Head of People Safety Delivery

• Lead the People Safety - Health and Safety Delivery team, including creation and delivery of the annual planning; reporting of MI and assurance information; developing and maintaining suitable and sufficient H&S management arrangements; and responding to incidents.
• Direct the development and implementation of a positive Health & Safety culture and environment across the DWP reflecting the changing needs arising out of Health & Safety legislation and best practice.
• Chair strategic health and safety meetings including calls with external suppliers.
• Undertake the role of subject matter expert for all People Safety health and safety matters, providing specialist expertise, advice and challenge as required, balanced with welcoming and responding to views and challenges of others.
• Where possible, discharging health and safety matters on behalf of the Deputy Director for People Safety, presenting reasonable conclusions from a wide range of complex and sometimes incomplete evidence, making decisions confidently. This will include providing assurance to the Deputy Director for People Safety that our legal responsibilities are being properly discharged.
• Regular liaison with Senior Leadership to ensure roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, understood, and executed and that the appropriate skilled resources are available across the Directorate.
• Lead onsite investigation and root cause analysis of the most significant Incident and Near Misses. Providing resolutions and specialist advice to all areas relating to health and safety as required ensuring everyone clearly understand and owns their roles & responsibilities.
• Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts with all appropriate and required cross Government Health & Safety related networks and forums to ensure People Safety roles and responsibilities are relevant and managed to ensure progress on shared objectives.
• Lead People Safety Team consultations with Departmental Trade Unions.
• Oversee the Health and Safety Delivery Teams health and safety programme of internal auditing, including process and tools to support service delivery relating to health and safety risk management. This is carried out in conjunction with any other DWP or wider cross-government programmes and audits.
• Drive the language and culture of health and safety up and into the wider business, working with other Departmental health and safety subject matter experts to ensure a holistic approach to protection of our business and our customers.
• Be a senior subject matter expert representing the Department when interacting with enforcing bodies (e.g. HSE).

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• You will have a Level 6 qualification in Health and Safety such as a NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent) and a Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH) LEAD CRITERIA.
• Significant experience of Health and Safety management and leadership within a large organisation -LEAD CRITERIA.
• Demonstrable experience working in a people safety environment, including experience of managing assaults at work and incident reporting to effectively manage risk.
• Interpretation and analysis of data to inform decision making.
• Understanding and complying with health and safety legislation and professional requirements.
• A thorough understanding of HSE management and a demonstrable track record of safety culture transformation.
• Strives for continuous improvement, innovation, performance and efficiency, taking responsibility for managing and improving all relevant standards, policies, processes, and governance relating to the role.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across the Directorate and wider DWP ensuring that cross functional ways of working, and processes are continuously improved and optimised calling out opportunities for improvement and taking ownership where applicable.
• Ensure clear roles and responsibilities are identified for all team members with defined objectives and clear accountability.
• Ensure working practices of team adhere to department standards, policies, and processes and that appropriate governance is always followed.
• Ensure individuals are taking full advantage of learning and development opportunities available to them, to enable for culture of continuous learning and high performance.

Qualifications

Level 6 qualification in Health and Safety such as a NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent)

Memberships

Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH)

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary, the Department for Work and Pensions contributes 28.97% towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

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.

Written Sift - CV and Personal Statement

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The written sift will be conducted using evidence from your 1,250 word Personal Statement and this will be assessed against the essential criteria within the advert.

In the event of a large number of applications we will use the Lead Criteria's:

• You will have a Level 6 qualification in Health and Safety such as a NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent) and a Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH) LEAD CRITERIA.
• Significant experience of Health and Safety management and leadership within a large organisation -LEAD CRITERIA.

To initially assess your application during the sift stage. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or directly to interview.

When completing your personal statement, please read and understand the Key Criteria thoroughly as this is what your written evidence will be assessed against. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You may not be able to meet all the key criteria, but please ensure you evidence: the key personal requirements and what have you done that relates to the requirements. You dont have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the skills you have that are transferable to the key requirements, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role.

CV

The CV is an on-line tool accessed through the Civil Service Jobsite and there is no requirement to upload your personal CV. Our CV element is short, and allows an initial check of eligibility, so please put the main content of your evidence and skills in your Personal Statement.

Interview - MS Teams (Virtual Interview)

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview. This will be a virtual interview via MS Teams. The interview panel will be a minimum of two people. The interview will assess: Behaviours and Strengths.

You will be expected to perform a 5-minute presentation on the behaviour - Leadership. Please note that you will not be permitted any visual aids. Further details will be given to candidates when they are invited to interview.

It may help to use the WHO or STAR model to explain:

What the task/ work was, How you approached the task/work/situation and what the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? Or What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take? What were the Results of your actions?

To help you further prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the behaviour questions 5 days prior to your interview. These questions should be treated as confidential. Candidates may be asked further probing questions to determine suitability for the role. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your experience, abilities, strengths, and technical abilities.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP .

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DWP 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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check t o Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:Contact Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the Reasonable Adjustments section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Location: London, GB

Posted Date: 9/21/2024