Head of profession health, safety & quality

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head of Profession Health, Safety, Quality & Radiation Protection. This senior role will act as the organisation’s lead Subject Matter Expert and process owner, providing strategic advice and guidance across the business. You will play a key role in developing, maintaining and continuously improving standards and processes across operations and decommissioning, while ensuring compliance with regulatory and legislative requirements and driving performance in line with industry best practice.

Join us in delivering one of the UK’s most important decommissioning missions.

At NRS Dounreay, we’re safely and securely decommissioning a former nuclear site while driving innovation, sustainability and excellence across the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) estate. We’re looking for a senior leader to shape and lead our approach to Health, Safety, Quality & Radiation Protection (HSQ & RP).

What You’ll Be Doing

• Set and lead the strategic direction for Health, Safety, Quality & Radiation Protection across the organisation
• Act as the senior subject matter expert, advising the Executive Team and wider business
• Develop, own and implement standards, frameworks and processes aligned to legislation, regulations and industry best practice
• Oversee and continuously improve HSQ & RP performance, ensuring compliance with company and regulatory requirements
• Provide leadership and direction to the HSQ & RP professional community, including capability, resource coordination and development
• Establish and maintain competence frameworks, career pathways and succession planning in partnership with HR
• Lead audits, inspections and incident investigations, engaging with regulators, auditors and external stakeholders
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and training, supporting programme delivery and representing Dounreay at NDA and external forums

About You

We’re looking for a credible and influential leader with experience in highly regulated environments, who can drive excellence in Health, Safety, Quality & Radiation Protection. You’ll be a strategic thinker, able to influence at senior levels and promote a strong culture of compliance and continuous improvement.

You’ll Bring

• Extensive leadership experience in Health, Safety, Quality & Radiation Protection within a highly regulated industry
• A relevant degree and Chartered professional membership
• Strong strategic, leadership and stakeholder engagement skills
• A passion for safety, compliance and continuous improvement

All successful candidates who do not already hold security clearance will need to provide proof of identity, eligibility to work in the UK, and employment/education history (typically covering the last 3–5 years) in line with NRS Baseline Security requirements. Some roles may also require full Security Clearance, which involves additional checks. For details, please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) guidance.