Job Title: Senior Permit Controller
Location: Plymouth, Devon
Compensation: £45, + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF
Lead safe operations at the heart of the UK’s naval capability
At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Senior Permit Controller at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.
The role
As a Senior Permit Controller, you’ll take a leadership role within the Permit to Work function, managing a team of Permit Controllers and acting as the focal point for confined space activities across the dockyard. You’ll ensure that high‑risk work is properly planned, authorised and monitored, enabling safe delivery of operations onboard Royal Navy warships and across site infrastructure.
Day-to-day, you’ll balance operational demands with robust safety governance, manage Authorised Person (Confined Space) competence and influence stakeholders across multiple disciplines. Alongside day‑to‑day leadership, you’ll continue to operate as an Appointed Person for confined space work, keeping your technical credibility strong while shaping safety standards across the site.
1. Leading and managing a team of Permit Controllers, ensuring consistent application of permit processes
2. Acting as the focal point for confined space activities, maintaining compliance with policies and procedures
3. Authorising and deconflicting high‑risk work, ensuring safe systems of work are in place
4. Managing Authorised Person training and competency records, including confined space appointments
5. Engaging with stakeholders, providing advice, assurance and operational updates
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at Devonport Royal Dockyard.
Essential experience of the Senior Permit Controller
6. Proven experience controlling or authorising high‑risk activities in a safety‑critical environment
7. Strong understanding of confined space operations and associated hazards
8. Experience managing or supervising teams in an operational setting
9. Experience reviewing RAMS, COSHH assessments and safe systems of work
10. Confident communicator, able to influence stakeholders at all levels
Qualifications for the Senior Permit Controller
11. GCSE Grade C or above (or equivalent) in Maths and English
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) security clearance for this role.
Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at Babcock
We’re Babcock — a global FTSE organisation with over 26, people working together to make a difference.
Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts — not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.
We call that lifetime engineering.
Join us and see how far we can go, together.
We are a disability confident committed employer.