National Cyber Force - Health and Safety Advisor

Established in 2020, the National Cyber Force (NCF) is responsible for operating in and through cyberspace to counter, disrupt, degrade and contest those who would do harm to the UK or its allies, to keep the country safe and to protect and promote the UK's interests at home and abroad. The UK will use cyber operations as part of its diplomatic, economic and military activities.

The NCF is at the heart of this, extending the UK's competitive edge as a responsible, democratic cyber power, by countering threats from terrorists, criminals and states using the internet to operate across borders in order to do harm to the UK and other democratic societies. This may involve countering threats which disrupt the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data and services in cyberspace (i.e. supporting cybersecurity), contributing to UK Defence operations, or helping deliver the UK's foreign policy agenda (for example intervening in a humanitarian crisis to protect civilians). In addition to GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence, the Secret Intelligence Service and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory are core partners, bringing cutting edge espionage and research techniques. The NCF is establishing its Headquarters in Samlesbury, Lancashire.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is to have an empowered, productive, personally and professionally fulfilled workforce. Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously. We want to enable you to build a successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. We are committed to understanding, respecting, and representing as broad a range of views and backgrounds as we have in UK society. We know that diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to an effective, modern Civil Service.

This role provides specialist Health and Safety (H&S) advice to the Head of Establishment to ensure that it is compliant with current Health, Safety and Environmental Protection (HS&EP) legislation.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

The Organisation is committed to providing a secure, productive, and healthy workplace across its corporate and administrative estate. Operating within a high-profile, secure office building, the HS&EP Lead acts as the on-site Subject Matter Expert and trusted advisor to the senior leadership team. You will oversee safety compliance in a dynamic corporate environment, managing risks related to building fabric, contractor works, and office operations in line with JSP 375. This role requires a proactive professional, capable of building strong collaborative networks, managing fire safety plans, and driving a modern safety culture that safeguards civil servants, military personnel, and visitors alike. To achieve this, your key responsibilities will include:

Governance Framework: Prepare Annual review of the Head of Establishment’s Health and Safety Statement of intent, organisation and arrangements to meet all statutory and mandatory requirements.

Advisory Support: Provide advice and assistance to Line managers and all personnel on H&S matters.

First Aid Management: Undertake a First Aid Needs Analysis to identify areas where First Aiders are required and coordinate training and resourcing to meet requirements.

Specialist Liaison: Liaise with CSOC and other specialists. Provide timely direction to all staff and coordinate and collate reports and returns as requested by CSOC Safety Centre.

Training Oversight: Oversee and report on the provision of Safety Training. Conduct a training needs analysis and provide an update so shortfalls can be addressed.

Delivery Plans: Produce the annual HS&EP Delivery Plan that reflects the requirements of CSOC Safety Centre and Standing Order 001. Monitor and review the progression of Safety Objectives and Targets.

Assurance: Conduct the Self-Assessment audit provided by the Safety Centre as per the demand signal requirements. Monitor remedial and corrective actions, trigger points and trends.

Safety Committees: Facilitate HS&EP meetings biannually-one to be chaired by the H of Establishment and one to be chaired by the Safety Champion.

Professional development: Undertake learning, development and upskilling as required enrolling onto any relevant Health and Safety courses to be able to carry out the role.

The majority of this role requires office attendance. The reasons for this can be discussed in more detail at interview.

Must possess a NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety.

Open to UK nationals only.

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

Before you apply, we advise you to consider setting up a separate email address for your contact with us, to ensure your personal and application correspondence remain separate. Try to avoid having identifying features in your email address, such as your first and/or surname and date of birth. This is good practice and will help you to manage your application with us more discretely.

While the existence of NCF is not a secret, its people are, and discretion is vital. You should not discuss your application, other than with your partner or close family. You should also make them aware of the importance of discretion. You should not mention your application on social media or discuss it with anyone else at this stage. You will receive further guidance during the recruitment process.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability in no more than 500 words.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, Statement of suitability and the following Behaviours:

• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

If successful at sift, the interviews will likely be held late October. Interviews will be conducted remotely via Teams. Once set, we will not be able to reschedule the dates.

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.

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.

Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) generates and operates specialist capabilities, ready to fight across all domains to make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

Always on, we are across every UK operation, delivering the capabilities you don’t usually see - or those you can’t.

From cyber warriors and medics to intelligence analysts, special forces, educators, and Defence attachés, our collective expertise delivers the warfighting edge Defence needs to deter threats and secure the nation today and prepare for tomorrow.

CSOC unites Defence’s cyber and specialist capabilities under a single, military command alongside the Royal Navy, British Army, and the Royal Air Force - acting as the UK’s fourth Military Command. For more information, please see here.’

Cyber and Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to design the way in which the new Military Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, posts within CSOC are/or may become subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

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