General Health

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 283968**Salary**:

- £33,827 - £36,606- For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’.**Job grade**:

- Higher Executive Officer**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- DEFRA - COO - Property & Corporate Strategy - Defra Group Property**Type of role**:

- Health and Safety**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- The role is based at the Defra Weybridge laboratory site.About the job

**Job summary**:
This General Health and Safety Advisor post offers a rare opportunity to be part of the exciting changes within Defra Group Property’s (DgP) Science estate.

DgP manages the provision of facilities management services to Defra’s executive agency; the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). APHA uses a wide range of specialist facilities as part of its aims to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy. These specialist facilities include bio-containment laboratories across the UK with the main laboratory campus being located at Weybridge. The Defra Weybridge site is the largest facility in terms of size and complexity across the Defra network and is currently going through a process of major investment (over £1b) and redevelopment in order to enhance its scientific capability. The site is at the forefront of research and diagnostic testing for animal and zoonotic diseases and leads on disease outbreak response for Defra.

The DgP Technical Services team at Weybridge fulfils the role of Intelligent Client Function (ICF) for FM services across DgP’s Science Estate.

**Job description**:
The General Health & Safety Advisor will support the effective monitoring and delivery of health and safety performance improvements within Defra’s Science Estate at Weybridge. The post holder will work within a team of health and safety professionals to support the continuous improvement to the approach to health and safety risk management, implementing best practice arrangements and promoting collaboration across the stakeholders.

**Key** **Responsibilities**
- Acting as the primary contact for Defra H&S Team, answering and directing H&S queries as necessary;
- Carrying out incident investigations relating to the Defra scientific estate, ensuring they are well documented, root and contributory causes are established, and actions identified are implemented to prevent re-occurrence;
- Contributing to the review of RAMS, job plans and operating procedures for works associated with site operational risks. Contributing to the review of RAMS, job plans and operating procedures for works associated with site operational risks;
- Recording performance data and supporting assurance activities led by that data highlighting opportunities for improvement and recognising best practice;
- Collating and recording information that is used to monitor Defra KPIs associated with all aspects of site safety. Producing dashboards so that these may be presented at Board (and other meetings); and
- Acting as secretariat to the site H&S Board and similarly supporting H&S team meetings.

**Person specification**:
**Key Criteria**
- Experience in managing general health and safety in a complex environment;
- Demonstrable experience in proactive monitoring techniques such as inspection and audit;
- Experience in incident investigation, report writing and reporting data. Experience in monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) and notifying managers when KPIs have been missed so that they can take appropriate action.
- Excellent communication skills, verbal and written together with a good attention to detail and accuracy;
- Analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make decisions on when issues can be resolved and when to escalate to managers; and
- Strong Microsoft Office skills.

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

- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Managing a Quality Service

**Benefits**:

- Learning and development tailored to your role.
- An environment with flexible working options.
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
- A Civil Service pension.

**Blended Working**

The role is based at the Defra Weybridge laboratory site and you will be required to be on site 4 days a week.

Things you need to know

**Selection process details**:

- This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.**Application Process**

**Sift**

Sifting will take place w/c 30 May.

**Interview**

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed

Interviews will be held via Video.

**Location**

**The role is based at the Defra Weybridge laboratory site and you will be required to be on site 4 days a week*