DNO WHG-Assistant Head Safety Quality Assurance

Job summary

The Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO) is responsible for the provision of the nuclear deterrent, encompassing our submarines and nuclear warheads, while also advising on UK nuclear planning and fostering international co-operation on nuclear matters. With a multidisciplinary team of over 700 professionals, the DNO brings together expertise in science, engineering, finance, policy, programme delivery, and more. We work in partnership with the Royal Navy, the Submarine Delivery Agency and the Atomic Weapons Establishment as the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE).

Here at DNO we strongly believe that diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to do but is also essential for a thriving and successful organisation. We have a culture where differences are celebrated, and our people feel supported, included and empowered. Join us and be part of an organisation that truly values diversity and inclusion and makes a positive impact on the world.

Integrated Stockpile Management (ISM) is responsible for the development, delivery and support of both the current in-service Re-Entry System (RES), Future Technologies and the replacement RES. These programmes are owned by Director Warhead Integrated Stockpile Management who maintains the responsibility for delivery of these programmes, provides direction on prioritisation and ensures joint ways of working. The WISM has two parts, the ISM A21/Mk7 and the ISM Mk4A team which share the responsibility for the MOD intelligent customer role across the entire CADMID cycle for the RES (inc. applicable support equipment) and future RES technologies.

Deputy Head Safety & Quality Assurance supports Director WISM in their roles as the Authoriser with Design Authority Responsibilities for Nuclear Weapons, and Nuclear Weapons Transport by providing independent safety advice, management of the audit programme and maintenance of the Warhead Group Quality Management System.

This post is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Assistant Head Safety & Quality Assurance (SQA) plays a key leadership role within the Warhead Group (WHG), providing independent assurance to senior leaders on the safety, quality and regulatory compliance of the UK's nuclear warhead programme and defence nuclear material transport operations. Working closely with the Deputy Head SQA, the post holder ensures that nuclear safety cases, operational activities, quality management systems and regulatory arrangements meet policy and regulatory requirements.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate independent technical assurance activities for nuclear warhead systems and defence nuclear material transport operations, ensuring compliance with regulatory, legislative and safety requirements.
• Provide advice and assurance to the Nuclear Warhead Approving Authority (NWAA), Life Cycle Phase 2 Authoriser and Managing Director Warhead on nuclear safety and quality matters.
• Manage and develop a multidisciplinary assurance team, including direct line management of senior assurance specialists and oversight of wider quality and regulatory assurance staff.
• Lead the assessment and review of nuclear safety cases, safety justifications and operational submissions, ensuring that risks are appropriately identified, managed and reduced to ALARP.
• Act as Deputy Chair of key nuclear safety committees, facilitating robust technical scrutiny and providing consolidated assurance and recommendations to senior duty holders.
• Maintain oversight of the Warhead Group Quality Management System, ensuring continued compliance with ISO 9001, Defence Nuclear Safety Regulations and MOD policy.
• Develop productive relationships with regulators, industry partners and stakeholders, supporting regulatory engagement and ensuring that emerging safety, quality and compliance issues are effectively managed.
• Champion a strong safety culture across the Warhead Group, promoting high standards of governance, assurance, quality management and continuous improvement.

As the post holder will have access to very sensitive information, there are limitations on travelling to a small number of countries and we will undertake additional security checks as part of the recruitment process. Applications from candidates with close connections to certain countries may take considerably longer to process, or in some cases result in a withdrawal of an offer of employment. Further details will be provided at the conditional offer stage.

Hybrid and flexible working can be considered for this post but will need regular workplace attendance due to security constraints. Candidates are encouraged to discuss options with the recruiting line manager before submitting an application.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications:

• Candidates are required to hold a Degree or equivalent in Engineering or a Applied Science discipline prior to making an application.

Desirable Qualifications: Chartered Professional (e.g. CEng, C-Phys, etc.) or ability to become chartered before 2 years in post.

• A demonstrable ability to apply a pragmatic and risk-based approach to complex, demanding and sensitive activities
• Proven ability to communicate complex issues to senior management and external stakeholders in an easy-to-understand manner
• Knowledge of DSA 02 Regulation of the Defence Nuclear Programme
• Knowledge of safety management arrangements in the MOD
• Experience of operating holistically in a highly regulated environment, in engaging with regulators, and in maintaining strong relationships
• 2 years’ experience of working in the Defence nuclear programme with knowledge of Defence nuclear regulation and associated management arrangements.

Desirable Skills:

• A strength and depth of character required to allow robust and competent challenge, combined with leadership qualities of self-awareness and empathy when dealing with demanding and sensitive events.

Qualifications

Candidates are required to hold a Degree or equivalent in Engineering or a Applied Science discipline prior to making an application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• •Nuc 1.2 – Nuclear Safety Management Systems Level 2: Practitioner
• •Nuc 1.3 – Nuclear Safety Cases Level 2 Practitioner
• •Nuc 1.5 - Nuclear Safety Assurance and Regulation Level 2: Practitioner

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,630, Ministry of Defence contributes £17,854 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days annual leave rising to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and working from home as part of a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement. All office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to site capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD workplace, will also count towards this level of office attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this and other flexible working arrangements may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD 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/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working

environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

Candidates will be required to complete an online CV template and also a Personal Statement of Suitability which should be a maximum of 1000 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential/desirable requirements for the role.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV,Personal Statement and the following:

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Technical Skills: Nuclear Safety Management Systems, Nuclear Safety Cases and Nuclear Safety Assurance and Regulation.

Information guide on the Nuclear Competence Framework is attached to this advert. Please provide evidence of your understanding, experience and skills under the requested Nuclear elements of the Framework.

At interview, you will be assessed against the following

Behaviours:

• Leadership
• Communicating & Influencing

Technical Skills: Nuclear Safety Management Systems, Nuclear Safety Cases and Nuclear Safety Assurance and Regulation.

The requirements for the role have been benchmarked, and these will be used to sift all candidates, with those meeting the minimum requirements invited to interview.

Interviews will be conducted face to face in Bristol

The Defence Nuclear Organisation plays a vital role in supporting the delivery of the UK’s independent strategic nuclear deterrent. To help enhance security, staff working for the DNO are encouraged to always exercise a high level of discretion in sharing information or talking about their work. As part of the application process, we ask that you do not tell anyone other than your partner or close family member about your application to join the DNO. You should not mention your application on social media or discuss it with anyone else at this stage.

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.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

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 equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : DNO-ExternalRecruiting@mod.gov.uk
• Email : DNO-ExternalRecruiting@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)20230120-Nationality_Requirements-Candidates-O Opens in new window (pdf, 67kB)Nuclear_Competence_Framework Opens in new window (pdf, 1078kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)