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 Department of Health and Social Care wants everyone to be and feel safe in our workplaces. We are seeking a Health and Safety Manager which is a key role that encourages and drives forward a safety conscious culture within the Department.

The Health and Safety Team sits within the DHSC Property and Security branch, part of the Workspace, Information, Security and Technology Directorate, which has responsibility for the management of DHSC property and physical security of its buildings and people. As well as managing health and safety, the branch delivers a range of property services including facilities management, security, property asset management, sustainability and business continuity.

Job description

The Health and Safety Manager will act as a focal point for all health and safety matters and enquiries including regular liaison with key stakeholders to ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.

The role plays a key part in ensuring the Department remains compliant with legislation and promotes the health, safety and welfare of its people.

The role holder will seek and provide assurance to ensure compliance with legal and departmental standards and ensure effective risk assessments are in place.

The role holder will be required to conduct site safety inspections across our estate to improve health and safety. They must have the ability to communicate comfortably and effectively challenge when needed.

The role holder is expected to be able to work autonomously on a variety of work at pace, so must be well organised and flexible, with an eye for detail.

Person specification

• Promote and support Health and Safety good practice in the workplace by providing information and relevant training to build capability and knowledge
• Develop, review and maintain Health and Safety policy and procedures
• Conduct, record and evaluate mandatory risk assessments to identify any potential hazards and determine the necessary control measures to consider how risks can be reduced
• Effectively manage the health and safety mailbox ensuring enquiries are dealt with accurately and timeously and ensure responses are catalogued
• Undertake on-site building safety inspections across our estate to check policies and procedures are being properly implemented
• Report drafting and writing
• Stakeholder engagement - build and develop professional relationships
• Accident and Incident investigation and administration of the reporting system
• Manage and oversee the Department’s Display Screen Equipment (DSE) system

Key skills and experience required for the role

Essential:

• Interest in Health and Safety
• Must be prepared to travel to undertake site inspections
• Experienced in planning and prioritising tasks and the ability to make effective decisions
• A self-starter with a proven track record to be able to work at pace with minimal supervision and able to prioritise own workload
• Able to demonstrate flexibility and resilience to adapt quickly to new demands
• Must have the aptitude to work across a variety of business areas and remain calm under pressure
• Proven experience of strong communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and networks
• Must have a keen focus on continuous learning to identify and support your own development needs
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft software package

Desirable:

• Experience of working in a Health and Safety environment
• IOSH, NEBOSH or any other Health and Safety qualification

To note. Although not essential the successful candidate must be prepared to work towards a Health and Safety qualification within 12 months.  

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace. 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. 

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. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,188, Department of Health and Social Care contributes £8,690 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 Strengths and Experience.

Sift date: W/C 18/03/2024 

Interview date: expected W/C 15/04/2024

Interview location: By video

The available interview slots will be released with the sift scores. 

Applications will be sifted on Statement of Suitability.

Please use your statement of suitability to (in no more than 750 words) outline how you meet the key skills and experience required for the role as set out in the job advert.

At interview candidates will be assessed on Strengths and Experience.

To find out more about working in the department please visit our page on the Civil Service Careers Website here and to find out more information on how to apply visit 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. 

Please be aware that some travel may be required across the DHSC estate. 

Please note that applicants will require BPSS clearance.

This role is being advertised on a permanent basis. If preferable, Loan or Secondment options will also be available for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited NDPBs or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

Terms and Conditions

Candidates should note that DHSC’s Terms and Conditions of employment changed from 1 October 2013. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful. 

New Entrants to the Civil Service

New entrants appointed in grades AA to G6 will receive DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions:

• Annual Leave: 25 days on entry rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff
• Privilege Leave: 1 day - for the King’s birthday
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): one month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allow staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Probation: 6 month probation period

Existing Civil Service staff transferring from another Government department, on either level transfer or promotion

All staff moving to DHSC will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above). 

Existing DHSC staff, appointed on either level transfer or promotion

If DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions are already held, the employee will retain those terms and conditions. If DHSC’s pre-modernised terms and conditions are held, the employee will transfer onto DHSC’s modernised terms and conditions (as outlined above).

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DHSC 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via dhscrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.