Job description
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 todays challenges and tomorrows opportunities. Together, we uphold centuries of naval tradition while driving innovation that ensures the Royal Navys readiness to protect our nation and secure our future.
As the authority for the Royal Navys nuclear submarine capability, the Submarine Directorate oversees one of the most complex and critical elements of UK defence. Covering everything from in - service management to long - term fleet modernisation, the directorate ensures the Submarine Flotilla remains safe, reliable, and ready to meet national security requirements.
You will be based at HMNB Devonport, the largest naval base in Western Europe and a powerhouse of Royal Navy capability. It is home to amphibious ships, survey squadrons, submarines, and two-thirds of the frigate force. With its unique nuclear refitting facility, Devonport ensures the Fleet remains ready to support operations worldwide.
This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.
Job descriptionReady to bring a fresh perspective to safety and help keep a naval base shipshape? Join as our Contractor Safety Assistant Manager, where youll turn safety requirements into practical action. From working with contractors and visiting workers to supporting inspections, delivering briefings and leading a small team, youll help put safe working at the heart of life at HM Naval Base Devonport. If you enjoy connecting with people, solving problems and making a tangible difference, this could be your next port of call!
What you will do:
- Implement and maintain the 4Cs management system for contractors and visiting workers, ensuring arrangements align with statutory requirements and Ministry of Defence policy.
- Monitor the health, safety and environmental protection performance of contractors and business partners, carrying out inspections, audits and compliance visits and recording findings.
- Lead the Naval Bases safety induction arrangements and oversee the issue of T cards and associated briefings.
- Maintain the Establishment Hazard Register, ensuring relevant hazard information, controls and emergency arrangements are shared with contractors, visiting workers and other stakeholders.
- Oversee the appointment of Building Controllers, providing advice, training and support and ensuring building logs are available and used.
- Provide timely, practical health, safety and environmental protection advice to managers and stakeholders across the Naval Base.
- Support accident and incident reporting and investigations, helping ensure incidents involving contractors and visiting workers receive an appropriate level of investigation.
- Review contractor safety procedures at least annually, check company assessment returns and provide feedback to quality assurance and commercial colleagues.
- Build effective relationships with internal teams, contractors, safety professionals and regulators, representing the safety team at relevant meetings.
- Ensure memoranda of understanding with lodger organisations are kept up to date and signed.
- Fulfill a Line Management and Reporting Officer role for a specialist officer (4C), who shall assist in the delivery of these processes.
Person specificationTo be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:
- NEBOSH General Certificate - or willing to work towards.
- A basic understanding of health, safety and environmental protection principles, including relevant legislation, policies and guidance, and the ability to apply these to workplace activities.
- An understanding of hazard identification, risk assessment and control measures, including the importance of sharing accurate safety information with contractors and visiting workers.
- The ability to monitor compliance, review evidence and identify areas for improvement, with an understanding of inspection, audit and assurance processes.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain safety requirements, provide practical advice and deliver briefings to a range of audiences.
- The ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues, contractors and external stakeholders, influencing others to support safe working practices.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to maintain accurate records, manage competing priorities and review procedures systematically.
- The ability to make evidence-based decisions, recognise when issues require escalation and challenge unsafe practices appropriately.
- The ability to lead and support a small team, encourage professional development and contribute to a positive safety culture.
Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
BenefitsAlongside 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).
- 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years service
- Market-leading employer pension contribution of 28.97%
- 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)
In Navy Command we believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and youll 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.
Youll have access to a variety of qualifications pathways ranging from GCSE/A-Level equivalent all the way up to masters 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 knowArtificial intelligenceArtificial 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 detailsThis 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.
At Sift,you will be assessed against the following;
- Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history and qualification details.
- Candidates will be required to provide a personal statement. This should be a maximum of 500 words that sets out your motivation for applying and shows how your skills and experience meet the essential requirements for the role.
Please note feedback will not be provided on your application.
At Interview, you will be assessed against the following success profiles:
Behaviour:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
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.
SecuritySuccessful 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 requirementsOpen to UK nationals only.
Working for the Civil ServiceThe 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 InclusionThe Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .
Apply and further informationThis 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 :
Recruitment team
Further informationPlease 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:
[email protected].
Attachments Navy Candidate Information Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 1513kB) Navy Candidate Attraction Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 7954kB) Defence Civil Service Offer (6) Opens in new window (pdf, 1563kB) Defence Internal Brief Notice (6) Opens in new window (docx, 39kB)