Lead Health and Safety Advisor
The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:
- Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
- Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
- Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
- Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
- Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.
Job overview
The Corporate Health & Safety team is a well-established 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 Health & Safety team delivers training, undertakes assurance activities and provides support to the organisation through the provision of competent H&S advice. In addition, the corporate team supports interactions with the regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The Lead H&S Advisor role supports the implementation of H&S arrangements across all UKHSA workplaces, including our specialist laboratory sites. The postholder will need to apply their own judgement and make decisions autonomously, but with support from colleagues and senior managers when required.This involves a collaborative approach, making reasonably practicable decisions regarding health and safety risks (during audits, incident investigation and assurance checks and contribution to committees and working groups).
The post holder will be a key leader in the team, alongside 3 other topic-specialist Lead Advisors, helping to support and mentor other team members through offering guidance and shadowing opportunities, supporting the competent advice function of the corporate team and helping to fulfil knowledge and skills progression for team members.
Main duties of the job
As part of their role, they will also support senior management and other colleagues in the team with the annual programme of continuous improvement activity and corporate projects. They will seek to lead by example by implementing team processes such as H&S auditing, training provision, document management, review and consultation, H&S updates and communications; supporting team initiatives to maintain and improve ways of working that contribute to the organisation’s safety culture and enhance operational H&S implementation.
An important part of the role is building and managing relationships with Heads of Departments and other key personnel to foster a positive health and safety environment. The postholder will lead on initiatives to investigate, identify, improve and resolve H&S issues in a way that supports the development of a learning culture.
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 and workplace support activities where they will be working alongside H&S team members, the Lead H&S Advisor may need to spend time working in the different locations.The main sites that corporate health and safety are based at are Chilton, Colindale (London) and Porton Down, and the role may also involve travel to regional laboratories, offices and Core Headquarters (London, Canary Wharf; Birmingham; Leeds; Liverpool).
Working for our organisation
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Your key responsibilities will include:
Providing specialist H&S advice and support to specified areas of the business, as needed:
- Attending operational meetings & providing briefings/updates and other communications
- Responding to staff and operational manager queries
- Support with any H&S incidents reported; assist the reporting process, help identify corrective action and carry out assurance of reports made to ensure clarity of information and proportionate investigation
- Support with audit recommendations and associated action plans
- Support the implementation and assurance of H&S arrangements
- Shadowing and supporting other H&S Advisors and H&S Managers, as required
- Delivering H&S Training to staff, and developing/reviewing training content, including the use of training development software for e-learning packages
- Contributing to corporate H&S objectives, programmes and improvement activities (for example, communication & engagement; H&S culture; contractor management; continual improvement to the management system)
- Interacting with our software systems used for H&S records (such as DSE training and assessments, risk assessments, and incident reporting) and contributing to the management of the information assets
- Attend and contribute to corporate H&S team meetings; lead, coordinate or chair working groups, networks and local meetings as required to complete objectives and support operational team
- Receive and analyse monitoring and assurance information and submit reports to groups and committees as required.
- Undertake corporate H&S audits according to audit schedule and arrangements
- Undertake personal learning and development activities and maintain Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
Essential Criteria:
- Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health
- Experience in a health and safety advisor role, including interpretation of set policy and procedure to apply appropriate H&S arrangements
- Experience carrying out audits against H&S management systems (HSG65, ISO 45001)
- Experience of H&S culture and communication strategies, with an understanding of its relation to organisational health and safety performance
- Experience delivering H&S training, including specialist training such as manual handling
- Ability and willingness to work as part of a group and independently, using own initiative and motivation
- Advanced written and spoken communication skills, including influencing and persuasive communication, to clearly present findings, options and advice through various techniques such as email, MS Teams, reports and in person
- Willingness to develop own competence and drive to take up learning opportunities
- Ability to find solutions to sometimes complex or conflicting problems
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships
For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviour's, experience and Strengths.
Stage 1 - Application & Sift:
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed 10 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
- Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application
- 1000 word Statement of Suitability
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
The application form and statement of suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.
Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
Meets all essential criteria
Meets some essential criteria
Meets no essential criteria
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the essential criterion: Experience in a health and safety advisor role, including interpretation of set policy and procedure to apply appropriate H&S arrangements.
Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview. Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview (success profiles)
You will be invited to a (single) remote interview.
Behaviour's, experience and strengths will be tested at interview.
There will be a 5-10 minute presentation.
The Behaviour's tested during the interview stage will be:
- Working Together
- Changing & Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating & Influencing
Interviews will be held week commencing 27th January 2024. Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Location
This role is being offered as hybrid working. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce.As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London) or at one of our scientific campus sites (Colindale, Porton and Chilton).
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
If based at one of our scientific locations, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time.You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further Security Vetting Level: whatever the JD states Security Vetting Level: minimum of CTC, higher if the JD states Security Vetting Level: whatever the JD states advice.
Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport link and benefit from benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Person specification
Application form and Statement of Suitability
Essential criteria- Application form
- Statement of suitability
Behaviours
Essential criteria- Working Together
- Changing & Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating & Influencing
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
This is a Non-Reserved post under the Civil Service Nationality Rules. To be eligible for employment in the UK Civil Service applicants must meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs) which operate independently of and additionally to the Immigration Rules.Applicants must also meet necessary security and vetting requirements, along with any other relevant pre-employment checks.
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
For more information on job nationality requirements and the right to work in the UK, see the Civil Service Nationality rules (opens in a new window) and the UK Visas and Immigration rules (opens in a new window)
For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase.Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
The Civil Service pay structure and progression is different from NHS Agenda for Change (AfC), most local authority pay grades and other systems that have annual pay increments. For further details, please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment.
For AfC or Medical/Dental posts, you must have the correct professional registration to be appointed. The pay will follow the AfC or Medical & Dental terms & conditions. You may be asked to provide evidence of previous service whilst we are conducting pre-employment checks to determine your starting salary.
For Temporary Appointments, if you are not currently a civil servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment. You may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of the UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree.You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSA’s Pay policy.
Given the nature of the work of the UKHSA, as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, you may be required in an emergency, if deemed a necessity, to redeploy to another role at short notice. You may also be required to work at any other location, within reasonable travelling distance of your permanent home address, in line with the provisions set out in your contract of employment.
Late Applications will unfortunately not be considered.
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 equality of opportunity. The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website here.
Reserve List - If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list.
Interview expenses will not be reimbursed.
UKHSA is required to check employment and/or education history covering three consecutive years. Please ensure you give details of at least two different referees, even if you were employed in one company for three years or more.
If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.
Any move to UKHSA 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/.
Benefits of working at UKHSA include:
- Generous annual leave:
- 26 days for the first 5 years of continuous service
- 28 days after 5 years of continuous service
- 32 days after 10 years of continuous service
- Plus public holidays and one privilege day for the King’s birthday
- Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
- Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
- Access to a retail discounts and cashback site.
- We also promote flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours). UKHSA views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.
- We also offer a generous maternity/ paternity and adoption leave package.
Hybrid Working
UKHSA operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce.
As a hybrid worker, you will usually spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted hours (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's locations (approximately 3 days a week pro rata) and the rest of your time working from home.
Disability Confident Scheme
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria at sift to ensure these candidates are invited to interview.If you wish to be included in this scheme please tick the box on your application form.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone.
To help you during the recruitment process, we will take into account any reasonable adjustments that could help you.
An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.
This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.
If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:
Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police Check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and could be time accrued over that period.