Mechanical Plant Manager

Reporting to the Engineering Manager, the Mechanical Plant Manager is responsible for providing technical leadership and engineering assurance for critical mechanical utility systems across the site, including steam, pressure and associated plant infrastructure. The postholder will ensure that engineering systems remain safe, compliant, reliable and capable of supporting UKHSA's scientific and operational activities.

The role combines technical specialist expertise, asset performance management, project delivery and stakeholder engagement within a highly regulated environment. Working closely with engineering teams, users, contractors and external competent bodies, the postholder will lead compliance activities relating to pressure systems, monitor asset performance, investigate equipment failures, identify improvement opportunities and support the delivery of engineering projects and capital investments.

The Mechanical Plant Manager will act as a subject matter expert for utility and pressure systems, supporting audits, inspections and engineering governance activities, while providing technical guidance and deputising for the Engineering Manager when required. The role is pivotal in ensuring engineering risks are effectively managed and that mechanical plant infrastructure continues to meet operational, safety and regulatory requirements.

This role is being offered as office based at our Scientific Campus in Porton. Please note this role does not offer remote working.

Working for your 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

• Ensure the safe, compliant and reliable operation of mechanical utility and pressure systems through effective application of engineering policies, statutory requirements and industry best practice.
• Lead and deliver business-critical engineering projects and improvement initiatives that enhance operational reliability, safety and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, providing clear technical advice, training, and ensuring engineering requirements are understood and delivered.
• Ensure robust governance and engineering assurance through effective liaison with Competent Persons, auditors and regulatory bodies.
• Monitor asset performance and maintenance data through the Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS), identifying trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and implement engineering improvement initiatives that enhance the safety, reliability and efficiency of utility and mechanical plant systems.
• Prepare technical justifications, business cases and supporting documentation for plant improvements, lifecycle replacement programmes and capital investment proposals where required.
• Provide technical oversight of critical mechanical and utility infrastructure, ensuring systems remain safe, compliant, reliable and capable of meeting operational and scientific business requirements.
• Manage and deliver small to medium business-critical engineering projects, ensuring they are completed safely, efficiently and in accordance with UKHSA project governance requirements, programme objectives, timescales and budgets.
• Act as the Engineering subject matter expert for utility and pressure systems during audits, inspections and assurance activities, working with the Engineering Manager to demonstrate compliance with statutory, regulatory and organisational requirements.
• Maintain effective relationships with Competent Persons and relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance with the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) and associated engineering governance requirements.
• Author, review and maintain engineering documentation including User Requirement Specifications (URS), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), technical specifications and other controlled engineering records.
• Review and approve engineering technical documentation, where authorised, to support engineering operations and compliance requirements, including safety-critical documentation such as Written Schemes of Examination and associated pressure systems records.
• Lead technical investigations relating to plant failures, equipment performance issues and non-conformances, working collaboratively with maintenance technicians, engineers and end users to identify root causes and implement effective corrective and preventative actions.
• Ensure engineering risks, incidents and corrective actions are appropriately recorded, monitored and reported through UKHSA management systems.
• Represent the Engineering function within multidisciplinary teams, capital programmes and organisational projects, providing specialist engineering advice and ensuring engineering requirements are fully considered throughout project lifecycles.

The above is not an exhaustive list and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties consistent with the grade and nature of the role.

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 and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (7) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1,000 word supporting statement.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1,000 words. We will not consider any words over 1,000words.

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

If used, the pile(s) ‘Meets all essential criteria’ will proceed to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Proven experience working with mechanical utility systems, pressure systems, steam boilers, or other critical plant infrastructure

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications /large amount of successful candidates

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

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a single remote face to face interview at Porton. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service - Lead behaviour
• Working Together
• Changing and Improving

Interview dates are to be confirmed.

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 office based at our Scientific Campus in Porton. Please note this role does not offer remote working.

Based at our scientific campus, 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 advice.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Security Clearance Check.

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 5 years as the role requires Security Check (SC) clearance. 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 advice.

Eligibility Criteria – External

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

Salary Information

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

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Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

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 consider 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 it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud Check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub, and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for external candidates to the Civil Service.

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