This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Key dates (dates are indicative only and could be subject to change)
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Closing date - 14th July 2026, at 23:55
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Sifting - from the 15th July 2026
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Main panel interviews - from 27th July 2026 (in person).
Communications will be electronic via email therefore it is important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder.
Were committed to being diverse and inclusive, so please make your application anonymous by removing all identifying personal information (such as names and dates) from your employment history and personal statement.
Write a 1000 word personal statement where you demonstrate how you meet the skills required for this role, providing examples to evidence your level of skill. In your personal statement we are looking for evidence of how you meet the role criteria and person specification. Your personal statement should aim to make use of the full wordcount and show how you meet the above criteria. Please give clear and specific examples of what you have done personally and the impact it has had.
What will the process look like?
1. Pre-sift Stage
An initial sift will be conducted on the experience question which has a word limit of 300 words. If you are assessed as not meeting the required level you will not be progressed past this stage.
Question "Please describe a time when you designed and implemented a strategic workforce planning approach across an organisation" (maximum 300 words)
In your answer, please include:
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The context and objectives of the work
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Your specific role and actions taken
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How you engaged, influenced or collaborated with stakeholders
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The outcome, including any measurable impact or improvements delivered (e.g. efficiency, candidate experience, or compliance)
2. Sift Stage
Those applications which are successful at pre-sift stage will then progress to the main sift, where we'll read and score the rest of your application. This may involve a large number of applications, please bear with us as this can take some time.
The panel will look at your work history and personal statement and are looking for evidence of the stated points. We may raise the benchmark score required if we receive a high number of applications.
3. Main Panel Interview
Successful candidates from the sift stage will be invited to attend an interview. We use a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you. We use the Success Profile framework and at interview we will be assessing Behaviours and Experience.
At interview, we will be asking questions relating to the following:
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Behaviours: Leadership, Seeing the Big Picture, Communicating and Influencing and Delivering at Pace
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Experience, as listed in the person specification
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Strengths
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact [email protected]
Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.
Certain roles within the MHRA will require post holders to have vaccinations, and in some circumstances, routine health surveillance. These roles include:
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Laboratory-based roles working directly with known pathogens
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Maintenance roles, particularly those required to work in laboratory settings
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Roles that involve visiting other establishments where vaccination is required
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Roles required to travel overseas where specific vaccination may be required.
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 applicants 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.
Any move to the MHRA 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 here.
Individuals appointed on level transfer will retain their existing salary and are responsible for ensuring they fully understand the financial implications of any potential move and the impact (if any) on their terms. If an individual is in any doubt, they should seek clarification before accepting a job offer.
Staff joining on promotion will receive up to a 10% increase of their current basic salary, or the pay band minimum, whichever is the greater.
The individual will not retain any allowances paid by the former department/Agency, unless there are special circumstances, such as a reserved right to those allowances on transfer.
Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact [email protected].
In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact [email protected]
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
[email protected]
Civil Service Commission
Room G/8
1 Horse Guards Road
London
SW1A 2HQ
