About the job

Job summary

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) is a part of the Ministry of Defence responsible for the procurement, in-service support, and disposal of the UK’s nuclear submarines. Our work is of unparalleled strategic importance nationally and internationally, ensuring the security of the UK’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent, and delivering some of the most technically complex programmes in defence.

Here you’ll find a community to belong to – whether that’s alongside project teams with a shared vision or as part of an employee network of like-minded individuals. We believe that, by celebrating different backgrounds and perspectives, together we’ll achieve the extraordinary.

Discover more about our work:

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of around 27%, to help work 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 have 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or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn.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

The Submarine Delivery Agency has an exciting opportunity for a Safety Manager to lead and manage activities on the Ship Submersible Nuclear AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, United States) programme which is designing the replacement Submarine for the current in-service Ship Submersible Nuclear Astute class Submarines. The Programme is fast paced and has now moved into the Detailed Design and Long Lead phase, with close collaboration with SDA engineering teams and industry partners required to implement and maintain rigorous safety standards.

The Safety Manager role is part of a 7 strong team and is an integral part of the Safety Management arrangements. Due to the small team size and current high pace of the programme, the role will be highly interesting with significant scope to develop as well as providing genuine opportunities to direct the design of the next UK Ship Submersible Nuclear Submarine.

At the SDA, we champion flexible ways of working. Regular in-person attendance is required to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration alongside flexibility of hours to support work-life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role.

What you’ll be doing

• Support the development and maintenance of policy and process for the Ship Submersible Nuclear AUKUS Programme.
• Develop, manage, and maintain effective Safety Management Systems. Identify and analyse hazards and contribute to the identification and evaluation of risk reduction measures, ensuring that these are adequately documented and managed.
• Work with colleagues at all levels to ensure compliance with relevant UK and EU legislation and regulations, MOD regulations and SDA Policy.
• Develop and maintain project safety assurance plans, monitor compliance, and ensure that safety assurance evidence is gathered and assessed for safety case preparation.
• Produce, review, endorse and recommend acceptance of safety artefacts.
• Oversee the management of contractual aspects to ensure safety requirements are captured and the management of contractors who perform safety activities.
• Provide informed safety advice to decision makers through Safety Working Groups and Committees.

Person specification

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

• Hold a Level 4 qualification (i.e., HNC) or higher qualification in a relevant engineering discipline, or able to demonstrate the equivalent experience.
• Experience of providing safety advice and/or delivery of safe products or services in an engineering environment.
• Experience of safety management and the concepts of ALARP and Tolerable.
• Chartered or Incorporated Engineer or have demonstrated equivalent knowledge, skills, and experience.

It would also benefit your application if you would be able to show evidence of the following desirable criteria:

• Previous experience in the field of Submarine acquisition or equivalent.
• Previous experience in the field of in-service Submarine support or equivalent.
• Experience in the use of Safety Management Tools and Processes

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

• SYSSAF1 Compliance with Policy – Practitioner.
• SYSSAF4 - Adoption of safety risk management – Practitioner.
• Leadership - CSBC3.
• Communicating and Influencing - CSBC3.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,500, Ministry of Defence contributes £12,015 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

Selection Process Details
Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you'll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Security

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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.