Navy Command - HMS Caledonia Health and Safety Advisor

Job summary

At Navy Command, we lead, support, and sustain the Royal Navy across every theatre of operations. We coordinate the people, platforms, and missions that keep the Fleet ready for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. Together, we uphold centuries of naval tradition while driving innovation that ensures the Royal Navy’s readiness to protect our nation and secure our future.

As the authority responsible for generating the Royal Navy’s operational capability, Director Force Generation ensures ships, submarines, aviation, commando forces, and supporting elements achieve the required levels of readiness. By balancing capability, risk, and operational demand, the directorate provides assured force output and acts as the Fleet’s scheduling authority, ensuring the Royal Navy can deliver whenever and wherever required.

You'll be based at HMS Caledonia, the Royal Navy’s principal support establishment on Scotland’s east coast. It plays a vital role in supporting Rosyth Dockyard, from the Type 31 frigate build programme to maintenance of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. As a hub for Reserves and Cadets, HMS Caledonia also strengthens community ties and inspires future generations across Scotland.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

Are you a Health & Safety professional committed to protecting people and ensuring safe operations? If so, Navy Command has an exciting opportunity for you to join our team. In this role, you’ll be at the forefront of safeguarding our personnel, equipment, and environments ensuring compliance, promoting a culture of safety, and driving continuous improvement across naval operations. Step into a position where your expertise directly supports the Royal Navy’s mission, keeping our people safe and our operations resilient.

As the Health and Safety Officer you will lead and control Health and Safety policy documentation in accordance with the Defence Safety Manual (JSP375), “The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and Health, Safety at Work Act 1974 and Fire (Scotland) Act 2005” all aspects of Risk Assessment, Safe Systems of Work and organisation of training to maintain suitable and sufficient compliance under the delegation of Head of Establishment within the designated area of responsibility – HMS Caledonia.

Duties shall include the following:

• Line management responsibilities for 1 x Band E1 (AO) providing a wide support network to employees
• Deputise for the E1 Accommodation Officer to book and allocate single living accommodation and assist with establishment security Vetting.
• Act as Establishment Fire Focal Point ensuring compliance to Fire Safety legislation and ensuring Fire Evacuation Drills and Reports are conducted and recorded and logs maintained in accordance with JSP426 Defence Fire Safety Manual.
• Health and Safety strategy, promoting positive Health and safety culture, competence, control and communication of all visitors and contractors, in maintaining the site area hazard register.
• Manage, maintain and communicate all Health and Safety policy and ensure clarification of all external guidance (HSE) and regulations as require
• Determine and implement Health and Safety training requirements for site.
• Act as HMS Caledonia Cryptographic Custodian.
• Provide Cover acting as Duty Officer on a rotational basis which includes weekends.
• Additional non specified reasonable duties to maintain team ethos and business continuity.

We value flexible ways of working. This role requires regular onsite attendance (around 60% of the working week) to benefit from face-to-face collaboration, while offering flexibility of hours to support work life balance and business needs. During the initial period, you may be asked to attend more frequently to get familiar with the site, team, and responsibilities.

What you'll be doing

Responsible to the Commanding Officer HMS Caledonia for the following:

• Management of the Unit Safety and Environmental Management System (SEMS) ensuring it complies with legislative and MOD Policies. This includes drafting the HS&EP Management Plans
• To ensure all area and Building Workplace safety inspections are conducted within a 2-year rolling programme. Corrective and Preventative actions to be closed out sufficiently.
• Acting as the Fire Focal Point and provide advice, leadership, guidance and mentoring on Health Safety and Environmental Protection (HS&EP) matters. This will include assisting in the management of Fire Risk Assessments (FRA) and other fire safety Issues liaising with relevant contractors, Fire and Rescue and defence fire regulator as required.
• Organising quarterly H&S meetings, recording and issuing minutes
• Ensuring establishment is compliant in the provision of First Aid and in accordance with First Aid Risk Assessment.
• Health and Safety biannual audit program producing audit reports and updating corrective action plans
• All Accident, Incident and Near miss is reported and investigated to reduce risk and impact ALARP.
• Reporting and investigating incidents and accidents on MYSAFETY and maintaining records.
• Site specific and Task specific Risk Assessments are suitable and sufficient, reasonable, and practicable and reviewed in line with Policy, Rules, and Guidance.
• Oversee and support allocations of Single living accommodation, Security Vetting and act as point of contact for any resolutions required.

Person specification

• Strong and understanding of the health, safety or environmental protection legislation.
• Ability to support inspiring and influential projects specific to health, safety and environmental protection, suitable for a range of audiences.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with strong personal impact and ability to produce high quality material.
• Ability to inspire and support HS&EP professionals and HS&EP teams across Defence
• Be a team player, with the ability to challenge, influence and interface with all stakeholders.

Essential to have prior to taking up post:
• NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent Level 3 Health and Safety qualification

Qualifications

Essential to have prior to taking up post:
•NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent Level 3 Health and Safety qualification

Highly Desirable:
•Unit Fire Safety Manager (UFSM)
•Electromagnetic Fields Safety Officer (ESO)
•IOSH Workplace Risk Assessor
•Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)

If desirable qualifications are not held then candidates are required to undertake the training within 12 months of joining.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,905 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).

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Personal & professional development
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to a confidential, professional support service
• Discount schemes
• Bicycle / season-ticket loans
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• Special paid leave to volunteer (up to 6 days a year)
• Pension contribution: 28.97%

In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you’ll be supported through your learning journey and your career. This can include working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.

You’ll have access to a variety of qualifications pathways ranging from GCSE/A-Level equivalent all the way up to master’s degree, depending on your role, your previous skills and your experience. Some qualifications even include “on-the-job” training which means minimal disruption to your working day but maximum impact.

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 and Experience.

As part of Defence Reform, Navy Command continues to review and evolve its Target Operating Model to support more agile ways of working. In this context, the role and responsibilities of this role may develop over time to reflect changing business priorities and opportunities.

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. (500 words)

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

• Leadership

In the event of a high volume of applications, an initial sift will be based on the lead behaviour which is Leadership. Where the required standard for this behaviour is met, you will continue to be sifted on the remaining CV and Personal Statement, otherwise your application will be rejected.

At interview, you will be assessed against your experience for the role and the following:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and influencing
• Leadership

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.

There may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all DCS candidates that meet the minimum criteria for the job. For example, in certain recruitment situations such as a high volume of applications, seasonal demand, or peak periods, the employer may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both DCS and non-DCS applicants.

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 : Joanne Dall
• Email : Joanne.dall100@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

20260413 - Navy Command Candidate Application Guide-O Opens in new window (pdf, 1595kB)Navy Candidate Attraction Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 7954kB)Defence Civil Service Offer (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Defence Internal Brief notice Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)