Higher Scientific Officer (Dietary Surveys and Food Composition, Reformulation)
Department of Health and Social Care
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 6th October 2024
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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.
The Health Improvement Directorate, part of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) within DHSC, leads on evidence based public health policy and programmes to prevent and reduce the health and social impact caused by drugs, tobacco, alcohol, gambling, unhealthy diets, obesity and physical inactivity.
We have a hugely challenging work programme, which if successful will drive real change:
- If everyone ate in line with our dietary advice we would increase population life expectancy by eight years
- We are creating the first smoke free generation – the biggest public health intervention in a generation.
- We are reducing alcohol and gambling harms.
- We are expanding drug and alcohol treatment and recovery support.
Obesity and poor diet account for around half of years lost and years lived with disability from all modifiable factors in England. The Health Improvement Directorate has two divisions working to improve nutrition and address excess weight. The Nutrition Evidence, Surveys and Translation (NEST) division, in which these scientific roles sit, is responsible for nutrition, food environment and childhood obesity surveillance, providing scientific advice on diet, nutrition and obesity, and supporting translation of this advice into policy for DHSC, other government departments and across the public health system. NEST works closely with the Healthy Weight and Nutrition Division who lead on diet, obesity and physical activity policy.
Within NEST, the Dietary Surveys and Food Composition team has responsibility for dietary surveys such as the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and Infant Feeding Survey, and related work on food composition. The Reformulation team is responsible for the voluntary reformulation programme which requires all sectors of the food industry to reduce levels of salt, sugar and calories in everyday food and drink, including commercial baby food and drink.
This advert relates to 3 roles – 2 in the surveys team and 1 in the reformulation team. 2 further roles in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) team have been advertised separately please see campaign 370279
Job description
The Dietary Surveys and Food Composition team manages the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), the Infant Feeding Survey (IFS) and other dietary and food data collection. These surveys are essential tools for generating evidence to support public health nutrition policy development and monitor its impact.
The NDNS is a rolling programme. NDNS Year 16 fieldwork starts in 2024, and the team will simultaneously be reporting on years 12 to 15. Fieldwork for the current IFS is in its final stages, with reporting planned in 2025. This IFS is a follow on from an earlier series undertaken every five years until 2010, and will provide information on breast feeding and the use of foods and drinks other than breastmilk in infancy, complementing the information collected in the NDNS.
The postholder will support day-to-day delivery of the surveys, including contract management (surveys are delivered by external providers) and maintaining the nutrient databank which underpins the NDNS and the UK Food Composition Tables. A key part of the role will be working with analysts to present and interpret data on food composition, food consumption and nutrient intakes in different population groups, including infants, and to support its use by others in NEST and more widely within the Health Improvement Directorate.
The reformulation team is responsible for the voluntary reformulation programme which requires all sections of industry to reduce levels of salt, sugar and calories in everyday food and drink, including commercial baby food and drink.
The post holder will provide nutrition science support to develop, implement and deliver of all parts of the reformulation programme. This includes setting targets by reviewing market data and holding discussions and consulting with stakeholders before finalising and publishing the targets. Progress is monitored through the use of large datasets and working with analysts to ensure the resulting data is robust and provides relevant information.
The role will also require collaborating with colleagues on commissioning and overseeing nutrition-related research to help inform future government policy on diet and obesity, and with the European Office of the World Health Organisation, supporting the running of the WHO Euro region Sugar and Calorie Reduction Network, a group that aims to facilitate other countries delivering policy actions in this area.
Postholders in both teams will interact with a wide range of external stakeholders including academics, expert committees, non-governmental organisations, other government departments, and businesses and trade associations in all sectors of the food industry. Internal stakeholders include others within NEST, policy colleagues who work on diet and obesity, and others across the directorate and department as necessary.
Postholders will also provide support across NEST division activities, including drafting responses to parliamentary or other correspondence, briefing senior leaders and representing the team at meetings.
Person specification
Surveys team - support the delivery of the NDNS and IFS by working with the survey managers to:
- Maintain effective working relationships with contractors and stakeholders so that the surveys meet requirements. Identify and resolve problems with delivery in a timely fashion. Support the retendering process for the different surveys.
