SHE Team Leader
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Salary: £62,434 per annum | Open Ended | Full Time/Part time | Closing Date: 1st October 2025
Location: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0DE
Together, our scientists, technologists, engineers and business support team explore the unknown and turn what they find into work that changes the world around us. Whether it's sending probes into space or finding new ways to treat cancer, everyone here plays a vital role in making a positive difference to society.
Come and discover how much you can achieve when you're surrounded by world-leading experts, encouraged to constantly learn and empowered to explore your curiosity.
About the role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Group Team Leader at the STFC's RAL site in Oxfordshire.
The STFC provide a wide range of SHE challenges arising from the cutting edge scientific and technology programmes that it delivers in the UK and internationally.
Dependent on skills and experience, a very attractive salary is offered supported by flexible working conditions and generous pension scheme.
This is a key senior role leading an enlarged team of specialists responsible for shaping and implementing the STFC SHE Management system.
This role reports directly to the STFC Head of SHE for whom they may be required to deputise.
As part of a team of health and safety professionals this is a busy, varied and exciting role, working closely with all departments on site, and giving great opportunities to use and develop your skills to make a difference to UK science.
List of duties / responsibilities
The successful post holder will:
* Provide timely, professional SHE advice and guidance to personnel across at all levels of the organisation and across all STFC sites, liaising with management, staff, tenants, and facility users as required.
* Build and maintain good working relationships with all stakeholders, thereby fostering and supporting a collaborative and positive SHE culture across the organisation.
* Maintain and support the development of the STFC's documented SHE Management System and its supporting processes.
* Assist in shaping STFC's SHE Management System to meet requirements, and contribute to the development and implementation of UKRI's SHE policies and procedures to ensure these are complimentary.
* Monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of STFC's SHE Management System, its policies and procedures at RAL, and other STFC sites as appropriate, to drive continuous improvement.
* Communicate and engage with key stakeholders in STFC's SHE Management System, particularly with health and safety and environment committees, trade union (TU) and other safety representatives, departmental SHE contacts, nominated responsible persons, etc.
* Act as a lead auditor in STFC's audit programme, in alignment with the ISO audit standard.
* Provide senior management with assurance regarding implementation of STFC's SHE Management System, highlighting any issues where STFC is failing to comply with legislative requirements.
* Write briefing papers and reports for senior managers to support strategic decision making in relation to SHE.
* Ensure the continuous improvement of the SHE Management System based upon experience, audit findings, external best practice, and legislative changes.
* Ensure that all SHE incidents are reported and investigated, and that action is taken to minimise the likelihood of recurrence; promulgating learning widely across STFC and UKRI wherever possible.
* Where incidents meet reporting criteria, ensure that they are reported to the appropriate authority e.g. the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or other relevant regulatory body.
* Be the principal contact at RAL for regulatory authorities during site visits, e.g. HSE.
* Lead, manage and develop the RAL SHE Group in the provision of effective, efficient and professional SHE services to all stakeholders. This includes administrative programmes for statutory inspection, and SHE training, as well as developing the competence of the SHE Advisers according to existing skills and the growing needs of the site.
* Scope, prepare and deliver engaging, innovative and effective face to face and on-line SHE training programmes, contextualising and advising on content for STFC by external training providers.
Contacts and Communication
* The post holder will work and engage with scientists and engineers through to managers and directors, departmental safety contacts and TU safety representatives.
* As a key member of a small specialist team, the post holder will collaborate with all members of the STFC SHE Group, STFC Departments and fire safety specialists in and employed by Estates teams.
* The post holder will support engagement with regulatory authorities and local fire services in particular.
Criteria for the role will be scored at shortlisting (S) and at the interview (I) stages, as follows:
Essential shortlisting criteria
* Ideally the candidate will be educated to degree level in a science or engineering discipline, and/or hold a NEBOSH Diploma (S).
* Demonstrable experience of successful delivery of a SHE Advisory role in the science, engineering, construction or technology sectors (S,I).
* A working knowledge of current and forthcoming changes to relevant UK SHE legislation (I).
* Proactive with a high degree of self-motivation and independence, able to deliver under pressure and against tight deadlines (S,I).
* Able to work unsupervised, or as part of a small team, able to lead a team of specialists managing work methodically and reliably (S,I).
* Very good interpersonal and communication skills able to work and influence staff at all levels, from director to scientist/engineer (S,I).
* Strong oral, written and report writing skills (S,I).
* Proven experience of leading and managing a team (S,I).
* Excellent IT skills, including familiarity with the Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.), SharePoint, H&S IT systems and CAD drawing systems (S).
* Chartered Membership (or working towards) of the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) (S).
* Available to work and travel in the UK and abroad (S).
* Available to work flexibly, including occasionally out of normal working hours or weekend working or telephone contact (I).
STFC values their employees by offering a benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance, including 30 days' annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege holidays, flexible working hours, a workplace nursery, exceptional average salary pension scheme, social and sporting activities and societies and a subsidised restaurant.
As one of Europe's largest research organisations, this is a place where there's always something new to learn about the world around us, about your career, but most of all, about yourself. Join us and discover what's possible.