Operational Safety Assurance Manager

Operational Safety Assurance Manager (Aviation & Maritime)

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Salary: £46,743 per annum
Band: UKRI Band E
Contract Type: Fixed Term (14 months - Parental leave)
Hours: Full-time/ Part Time (minimum 0.8 FTE) (flexible working available)
Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire - Hybrid working available
Reports to: Associate Director, Corporate Governance and Stewardship
Closing Date: Sunday 15th November 2026
Interview Date: Proposed date W/C 30th November

Role Purpose

This role provides an excellent opportunity to support operational safety leadership across UKRI-NERC's aviation and maritime National Capabilities. The postholder will lead the assurance, oversight and monitoring of complex operational safety management systems, providing specialist advice and challenge to operating organisations and supporting assurance reporting to NERC and UKRI senior leadership.

The role sits within the People and Operational Delivery function and plays a key role in ensuring that NERC maintains effective oversight of operational safety risks across its aviation and maritime activities. Working closely with operational safety professionals, NERC Centres, governance teams and UKRI colleagues, the postholder will help establish and mature NERC's operational safety assurance framework and support a culture of continuous improvement.

Operational safety is defined as the absence of unacceptable risk of harm to people, assets or the environment arising from aviation and maritime operations conducted within highly regulated environments.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Safety Assurance

• Lead and coordinate aviation and maritime operational safety assurance activities across NERC National Capabilities.
• Manage assurance reviews, track recommendations and support the implementation of improvement actions.
• Lead the production of assurance reports and assurance statements for senior governance bodies.
• Collate, analyse and interpret operational safety performance information and provide clear reporting to relevant governance forums.
• Lead regular reviews of assurance arrangements within organisations delivering operational activities on behalf of UKRI-NERC.
• Act as a focal point for review and oversight of safety cases, supporting evidence and assurance findings.
• Support the identification, assessment and monitoring of operational safety risks and associated mitigation measures.
• Work with subject matter experts to assess residual risk arising from aviation and maritime operations.
• Support external audits, inspections and independent assurance reviews.
• Contribute to the establishment and maturation of UKRI's operational safety assurance framework.

Governance and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as Secretariat to the Aviation Assurance Panel (AAP), Maritime Assurance Panel (MAP), and other relevant assurance and governance forums.
• Provide professional support, analysis and reporting to senior governance bodies and decision makers.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with operational safety managers, senior leaders, Centre representatives, regulators and external stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with relevant UKRI functions and government departments, including BIST, to share good practice and strengthen assurance arrangements.
• Provide advice and guidance on operational safety assurance policy, governance and reporting requirements.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of operational safety assurance processes and frameworks.
  Assurance, Reporting and Continuous Improvement
• Develop and maintain effective reporting frameworks, dashboards and management information to support operational safety oversight.
• Monitor key performance indicators and assurance metrics to assess the effectiveness of assurance activities.
• Identify emerging risks, trends and opportunities for improvement and escalate issues where required.
• Promote the sharing of lessons learned and good practice across aviation and maritime operations.

Personal Specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

• Experience of assurance, risk management, governance or operational oversight within a complex organisation. (S&I)
• Experience of delivering assurance, oversight or improvement activities within a complex and/or highly regulated environment. (S&I)
• Ability to analyse, interpret and present complex information, data and risks to support evidence-based decision making. (S&I)
• Experience of developing reports, dashboards, management information or assurance reporting for senior audiences. (S&I)
• Strong stakeholder engagement, influencing and relationship management skills, including working effectively across organisational boundaries. (S&I)
• Understanding of assurance, governance and risk management principles and their practical application. (S&I)
• Strong organisational skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes to deadlines. (S&I)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to provide clear advice, challenge and recommendations. (S&I)

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!
A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined salary pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org.

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org .

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI .

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce'.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

Artificial 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 rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.

NERC is a partner organisation within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). UKRI brings together nine organisations to create one single, independent entity with a strong voice, and a vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

NERC is the UK's leading funder of environmental science. Our scientists study and monitor the physical, chemical and biological processes on which our planet and life itself depends - from pole to pole, from the deep Earth and oceans to the atmosphere and space. The science we fund has impact across all sectors. It provides a platform for future UK prosperity by contributing to a safe, healthy, productive nation. Many programmes involve collaborations with national and international partners to tackle large-scale environmental science challenges, including those faced by developing countries.
For more information about NERC, please click here