Deputy Mine Manager

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This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

As Deputy Mine Manager, working in a uniquely challenging subterranean environment, you’ll assist with the safe and efficient operation of the mine, in line with the Mines Regulations 2014 (MR14) and all relevant Health, Safety, Environmental Protection and Security policies.

You’ll assist with holding the legal responsibility for ensuring all activity undertaken in the mine, is in accordance with regulatory and safety standards.

You’ll deputise for the Mine Manager in their absence and be regarded as such during that period, carrying out the Manager’s duties and be capable of undertaking all their responsibilities.

You’ll co-ordinate activities to help ensure a safe working environment for all within the mine, taking all reasonably practicable measures to protect employees, contractors, and visitors, while maintaining full compliance with MR14 and wider MOD policy.

In the event of an emergency, you’ll support the Mine Manager (or lead, if acting Mine Manager) to assume immediate command, providing clear, decisive leadership, to safeguard life and protect the continuity of operations.

You’ll build strong, collaborative relationships with all key stakeholders, including PFI contractors, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Military Training teams, Capita Fire, Head of Establishment, HM Inspectorate of Mines and mines rescue, ensuring clear communication and a shared understanding of responsibilities. You’ll provide informed advice and direction on the MR14 and HS&EP policies, working together to maintain a safe, compliant environment, that meets the requirements of MR14.

In addition, you’ll be responsible for the management of the Health & Safety Management System, to ensure all relevant requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) are being met in adherence with MR14 and ensure our Environmental Protection arrangements are in line with site and MOD policies

Responsibilities

• Uphold advice & direction given by the Mines Manager to external contractors, and other stakeholders, on MR14 and issues as necessary, working collaboratively and providing advice & direction as required.
• Support the Mine Manager projects in activities related to the Heritage Partnership Agreement (HPA) with Historic England, Wiltshire Council and DIO.
• Maintain and enforce the Mine Safety Management System (SMS), that reflects the legal responsibilities of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA), in coordination with MR14.
• Oversee arrangements and risks for Environmental Protection ensuring compliance with MOD and legal requirements, liaising with HS&EP colleagues as required within the Head of Establishment Team.
• Ensure other major risks, such as Asbestos Management, Radon, Spores and Emergency Evacuation procedures, are assessed and managed through risk assessments, policy and arrangements, with regular reviews.
• Review and deliver the Underground H&S Induction Training Brief, as required for all operatives who will be working underground.
• Represent the Mine Manager in their absence.
• Maintain information records, logs and files to meet regulatory requirements and MOD policies relating to HSWA, ensuring all are current with any changes to legal requirements.
• Undertake line management duties, mentoring and countersigning tasks as required.

IOSH Managing Safely

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)

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

To apply, please upload your CV in the sections provided on the Civil Service Jobs application, ensuring it clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

You must also submit a personal statement (maximum 1,250 words) providing evidence of how you meet these criteria.

The sift will be conducted on your CV and personal statement.

Interview

If you are invited for an interview, it will be held face to face at MOD Corsham, Westwells Road, Corsham, SN13 9NR and we’ll assess you against these behaviours and technical competencies during the interview process:

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Technical Competencies:

• Law, Policy & Guidance
• Stakeholder Management

Please see the attached document, providing the intermediate-level definitions for the technical competencies, as defined in the Functional Competency Framework for Safety and Environment Professionals in Defence.

Further information:

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

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. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It 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.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

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