Property Safety Lead (Weybridge)

We are seeking an experienced and influential Health and Safety professional to join Defra Group Property as the Health and Safety Lead for the Weybridge site. This is a pivotal leadership role with significant responsibility for shaping health and safety performance, culture and compliance across one of Defra's most complex and business-critical locations.

As one of the site's senior health and safety specialists, you will provide visible leadership and expert advice to senior managers, employees, contractors and service providers. You will play a key role in ensuring Defra meets its legal obligations under health and safety legislation, while driving continuous improvement and promoting a positive and proactive safety culture across the site.

You will lead the identification and management of health and safety risks, oversee audit and assurance programmes, support complex incident investigations, and use data and performance information to influence decision-making and deliver measurable improvements. Working closely with facilities management providers, project teams and contractors, you will provide assurance that health and safety risks are effectively controlled and that statutory and organisational requirements are met.

The role also provides strategic leadership through the development and improvement of safety management systems, policies, standards and guidance. You will represent health and safety interests within key governance groups and committees, contribute to wider Defra Property safety initiatives, and support emergency planning and incident response arrangements. The post holder will also deputise for the Head of Property Health and Safety when required, providing leadership and direction across a broad range of safety matters.

We are looking for a credible leader with strong technical expertise in property and facilities management health and safety, coupled with the ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels. You will have a proven track record of delivering effective health and safety management within complex organisations, building collaborative relationships, and leading improvements that deliver safer, more compliant working environments.

This is an excellent opportunity to take on a highly visible leadership position where your expertise, judgement and ability to influence others will directly contribute to protecting people, supporting business-critical operations and improving safety outcomes across the Weybridge estate.

With a focus on general property and facilities management safety compliance, this role is based within Defra group Property (DgP).

The role is responsible for organising and assuring key elements of health and safety to ensure health and safety with the Defra’s undertaking at Weybridge.

The key responsibilities include:

• Identifying and assessing key risks, determining adequate control measures and ensuring effective implementation and compliance through audit and assurance activities.
• Promote and support the development and implementation of a positive health & safety culture across site. Reflect the changing needs arising out of health and safety legislation and best practice.
• Drive improvements in incident reporting and investigation across site to ensure correct root causes and corrective actions are implemented to reduce reoccurrence.
• Lead the provision of technical and professional health and safety advice and guidance to a range of internal and external stakeholders to positively influence safety outcomes and culture. This will include working with key stakeholders such as local facilities managers, FM service providers, and 3rd part contractors.
• Contributing to the Defra group Property Safety Management System including development and review of safety policies, standards and guidance.
• Managing and contributing to the health and safety legal and risk registers using a risk-based approach.
• Contributing to the Safety Improvement Action Plan for the wider Defra estate.
• Supporting Emergency Planning teams with the execution of Site Incident Response Plans.
• Leading, attending and participating in a range of working groups supporting Defra and Arm’s Length Body H&S Committees where appropriate.
• Collect, store and analyse data to gain insights on emerging risk trends enabling effective risk-based decisions to be made.
• Meeting and, where possible, exceeding KPIs.
• Reviewing risk assessments and method statements (RAMS) as required from projects and contractors.
• Assessing training needs, contributing to, and developing, training materials including induction and other specific training.
• Ensuring health and safety training needs are met for the team and associated contractors across Weybridge.
• Supporting own learning and development by attending relevant training and keeping personal Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portfolio up to date.
• Maintaining network of professional expertise.
• Building excellent working relationships with key stakeholders and responding effectively to all health and safety enquires.

Specific roles include:

• Supporting - or where appropriate - leading incident investigations relating incidents on site. Ensuring incidents are well documented, root and contributory causes are established, and actions identified are implemented to prevent re-occurrence.
• Support the team's document libraries, SharePoint site etc. Lead on new processes, document management and templates.
• Act as a member of appropriate committees, working groups and project teams to ensure identification, development and implementation of appropriate policies, plans and processes that contribute to general safety management across the site.
• Work closely with Defra group Property colleagues to ensure Defra is compliant with safety regulations. Promote effective contractor safety management via auditing and analysing performance data. Supporting the team to carry out assurance activities led by that data.
• Contribute to the development of, and collate and monitor, Defra Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) associated with safety across the Defra group Property estate.
• Deputising for Head of Property H&S as required.

NEBOSH Level 6 National Diploma for Occupational Health and Safety Management Professionals or equivalent Level 6 H&S Qualification.

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, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sifting will take place w/c 5th October.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours, technical skills and strengths.

Candidate's will also be required to give a short presentation which will be tested as part of the Technical Skills element:

You have recently joined Defra Group Property as a Health and Safety Lead at the Weybridge site. Create a short presentation for delivery at interview (10 mins - 3 - 4 slides) to describe your priorities for your first 12 months in post and explain how you would drive a strategic, risk-based health and safety management and assurance approach to:

• build confidence in the property safety support function;
• improve health and safety culture; and
• strengthen legal compliance.

Interviews are currently scheduled to take place w/c 19th October but may be subject to change.

Near miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.

Face to face interviews

Please note that Defra does not pay travel expenses for applicants from Other Government Departments (OGD) or external candidates.

Location & Travel

As part of the pre-employment process, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

You will need to agree your working arrangements with your new manager. Some travel may be required and occasional overnight stays.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to DEFRA 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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

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