Head of Health and Safety - Operations

Job summary

We’re looking for a Head of Health and Safety – Operations to join the House of Commons Governance Office, leading a critical function within the Parliamentary Safety Team (PST). This is a high-impact leadership role where you’ll shape and deliver operational health and safety services across a uniquely complex and high-profile environment. You’ll lead a team of specialist professionals to provide expert advice, drive consistency in safety practices, and embed a proactive, positive safety culture that supports the safe operation of Parliament.

Job description

Working at the heart of UK democracy, you’ll oversee the delivery of operational safety support across a diverse estate, including higher-risk areas, ensuring that robust processes, monitoring and reporting mechanisms are in place. You’ll play a key role in driving continuous improvement, leading incident investigations, strengthening stakeholder relationships and championing innovative approaches to safety management.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence safety culture at scale, working closely with senior leaders and contributing to strategic, organisation-wide initiatives that ensure Parliament continues to operate safely, effectively and responsibly.

Find out more about working at the House of Commons.

Person specification

Qualifications:

• A relevant professional qualification, such as NEBOSH Diploma, NVQ Level 5/6 in Safety or degree in a safety related discipline and significant experience in construction and/or facilities management areas. Membership of a relevant technical body e.g. IOSH, IIRSM. ISO accredited Internal Auditor or willingness to obtain within the first year.

Experience, Skills and Knowledge:

• Experience of:
  • Strategic health & safety at a senior management level
  • Leading a team of diverse professional subject matter experts
  • Experience of managing an operational safety function within a diverse and complex environment (experience of construction safety is not essential but would be desirable)

• A comprehensive and up to date knowledge, experience and understanding of safety legislation, codes of practices, industry standards and best practice developments.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with key customers, stakeholders and colleagues at all levels. The ability to challenge appropriately and robustly to ensure adherence to procedures.
• Ability to lead a team, building and maintaining strong collaborative partnerships to achieve organisational goals, whilst upholding the values of equality, diversity and inclusion and supporting team progression and capability.
• Strong written and oral communications skills with the ability to produce succinct reports and have the ability to determine appropriate solutions and mitigate risks.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £70,967, House of Commons contributes £20,559 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including but not limited to:

• Generous annual leave starting at 30 days and increasing to 35 after one full working year.

• Enrolment in the excellent Civil Service pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 27%

• Flexible working options that help you find a balance including enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave, caring leave and alternative working patterns.

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

• CV & Supporting Statement – If you would like to apply for this role, please submit your CV and covering letter with an 500-word limit.

More information on the application process can be found here: Application process - UK Parliament

Please note that most job offers will be made at the minimum of the salary range, other than in exceptional circumstances.

We may close the vacancy prior to the closing date stated due to a high volume of applications.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (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

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)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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.

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@parliament.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@parliament.uk