Operational Safety Assurance Manager (Aviation & Maritime)
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) - Head Office
Salary: E £45,272 per annum F £56,745 per annum (dependent on skills and experience).
Band E/F (dependent on skills and experience).
Hours: Full time
Contract Type: Open Ended.
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire. (Hybrid Working – min 2 days a week at HQ / programme sites)
Closing Date: 06/01/25
Reporting to Simon Durbin, NERC MP Associate Director / Jen Jamieson Ball MP Deputy Director
This new role provides an outstanding opportunity to support operations safety leadership, ensuring UKRI assurance of operational safety of air and maritime UKRI-NERC National Capabilities. The role will lead the assurance and monitoring of our complex operations safety management systems, provide operations safety leadership for NERC to our Centres, working closely with H&S Head of Function, and with responsibilities for operational safety assurance to UKRI senior management.
The newly established Operational safety function in UKRI aims to ensure a ‘beyond compliance’ safe environment for all aviation and maritime National Capabilities. Operational safety is defined as the absence of unacceptable risks, injury or harm to the health of humans, whether direct or indirect, resulting from damage to platforms or the environment, within the context of operating platforms in highly regulated environments, such as airspace or shipping.
The role is essential to shape and focus NERC Major programmes critical oversight processes within the UKRI context and in conjunction with the NERC Governance team and operating centres.
Within the Major Programmes team, the post is pivotal as an expert member of the team in supporting delivery across the project portfolio within our Centre of Excellence (Engine Room). Major Programmes provides a range of services and leadership activities to our infrastructure to meet NERC Science and Net Zero targets and aid our understanding of Earth systems; ‘from the poles to the skies’.
Key responsibilities
* Managing a number of UKRI critical assurance activities (specifically aviation and marine), defining programmes, matching resources, reviewing cases, working closely with Centres, SROs and Project Directors to ensure recommendations are understood and implemented;
* Secretariat to UKRI Aviation Assurance Panel and other similar high level committees as necessary;
* Provide guidance and leadership to ensure effective development of the Directorate’s large infrastructure assurance planning developing links with UKRI and DSIT to ensure best practice is adopted within our portfolio;
* Advising on aviation and maritime operational safety policy and processes, working with internal stakeholders in UKRI & NERC;
* Supporting maturation and embedding of safety assurance function within UKRI, NERC and partner organisations;
* Supporting operational safety professionals in providing a common consistent approach through working with stakeholders in our Centres managing operational activities, including operational safety managers in those organisations and suppliers who deliver operational activities on UKRI’s behalf;
Lead on Operational Safety Assurance by:
* Leading on regular assurance reviews and production of assurance statements covering UKRI operational activities;
* Collating, analysing, reporting and advising upon the aviation safety performance of air and maritime National Capabilities, reporting to relevant governance fora on the outcomes of assurance activities;
* Leading on regular reviews of assurance requirements within all organisations delivering operational activities;
* Supporting the establishment of processes that create assurance outcomes;
* Acting as the secretary to the UKRI Aviation Assurance Panel and equivalent Maritime forum once established;
* Acting as a focal point for regular review and oversight of safety cases and underpinning evidence, driving resolution of any issues and recommendations raised by the operational safety managers;
* Acting as a focal point for regular reviews and oversight of safety risks and mitigations;
* Working with subject matter experts to assess residual risk from UKRI operations; and
* Supporting the conduct of operational safety audits by external auditors and lead stakeholders.
As a key member of the Major Programmes ‘Engine Room’:
* Develop project specific dashboard reporting and provide effective professional support to the NERC Deputy Director, Aviation Assurance Board, Audit Board and other relevant bodies to agreed times and process, including secretariat and analytical support as required;
* Scope and develop plans for excellence-based assurance and administrative processes to support NERC and UKRI large infrastructure project operations and development, to support the provision of UK critical assets for the public good to world class standards;
* Maintaining and developing transparent and inclusive reporting frameworks and systems that deliver effective governance across the NERC and UKRI reporting lines;
* Maintaining and developing appropriate management information systems;
* Owning the Key Performance Indicators used to assess the state of the relevant assurance activities;
* Providing advice to leaders, project managers and sponsors on the use of tools and techniques for assurance, programme and project management;
* Ensuring there are effective collaborative relationships between the PMO and the wider organisation, including NERC HO teams, UKRI Corporate Finance and other relevant functional areas and Business Hub;
* Work within an expert team to ensure assets are appropriately managed, governed, monitored, evaluated and lessons learnt are communicated through focused assurance reviews and other management processes; and
* Build and foster strong relationships working within and beyond UKRI, including NERC Centres, to ensure commitment to operating efficiently and safely.
Shortlisting and Interview criteria
Band E Essential
Experience of:
* Operational assurance, risk management and project delivery within similar Research Council environments.
o Building and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders at many levels of seniority
o Delivery of organisational critical activities in complex environments
o Leadership skills with a can do attitude to get the right things done efficiently
o Understanding organisational needs and defining solutions through collaboration and effective communication
o Encouraging high performance across the team
o Strong financial awareness and budgetary experience
* Analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills and an ability to think logically and strategically, often at pace.
* Broad commercial, business and project management skills including experience of multi-tasking, prioritising and matrix managing colleagues to successfully deliver activities / projects.
* Logical with excellent numeracy, Office IT and analytical skills;
* Outstanding stakeholder engagement experience.
* Demonstrable effective communication skills (both written and oral) with the ability to produce clear, concise, accurate spreadsheets, presentations and written technical and accessible documentation for a wide range of audiences.
* Experience and understanding of the skills and challenges associated with working in Centre and Research Council environments and ‘nudging’ leaders and teams to ensure effective outcomes in line with organisational objectives, generating ‘one team’ approaches.
Band F Desirable:
* Demonstrable significant experience gained in an operational setting and/or qualification in:
o Operational risk, engineering or operational safety
o Aviation or maritime operations
o Aviation or maritime maintenance
o Assurance in any highly regulated industry
o Quality assurance management experience in an engineering environment
* Executive level secretariat experience, supporting complex technical meetings.
* Understanding monitoring and evaluation principles and how these can be used to support the development of large infrastructure operations, investments and complex change programmes.
* Professional administration / project experience.
* Commitment to further develop professional administration, operational & technical assurance (aviation and marine) and general project management skills.
* Degree in engineering discipline or equivalent experience.
* Professional qualification in governance, risk or project management.
How to apply:
For full details, please visit our careers site. Please submit an application including your CV and a Cover Letter that showcases how your skills and experience align to the requirements of the role.
A well thought through application providing evidence and examples of how you meet the advertised essential and desirable criteria for the post will be considered far more favourably than a generic covering letter and CV.
UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.
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