HQ Armed Forces Recruiting – Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF) Lead

Job summary

Are you passionate about creating safe, sustainable, and compliant environments and ready to make a difference? This is a unique opportunity to manage safety, health, environmental and fire protection across a nationwide recruitment estate, shaping standards that impact thousands of personnel across Defence.

Play a key role in creating safe, sustainable, and compliant environments across a nationwide recruitment estate. If you thrive on responsibility, collaboration, and impact, this role offers the perfect platform to showcase your expertise.

You will be involved in the start of an exciting new way to deliver recruitment of Armed Forces personnel, for the Royal Navy, Army, and the Royal Air Force.

Headquarters Armed Forces Recruiting (HQ AFR) will deliver integrated tri-service recruitment for the Armed Forces to build and maintain force levels able to meet Defence outputs. The Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) contract has recently been awarded to Team Serco and collaborative transition activity has now commenced.

A role in HQ AFR is a superb opportunity. You will be at the forefront of a significant change, shaping the future recruitment for all three Services into a tri-Service delivery from 2027 and into steady state.

This is a high profile, collaborative and engaging environment with keen interest from senior staff across Defence. You will be working within a diverse team, including military personnel, civilians, and external providers, which provides opportunities for learning and networking. The role offers a real chance to develop skills and demonstrate capabilities, which will provide clear tangible evidence to support you to potentially fulfil your career progression ambitions in the future.

You'd be contributing to the Armed Forces' ability to attract and retain the best talent, ultimately supporting national security.

If you're looking for a challenging, rewarding, and transformative role, this could be a great fit for you.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Due to the nature of the role, part time and job share arrangements may be considered, subject to the requirement that full-time hours are fully covered (or business needs are met).

Job description

The post holder will sit within the Command Support Unit (CSU) team within in HQ AFR and will provide Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF) advice, direction, and support in relation to the Armed Forces Recruiting estate.

Key responsibilities:

• Manage with Impact: Act as the Authority’s expert on safety, health, environmental and fire protection, ensuring compliance with MOD standards and national regulations.
• Shape Policy: Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), produce annual SHEF statements and plans, and set the strategic direction for safety and sustainability.
• Drive Assurance: Monitor compliance and performance across the estate, prepare governance reports, and lead initiatives that enhance safety culture.
• Collaborative Working: Work closely with AFR business areas, the Supplier, Heads of Establishment, and specialist departments in Defence Fire & Rescue Service, Defence Safety Authority, and DSTL to influence best practice.
• Investigate and Innovate: Support high-level incident investigations, ensuring lessons learned drive continuous improvement.
• Make a Difference Nationwide: Oversee outreach activities across the UK, liaising with the Supplier and local authorities to ensure safe and compliant engagement.
• Why Join Us?
• Strategic Influence: Your expertise will help shape safety standards across a critical Defence function.
• Professional Growth: Engage with variety of stakeholders and various levels and specialist teams, gaining exposure to complex compliance and governance frameworks.
• Nationwide Impact: Travel across the UK (expenses covered) and contribute to projects that matter.
• Dynamic Environment: No two days are the same—this role combines leadership, policy development, and hands-on assurance.

Travel Requirements

Travel across the recruiting estate is required (claimable expenses). Some locations may not be accessible via public transport.

Person specification

If you are dynamic and adept at devising and enhancing processes, products, and operational methods to deliver a high-class service, you are the type of candidate we are looking for!

We seek a proficient individual who can showcase their expertise and abilities in line with the following essential criteria:

• Previous experience of working in a health and safety role.
• IOSH qualification or equivalent.
• Knowledge of health, safety, and environmental protection best practices.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Good ability to build and maintain collaborative working relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• Valid UK driving licence (due to travel requirements, and that some of the estate will not be easily accessible by public transport).

In addition to the above, although not crucial, it is desirable to have experience in the following:

• NEBOSH Certificate, or willingness to complete within 12 months of appointment. Organisation-funded qualifications may be subject to a learning agreement and minimum service commitment.
• Certificate in Environmental Management or a relevant equivalent.
• Experience of HS & EP assurances, either supporting or as an auditor.
• Membership of relevant professional body.
• Completion of 4Cs Accountable Person training or willingness to complete within 12 months of appointment.
• Willingness to complete further professional development, which may include study to diploma level.

Licences

•Valid UK driving licence (due to travel requirements).

Qualifications

•IOSH qualification or equivalent.

Behaviours

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

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

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

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

• Safety & Environmental Professions in Defence Functional Competency Framework – Regulations and Permissions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,720, Ministry of Defence contributes £10,927 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).

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• Professional and personal development of skills, enabling you to build a long-term career in your chosen area.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• 25 days annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service. In addition to 8 public holidays per year.
• Eligibility to be a member of the Defence Sports & Recreational Association (DSRA) via Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC).
• On-site gymnasium (for a small monthly fee for membership of the CSSC).
• Eligibility for use of Defence Discount Service.
• On-site nursery (MOD Abbey Wood, South).

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Requirements to attend other locations for official business, or work in another MOD office, will also count towards this level of attendance. Applicants can request further information regarding how this 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 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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical Skills

• Safety & Environment Professionals in Defence Competency Framework - Regulations and Permissions, intermediate level (see attached document)

Applications will be sifted on all Success Profile elements, but in the event of a high number of applications, a sift will be conducted on your Personal Statement and CV only.

At interview, you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours

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

Technical Skills

• Safety & Environment Professionals in Defence Competency Framework - Regulations and Permissions, intermediate level

Further information:

A minimum of 3 full working days’ notice will be provided for interviews.

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 security 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

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 : Cdr Tom Hooper, HQ AFR CSU Commanding Officer
• Email : thomas.hooper529@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 Civil Servant Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)20240216---S-E-Functional-Competency-Framework-V2--1- Opens in new window (pdf, 6650kB)Candidate Information (1) Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 25kB)