Jobs at Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) (Now Hiring) — 6 open

Organisation: Defence Equipment & Support 
Salary: £59,200 per annum (plus generous benefits)
Grade: PI 
Working Pattern: Full time, Part time, Job Share, Flexible Working
Contract Type: Permanent

Job Summary

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes, and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

DE&S has recently been integrated into the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group. The NAD Group brings together key Ministry of Defence (MOD) organisations to unite expertise across science, technology, procurement, infrastructure, and support to provide integrated capabilities faster and more efficiently for our armed forces and our allies.  This is an exciting new opportunity to enable better ways of working and empower greater collaboration across Defence. For further information about the NAD Group, please visit: National Armaments Director Group - GOV.UK.

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of 28.97%, to help make work for you.

Job description 

This is a unique opportunity to shape how Health, Safety & Environmental Protection (HS&EP) is delivered across multiple areas of Defence. You will play a vital role in ensuring that our people and others affected by our activities are protected, that our operations remain environmentally responsible, and that our organisations consistently deliver outputs that are both safe to operate and operated safely. By developing policy, professional standards, and assurance activities, you will help create the conditions necessary for a safe, sustainable, and effective working environment.

In this strategic role, you will collaborate closely with senior leaders, specialist practitioners, and key stakeholders to embed continual improvement, strengthen organisational resilience, and influence the governance and arrangements that underpin effective HS&EP management. Your proven leadership and expertise across a broad range of specialist disciplines—including occupational safety, health and wellbeing, environmental protection, fire safety, risk management, assurance, and incident management—will be essential to your success.

Joining us means taking responsibility for developing and authoring HS&EP policy and standards that implement a unified Safety and Environmental Management System (SEMS). This system is designed to deliver a consistent and proportionate approach to managing health, safety, and environmental risks across multiple organisations. You will have the scope to foster a positive HS&EP culture by influencing behaviours, strengthening decision-making, and promoting a collective commitment to keeping people safe and enabling safe delivery.

You will lead assurance activities, analyse performance and risk information, and provide professional oversight to a network of specialist advisers and subject matter experts. This role empowers you to work directly with senior leaders on complex and high-profile challenges, while benefiting from investment in your professional development and coaching.

Please note that this role can be carried out at any of our sites across the UK with some travel to other sites and locations required. Travel expenses to and from other sites apart from your designated permanent duty station will be covered.

What Our People Say

"The organisation provides a genuine opportunity to influence policy, set professional standards and work across a diverse range of environments. The breadth and scope to deliver meaningful improvements for people across Defence is both challenging and highly rewarding."

We champion flexible ways of working which include regular in-person attendance at our sites across the UK with an expectation of this being at least one day a week to promote the benefits of face-to-face collaboration and flexibility of hours to support work-life balance and business need. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourself with the site, Stakeholders and your role.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role you’ve been recruited for. If it isn’t obtained or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months. 

What you’ll be doing

• Provide tactical H&S advice on complex and contentious issues. 

• Development of H&S policies, procedures, guidance, and rules for DE&S. 

• Manage functional assurance activity to ensure due diligence. 

• Conduct H&S trend analysis and provide functional advice to relevant stakeholders. 

• Analyse status and risk reports against KPIs and BPIs, communicating key outputs to necessary stakeholders.

• Assist in analysing the skill requirements for the OHSE specialism, helping to provide training and development where appropriate.

Person specification
To be successful with your application, you'll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Lead Criterion - Demonstration of working in a Health and Safety leadership role

• NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent Level 5/6 qualification.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Core Behaviour 1: Leadership – CSBC 4 

• Core Behaviour 2: Changing and Improving – CSBC 4 

• Technical Competence 1: Fundamentals (OHSEP) – Expert 

• Technical Competence 2: Conducting Risk Assessments (OHSEP) – Practitioner/Expert 

Offered benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days

• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So, whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

#LI-Hybrid

Further Information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles - Civil Service Commission 
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-candidate-information-pack
• Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
• Civil Service Code: The Code - Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Disability Confident:

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Conflicts of Interest:

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.

Selection Process Details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - We will check your application to ensure that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.

2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.

3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you will be assessed against the following:

• CV Review

• Core Behaviour 1

• Core Behaviour 2

• Technical Competencies

 

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:  

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1 
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 2 
• 3rd: Technical Competencies 
• 4th: CV Review 

 

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to utilise the Lead criteria, and/or an additional assessment. Please note for this specific assessment, the Lead Criteria will be:

Demonstration of working in a Health and Safety leadership role

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email ([email protected].) If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission

Offering at a lower level

If you’re not successful at interview, we may offer you a role at a lower level if this is a match for your skills and experience. If this applies to your application, you’ll be scored against criteria for the lower-level role and offers will be made in merit order. If you accept this position, you’ll be able to take advantage of opportunities to develop your career as part of our team.

Join an integral part of the UK's Defence and play your part in the procurement and in-service support of all our armed forces’ equipment, from fighter jets, armoured vehicles and aircraft carriers, to clothing, food, and ammunition. If you have the pride, passion and commitment to be part of an exciting organisation at the forefront of supporting our country's armed forces to deliver on operations at home and abroad, then apply online now!
Corporate Services Group (CSG) is the glue that bonds DE&S together, providing the foundation that keeps day-to-day operations running smoothly, so we can keep the UK military equipped, protected and connected. With experts in everything from business support and policy to infrastructure and occupational health, this department is represented across our organisation, enabling our success.