companies on the operation of the Scheme and Regulations, effectively building and maintaining the relationships through regular and confident contact and discussions, challenging as appropriate.
- Ensure arguments and proposals are supported by relevant information and analysis with comprehensive findings that weigh up the priorities, the benefits and disadvantages. Showing effective decision making and escalating issues appropriately.
- Working closely with specialists such as pharmaceutical advisers and accountants to ensure that appropriate advice is commissioned covering a wide range of potential issues and ensuring that Scheme members are fully aware of their responsibilities under the schemes.
- Lead an operational team, plan own and team’s activities to specific deadlines, giving a clear sense of direction to the team on the overall strategy and act as a role model in supporting and energising the team to build confidence in their ability to deliver outcomes.
Key Skills and Experience
- Ability to recognise and seek clinical or wider expertise when necessary.
- Ability to build strong relationships and achieve constructive outcomes with key stakeholders, primarily pharmaceutical companies, to achieve progress of objectives and shared interests.
- Confidence to negotiate with senior members from the companies, pro-actively taking forward issues and concerns to a satisfactory conclusion, recognising when compromise is required. Being prepared to present clear reasoning, have difficult conversations and make tough but supportable decisions through negotiation.
- Work as an effective team leader, encourage contributions and involvement from a broad range of colleagues and able to work across Departmental boundaries. Act as a role model in supporting and energising the team to build confidence in their ability to deliver outcomes.
- Financially astute, confident working with numbers, using Excel and the ability to develop, implement, and review systems and service standards to provide quality, efficiency and value for money.
- Good communication skills with experience of developing and presenting arguments and proposals, both financial and operational, using models as appropriate to support findings.
Desirable experience
- Experience of analysing data and using financial information and spreadsheets and confidence to make informed decisions from this.
- Experience working with pharmaceuticals or another regulated sector.
- Experience of working to identify, mitigate, or reduce financial fraud.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Developing Self and Others
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
- 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 average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Sift date: 05/02/2024
Interview date: expected W/C 26/02/2024
Interview location: The interview will take place either at 39 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0EU or Quarry House, Quarry Hill ,Leeds, LS2 7UE. Further details will be released to candidates who are successful at sift.
The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.
Applications will be sifted on a Numerical Reasoning Test, CV and Statement of Suitability.
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 Statement of Suitability to (in no more than 500 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Candidates will be required to complete a Numerical 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 23:55 on 04/02/2024. If you fail to complete the online test and submit your full application before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. 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 here
Further Information
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.
Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.
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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
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 dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
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.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
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.
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 either level transfer or 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 will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
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-us/
