Health and Safety Advisor

Job summary

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

DE&S has recently been integrated into the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group. The NAD Group brings together key Ministry of Defence (MOD) organisations to unite expertise across science, technology, procurement, infrastructure, and support to provide integrated capabilities faster and more efficiently for our armed forces and our allies. This is an exciting new opportunity to enable better ways of working and empower greater collaboration across Defence. For further information about the NAD Group, please visit: National Armaments Director Group - GOV.UK

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of 28.97%, to help make work for you.

For security reasons this role is open to sole UK nationals only. A ‘sole UK national’ refers to an individual who holds citizenship solely in the UK, without dual citizenship or nationality from another country. We’re unable to offer visa sponsorship.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you’ve been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity available for an experienced Health & Safety Advisor to join our team at the DM Beith site. This critical location supports UK Armed Forces worldwide by receiving, storing, and managing general munitions alongside associated non-explosive systems, spares, and materiel.

The site operates in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment, with specialist processing facilities and extensive storage infrastructure. Extensive safe systems of work are in place to control the storage, handling and processing of hazardous materials, including explosive, chemical and fuel-related risks. This gives the successful candidate exposure to a complex operational setting where strong safety management, assurance and emergency preparedness are central to day-to-day activity.

As a safety professional working on site, you will find the role varied with a wide range of safety activities to both challenge and provide development opportunities, which would be fully supported by the business.

You will provide guidance and advice to the Head of Establishment and other departments on site of current Health & Safety legislation, Fire and Environmental Safety. You will act as the focal point for all SHE safety related matters and specifically act as the competent advisor for site safety as well as be responsible for the implementation, maintenance and upkeep of the internal emergency plan.

Please note: This role is based fully on-site with the 37 hours being covered over 4.5 days meaning Friday’s will be a half day. Part time working requests will be considered if they can be combined to make a 1 FTE. You will also benefit from free on-site parking.

What you’ll be doing

• Help shape and maintain practical safety management arrangements across a complex operational site, ensuring they are clear, effective and understood by the people using them.
• Carry out inspections, audits and reviews to check that health, safety and environmental controls are working in practice and support teams to address any gaps.
• Coordinate and support emergency preparedness arrangements, including emergency planning, exercise delivery and liaison with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Act as a focal point for environmental assurance and pollution control, supporting compliance monitoring, incident response, reporting and continual improvement.
• Support incident investigations, identify root causes and help embed practical learning to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
• Provide competent health and safety advice to senior leaders, operational teams and other stakeholders, including review and assurance of risk assessments, safety documentation, emergency arrangements and environmental protection controls.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Must have relevant work experience in a dedicated Health & Safety role - Lead criterion
• Minimum Level 3 NQF in a relevant health & safety discipline or demonstrated equivalent knowledge, skills and experience with expectation to achieve minimum Level 3 NQF in a relevant health & safety discipline within 6 months of being in post

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Communicating and Influencing – CSBC 3
• Core Behaviour 2: Delivering at Pace – CSBC 3
• Technical Competence 1: Audit & Assurance (OHSEP) – Practitioner
• Technical Competence 2: Emergency Response – Practitioner

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,000, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,429 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).

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

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Further Information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles - Civil Service Commission
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-candidate-information-pack