- Provide statistical and data quality governance of the project, working with analysts and other colleagues across OHID. Includes working with data analysts on secondary analysis of data and modelling the impact of alternative policy options.
- Provide scientific secretariat support to the NDNS and IFS Project Boards and engage with cross-government colleagues to ensure the surveys meet relevant standards (for example, to produce Official Statistics).
- Work with the contractor and the responsible statistician in OHID, preparing survey reports for publication as Official Statistics.
- Ensure that the nutrient databank underpinning NDNS is kept up-to-date and fit for purpose. Work closely with the NDNS contractors, ensuring that the data quality is of the required standard.
- Generate and interpret data on food composition, food consumption and nutrient intakes for DHSC colleagues, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, and external stakeholders, and advise on its appropriate use.
Reformulation team - support the running of the reformulation programme by working with colleagues to:
- Develop and deliver work areas targeting the reduction of a range of nutrients in food and drink. This will include input into policy development, contributing to drafting papers and publications, working with analysts on data analysis and interpretation, preparing for and dealing with responses to consultations and working closely with other teams across NEST, with policy colleagues working in relevant areas, and others across the Directorate.
- Support and work with the team on stakeholder engagement, including identifying priority organisations to meet with and areas to discuss and providing secretariat support for meetings and events
- Contribute to monitoring and governance arrangements to ensure senior management, ministers and others are kept informed of progress with the reformulation programme including contributing to drafting advice and other papers for various audiences.
- Keeping a watching brief on new research for the areas covered by the team (for example price promotions, marketing and advertising, fiscal measures, industry intelligence).
Both teams - support wider NEST division activities, including:
- Providing wider nutrition science support across NEST areas of work
- Responding to parliamentary and other correspondence and briefing requests.
Key skills and experience required for the role
Essential criteria:
- Undergraduate or postgraduate degree in human nutrition or a closely related subject, preferably with a significant element of public health nutrition
- Relevant postgraduate experience
- Demonstrable understanding of the dietary aspects of public health
- Familiarity with dietary surveys
- Numeracy and analytical skills including an ability to understand and interpret food composition data and how it impacts diet
- Proven ability to evaluate and synthesise complex scientific data and draft reports
- Proven ability to deliver high quality results from projects on time and to relevant quality standards
- Experience of project management as well as proven organisational skills, including time management skills with the ability to re-prioritise and balance sometimes conflicting priorities
- Team working skills, and the ability to build relationships with internal and external colleagues at all levels
- Written and oral communication skills, including drafting skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and succinctly to both specialists and non-specialists
- Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload with minimal supervision working to tight and often changing timescales.
Desirable criteria:
- Registered nutritionist - UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN); ideally public health or nutrition science (on the UKVRN) or the experience to achieve registration
- Experience of health and social surveys
- Experience of managing and maintaining large databases, and in manipulating information
- Stakeholder engagement and management
- Understanding of infant feeding.
Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London or Leeds. Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration and enhancing team working, learning, and support.
You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need.
There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
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 employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Sift date: W/C 07/10/2024
Interview date: expected W/C 21/10/2024
Interview location: By video
The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores.
Applications will be sifted on 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 also include a list of your relevant qualifications.
Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 1250 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.
This should include (but not be limited to):
* details of relevant academic and postgraduate experience to demonstrate your understanding of the dietary aspects of public health.
* evidence to demonstrate numeracy and analytical skills including an ability to understand and interpret food composition data and how it impacts diet
An initial sift based on CV 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.
At interview candidates will be assessed on Behaviours
To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here
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.
Candidates who narrowly miss the required standard for this role may be considered for other roles in the department at a lower grade, these candidates are considered to be a ‘near miss’ and will be appointed in merit order.
Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.
Qualifications required for the role will be checked and verified by the vacancy holder as part of the onboarding process. You may also be asked to provide evidence that any qualifications obtained overseas are equivalent to those advertised.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
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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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Jo Nicholas
- Email : jo.nicholas@dhsc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
