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Licensing Committees Manager

Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

London, E20 1JQ £46,750 a year Fixed-Term Posted 21 August 2026 Apply by 13 September 2026

Home Office register entry: Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, London

Visa sponsorship

This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.

Closest occupation match: SOC 2432, Marketing and commercial managers. Home Office going rate for this occupation: £50,100 a year.

NHS roles fall under the Health and Care Worker route. Public reference figures for that route: the general salary minimum is £25,000 a year, and salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement. Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.

Role description

Job summary

We are looking for a Licensing Committees Manager to join in December 2026 to cover maternity leave for 9-12 months. The successful post holder will work with the Head of Licensing and Committee Officers to support the delivery of our full range of licensing committees and related work. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is quality focused and a natural problem solver who wants to make a real and tangible difference to our work and the lives of patients.

The HFEA licences all fertility clinics and embryo research projects in the UK, through three different licensing mechanisms the Licence Committee, the Executive Licensing Panel and a Licensing Officer. There are also appeals mechanisms for the decisions made by our licensing committees. In addition, the HFEAs Statutory Approvals Committee considers applications for treatment using mitochondrial donation, for genetic conditions for which PGT-M (preimplantation genetic testing) can be carried out, and special directions for the import and export of gametes and embryos.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work closely with the Head of Licensing to lead the operational delivery of the HFEAs statutory licensing arrangements and the associated committees. They will work with and manage a team of three committee officers to ensure a high-quality service, ensuring that meetings are well run and supported, and that decisions are robust and consistent.

The right candidate will have solid prior experience of managing formal committees and panels, ideally in a licensing, governance or other quasi-legal setting, and may have worked in another regulator or similar public body. You will also have strong experience of line managing staff and supporting them through change, and have the ability to quickly establish effective working relationships and gain the trust of others.

As well as an awareness of legal risks and the nature of quasi-legal decision making, you will have excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to engage sensitively with senior staff, board members and colleagues to proactively problem solve and deliver a high-quality service. You should also have the skills and resilience required to keep calm in stressful situations and work under pressure, and to make reasoned judgements in high risk situations.

Given the varied nature of this role, a proactive attitude, good time management skills and the ability to prioritise tasks effectively is key.

Interviews will take place on 15 October @ Redman Place

About us

The HFEA is the UK's independent regulator overseeing safe and appropriate practice in fertility treatment and embryo research. We license and monitor clinics carrying out IVF, donor insemination, and human embryo research.

This post is offered as either office based (in which case you will need to attend the office at least one day per week)or home based (in which case office attendance will be specified by your line manager based on business need). Our office is in Stratford, east London, in attractive new premises on the edge of the Olympic Park, alongside several other health Arms Length Bodies. In addition to flexibility and hybrid working we offer generous annual leave and pension arrangements.

The HFEA is a member of the Community Race and Work Charter and the Disability Confident Charter. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and supportive working environment that is free from any form of discrimination. We recognise that there are real benefits of having a diverse community of staff and aim for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society. Additionally, we adopt a culture that hopes to attract and retain talented individuals that want to work with us.

In 2024 and 2025, the HFEA was awarded People Insight's Outstanding Workplace Award.

We are not able to offer sponsorship for this role - the right to work in the UK will need to be provided.

We reserve the right to close this role early should we receive sufficient applications.

No agencies

Details

Date posted

21 August 2026

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£46,750 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

9 months

Working pattern

Flexible working

Reference number

G0002-26-0011

Job locations

2nd Floor

2 Redman Place

London

E20 1JQ

United Kingdom


Job description

Job responsibilities

Working closely with the Head of Licensing, the Licensing Committees Manager will lead the operational delivery of the HFEAs statutory licensing function, which is an essential part of how we regulate fertility clinics and human embryo research centres. The post-holder will have responsibility for ensuring that each licensing meeting runs smoothly in accordance with HFEA procedures and will provide daily direction and management to the small team of Committee Officers. This includes ensuring that committee members are well supported, that key performance indicators are met consistently and that our licensing activities fulfil the HFEAs statutory obligations.

Key responsibilities

1. Lead the operational delivery of the HFEA licensing function, with a focus on ensuring that support for meetings is of the highest quality, that minuting performance is monitored and reported through corporate systems, and that licensing decisions are robust, consistent and accurately recorded. This will include

Ensuring licensing committees and Chairs are well supported and receive high quality papers by quality assuring paperwork, preparing briefings and providing procedural advice and support before, during and after meetings.

Attending meetings of the various committees as required.

Providing secretariat support to the various committees in the absence of the committee officers.

Ensuring that all post-committee actions are completed to a high standard and in line with internal targets.

Establishing and maintaining templates and standard practices for all licensing documents issued, including minutes, licences, special directions and notices.

Establishing and maintaining precedent libraries to assist consistent decision-making.

Monitoring and reporting KPIs.

2. Line manage and develop the licensing Committee Officers, providing daily support and advice and acting as a point of escalation and authority for licensing issues.

3. Update licensing information on the HFEA website.

4. Monitor the shared Licensing inbox and ensure enquiries are responded to in a timely manner.

5. Lead on ensuring up to date and appropriate licensing practices and tools are in place, including standard operating procedures and quality assurance measures.

6. Ensure that licensing records are accurately maintained and regularly audited.

7. Work closely with the Board Governance Manager and Head of Licensing to ensure that terms of office are managed and that new licensing committee and panel members, and their advisers, are appropriately trained and inducted before taking up their roles.

8. Support the servicing of occasional representations hearings and appeals.

9. To work with other HFEA staff on projects that involve licensing, providing expert input and advice when appropriate, and working as a member of the project team to implement required licensing outcomes.

10. Build and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders and colleagues, such as committee members and the Compliance team, to ensure the efficient running of licensing activities.

Person Specification

Managing work

Essential

  • Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively
  • Ability to make reasoned judgments in high risk situations
  • Ability to keep calm in stressful situations, managing more senior colleagues sensitively yet robustly

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to degree level or equivalent

Desirable

  • Legal or governance qualification or corresponding prior experience in a legal, licensing or governance role

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of managing (and minuting) formal committees and panels, ideally in a licensing or similar statutory setting
  • Experience of working within a legislative framework
  • Experience of liaising with senior staff and board members
  • Experience of line managing and developing staff, including remote workers and non-office based staff
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills and an ability to coach and improve others in this area
  • Experience of running a robust quality assurance system

Desirable

  • Experience of managing a licensing, governance or committees team

Knowledge & skills

Essential

  • Good working knowledge of regulation and wider corporate governance practices and public sector transparency requirements
  • Awareness of legal risks and the nature of quasi-legal decision making

Employer details

Employer name

Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

Address

2nd Floor

2 Redman Place

London

E20 1JQ

United Kingdom


Employer's website

https://www.hfea.gov.uk/

Apply now

Last verified against our ingestion on 24 August 2026; sponsor register dataset 2026-08-25.