About the job

Job summary

The Defence Safety Authority (DSA) is responsible for the regulation of Defence Health, Safety and Environmental Protection, operating under a Charter from the Secretary of State for Defence (SofS). The DSA provides independent assurance direct to the SofS that the law is complied with and the policy on safety in Defence is being promoted and implemented whilst Defence activities are conducted. This regulation is achieved through proportional and appropriate evidence-based assessment of the activity that supports the Defence’s operational imperatives. The DSA hosts Defence safety regulators across all operating environments and incorporates the Defence Accident Investigation Branch (DAIB) and an HQ within a single independent organisation led by a 3* military officer.

This position is advertised at 42 hours per week.

Job description

The Defence Fire Safety Regulator’s (DFSR’s) statutory duties fall into two provisions of the relevant legislation. Namely, to ensure and assure that the requirement to take general fire precautions to ensure the safety of relevant persons are taken by the Responsible (Accountable) Person; and the duty to consult with the fire safety enforcing authority in relation to proposed building works. These two duties are discharged respectively by Risk Based Audits and a works consultation process. Allied with this, post-fire audits may be undertaken to determine possible failings in compliance with legislation. Enforcement Notices and Prohibition Notices may be served by the DFSR where breaches of fire safety legislation have been identified or Fire Safety Inspectors are of the opinion that an immediate risk to life is present.

As a growing organisation we have an opportunity for a hardworking and proven individual to join us. We require a confident communicator who can collaborate with others and has a sound grasp of UK fire safety legislation.

No two days will be the same and you will be encouraged to immerse yourself in a mixture of multi-faceted tasks. You should be able use your developed analytical and interpretation skills to conduct audits to assess compliance with relevant UK Fire Safety Legislation and Defence Safety Regulations.

You must be capable and able to travel as part of your job which will take you to numerous UK and overseas locations to conduct your duties.


If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1.

If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at candidate@support.oleeo.com

Person specification

Maintain effective working relationships with Building Control Authorities and Responsible (Accountable) Persons who are responsible for works on the Defence Estate. By the provision of regulatory guidance, goodwill advice and monitoring agreed safety management systems, ensure that those responsible implement legislative fire safety requirements.

Undertake Risk Based Audits to measure compliance with UK Fire Legislation. Where failings are identified and appropriate evidence exists, apply enforcement action in accordance with national enforcement actions.

Constantly manage, assess and review the accuracy and relevance of Defence Fire Safety Regulations by monitoring processes, outputs and enforcement actions to assist the DFSR Team Leader (TL) to ensure correct application.

Champion and develop changes to identified shortfalls in processes and policy to assist the DFSR TL to ensure more efficient and effective enforcement to achieve compliance.

Monitor fire safety management by Responsible Persons and other Accountable Persons by advising those Responsible Persons and other Accountable Persons regarding the delegation of suitably competent staff to deliver fire safety activities making best use of the resources available. Additionally, provide advice and guidance on how to achieve fire safety objectives within realistic timescales and outlining responsibilities to Responsible Persons and other Accountable Persons.

Assist in planning fire safety workshops to aid decision making in the implementation of regulatory duties using key personnel for productive information exchange. Additionally, participate in meetings to assist in decision making to enhance implementation of regulatory duties and follow up agreed action points through relevant communication channels.

Advise on post-incident breaches of fire safety legislation assuming responsibility for and taking where necessary proportionate and appropriate enforcement action.

Assist in the development, organisation and implementation of plans for ensuring enforcement and regulation by making decisions based on evidence on each circumstance and ensure communication with Responsible Persons and other Accountable Persons is maintained to achieve compliance goals.

Propose implementation of changes in activities (Regulatory Process) by recording and finding opportunities to evaluate, plan and agree with the DFSR TL the legislative duty and implementation strategy detailing the benefits and disadvantages of the proposed changes.

Assist with co-ordination of large PFI/Pan UK, and when needed, overseas’ fire safety projects by ensuring the requisite fire safety consultation input is provided.

To ensure outputs by works’ contractors is regulated for fire safety compliance by maintaining and continuously improving positive relationships with respective fire safety partners by participating in relevant meetings.

Represent Defence on National and Regional fire safety sector committees and working groups to ensure that Defence interests are considered.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £52,429, Ministry of Defence contributes £14,155 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

At sift you will be assessed on:

CV
Statement of Suitability
Behaviours; Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Making Effective Decisions & Working Together

At interview you will be assessed on:

Experience
Behaviours; Communicating and Influencing, Making Effective Decisions & Working Together

Behaviours will be assessed at level 3 - SEO/C1 level.

Apply using the CS Jobs apply button, fill in all required details in all sections.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake a DFRS Operational Fitness Assessment (OFA) prior to employment and be subject to further assessments to confirm their fitness for duty and general wellbeing, in accordance with the DFRS medical standards.

This is a uniformed Defence Fire and Rescue Service, Defence Fire Safety Regulator Group Manager post available on level transfer to current competent Group Managers, current competent Station Managers on promotion or an individual who can demonstrate the correct competencies and experience for this role.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.

The role currently being advertised have not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – we may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

DSA Inclusivity Statement

The DSA is strongly dedicated to promoting equal employment opportunity irrespective of your race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, civil status, sex, or gender identity. Applications are strongly encouraged from candidates of all backgrounds, and we are actively working to establish a diverse workforce across the entire organisation. We are delighted to announce that we are an Equal Opportunities Employer and that we recruit purely based upon the merit of each and every individual applicant. We pride ourselves on our commitment to ensure recruitment of the very best individuals and acquire a diverse and inclusive viewpoint to our decision making. We can assure you that we search for all types of talent and are striving to make sure that all social groups are successfully represented. We work diligently to eradicate any bias and safeguard every protected status and characteristic as lawfully required under the 2010 Equality Act. Our dedication to promoting diversity is clearly reflected across our organisation and within our vision to foster an inclusive workforce. Defence harnesses the power of difference to deliver capability that safeguards our nation’s security and stability.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.