About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting role within the Corporate Health and Safety (H&S) team in UKHSA.  As a Health and Safety Officer, you will be joining a well-established and friendly group of professionals whose common function is to support on matters relating to health and safety across UKHSA, working together towards achieving a positive health and safety culture and managing the overall implementation and governance of the organisation’s Health and Safety Management System.

The postholder will undertake coordinating activities towards the arrangements across workplace and laboratory H&S. As part of their role, you will support corporate H&S Advisors and Managers across the team to manage a programme of improvements and corporate projects.

UKHSA is a multi-site organisation and the corporate H&S team are required to travel to other sites on occasion for the purpose of auditing, training, investigations and meetings. As part of on-the-job learning activities where you will be working alongside H&S team members, the H&S Officer will need to spend time working at the different locations (especially the specialist scientific sites at Chilton, Colindale and Porton) as this is a role that supports all areas of the corporate team.

This is a fantastic opportunity to further develop or start out on a Health and Safety career path, whilst at the same time gaining knowledge and an understanding of all areas of UKHSA’s work, including the specialised microbiology and containment laboratories. As part of this, the post holder will be supported and mentored through varied development opportunities, using a combination of shadowing, on the job training and formal training, to support the competent advice function of the corporate team and fulfil the required knowledge and skills progression for the role.

Job description

The role supports corporate H&S team activities all areas of the corporate H&S team’s work, including the specialised microbiology and containment laboratories. This will include:

• H&S projects and programs, particularly those identified in the H&S Improvement plan.
• UKHSA H&S training workshops and training content
• Corporate H&S audit schedule

• Developing and maintaining working relationships with internal stakeholders throughout UKHSA
• Attending and contributing to corporate and H&S team meetings
• Promoting the health and safety policies
• Development and governance of policies, procedures and other H&S documents as required.
• Communication, events, and activities to support and promote H&S improvement.
• Maintaining H&S records and systems
• Developing personal and team competence

Please review the job description for a full list of the responsibilities.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 850 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

Essential

• Experience using a range of software and technology solutions.
• Experience coordinating, planning, and scheduling everyday business needs such as training and competence/audits/communication plans and so on
• Effective communication skills - presentation/active listening/negotiation and influencing.
• Able to work across large multi-disciplinary groups, in a small team and on own initiative.
• Good problem solver
• Flexible and adaptable

Desirable

• NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational H&S
• Microsoft 365 functions (SharePoint, forms, power automate, tasks)
• Experience of project management from planning through to implementation
• Experience of H&S in the workplace, especially using software and technology approaches for H&S management and H&S records.

Please review the job description for the full criteria.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. 

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This stage will involve an interview by Microsoft Teams.

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.  Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 5–10-minute presentation to the panel.  This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment.  The presentation will be designed to assess each candidate’s experience in line with the requirements of the role.  Full details will be provided prior to the interview.

The Success Profiles framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate.  The following behaviours will be used at the interview:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating & influencing
• Delivering at pace
• Working together

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 5th January 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Shortlist: w/c 8th January 2024

Interviews: Mid-January 2024 - TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

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.