Royal Navy – HMS Collingwood Health and Safety Advisor

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to become the Health and Safety Advisor (Cwd H&S Advisor) in HMS Collingwood, a critical role in a major Royal Navy establishment that delivers trained Warfare personnel and Engineers to RN ships and submarines and contributes to Royal Navy operations worldwide.

HMS Collingwood Command team is looking for a pro-active team member with a passionate interest in Health and Safety who will be responsible for supporting development and embedding a robust culture of safety, environmental protection, and regulatory compliance across a busy and complex establishment. You will be part of a small team of HSEP professionals and work closely with military personnel, civilian staff, contractors and external agencies to ensure that safety and environmental excellence remains at the heart of everything we do.

The position is advertised at 37 hours per week

Job description

The role supports HMS Collingwood Health, Safety and Environmental Protection Manager in providing specialist advice, assurance, and assistance to the Commanding Officer on all aspects of health, safety, fire, environmental protection, fire precautions and radiation safety management at HMS Collingwood, it’s lodger units and outstations. This is a challenging but rewarding role that also provides the opportunity for personal development and the ability to improve and progress your career.

Whilst based in Atlantic Building in HMS Collingwood, a large part of the role is getting out around the site on audits, rounds, and visiting and investigating health and safety issues.

The main responsibilities of Cwd H&S Advisor are to:

• Provide health, safety (particularly fire safety) advice in support of Cwd HSEP Manager (HEO).
• Assist with the management of safety reports, particularly incidents, near misses and fire alarm activation data.
• Support and/or represent Cwd HSEP Manager at meetings / assurance visits / training/ briefings / audits and rounds.
• Co-ordinate legionella management leave routines.
• Support the collation and submission of H&S documentation and reports, particularly the Fire Safety Management plan, surveys and audit reports.
• Support the planning of events such as Open Day and Bonfire Night.
• Functional manager for the two Sz3 Fire Safety Maintainers.
• Maintain registers of key safety personnel.
• Management and maintenance of HSEP online filing systems.

The post holder is expected to remain current in relevant MoD and national H&S policy and guidance.

Person specification

Applicants are required to have or be prepared to work towards a minimum of a NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety and demonstrate an interest and experience of delivering in a Health and Safety role relevant to Cwd H&S Advisor responsibilities. You should be a member of or willing to join a recognised safety organisation (i.e. HSE, IOSH, NEBOSH or the British Safety Council).

The successful applicant will ideally have an understanding of the Health and Safety aspects of building management, and should be proficient in using Microsoft Office applications.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

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.

As a civil servant in Navy Command, you will be part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies, excellent career prospects, and a job that makes a difference. Navy Command prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work / life balance.

Other benefits for Navy Command civil servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service plus Bank Holidays
• Personal & professional development
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to 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.

In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/ or undertaking an apprenticeship as part of your role.

An apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through and apprenticeship you will gain professional knowledge, practical experience, and the broader skills required to upskill you in your current role and pave the way for your future career. Most of the training will be ‘on-the-job’, with the remain ‘off-the-job’ training often delivered by a training provider. This means minimal disruption and maximum impact.

Professional qualifications can be achieved through an apprenticeship and range from Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs), Level 3 (equivalent to 2 A Levels), and Levels 4 -7, which can give you a foundation degree, a full Bachelor’s degree, or a Master’s degree.

Apprenticeships normally last between 12 months - 3 years, depending on the level of the apprenticeship.

Anyone can undertake an Apprenticeship and everyone, regardless of age, can benefit from developing their skills in an accredited way.

Successful candidates can discuss their development options with their manager when in post.

HMS Collingwood offers an impressive range of on-site facilities including a swimming pool, gymnasium, and other sporting facilities, a children’s nursery, an on-site Co-Op, catering in Howe Building and free car parking. HMS Collingwood is well located with major shopping outlets nearby and easy access to Fareham town centre and M27.

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 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.

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. (250 Word Max)

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and Statement of suitability (250 Word Max) and the following:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

Those successful at the sift will be required to attend a 45 minute interview in HMS Collingwood, Newgate Lane, Fareham, Hampshire PO14 1AS.

At interview, you will be assessed against the following:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

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

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to 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 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 : Mr Lee Bichard
• Email : Lee.Bichard101@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : 07483596675

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

20251209-CWD-Health and Safety Advisor-EO-ToR Opens in new window (docx, 49kB)20250110- CS Applicant Pack Booklet - O Opens in new window (pdf, 1607kB)Candidate Information 2025 Opens in new window (docx, 31kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)