Risk and Assurance Manager (Band 4/HEO)

• Details
• Reference number
• 473879
• Salary
• £38,005 - £41,065
• Standard
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

• Job grade
• Higher Executive Officer
• Band 4
• Contract type
• Permanent
• Business area
• HSE - Science Division (SD)
• Type of role
• Audit
• Risk Management
• Working pattern
• Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part year
• Number of jobs available
• 1
• Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Buxton

About the job

Job summary

The Science, Engineering and Analysis Division (SEAD) plays a role in delivering scientific, engineering and specialist expertise that supports HSE's mission to protect people and places. As part of the SEAD Risk and Assurance Team, the Risk and Assurance Manager will help provide confidence that key risks, controls, compliance obligations and quality management arrangements are being effectively managed across a complex and technically diverse environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for an organised and analytical professional to contribute to risk, assurance, quality and compliance activities that support operational excellence and continuous improvement.

At SEAD, we are committed to developing capable risk and assurance professionals through ongoing learning, professional development and the application of industry recognised frameworks and standards.

Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• You will help deliver a planned programme of audit, assurance and compliance activity across SEAD. You will support review planning, gather and assess evidence, maintain clear records, track actions and help ensure findings are followed up effectively.
• Build relationships with stakeholders at all levels, providing constructive challenge to identify process gaps and control weaknesses, support continual improvement, and provide clear assurance updates to managers and senior stakeholders.
• Where risks, overdue actions or evidence gaps are identified, you will escalate these appropriately and support proportionate, evidence based decisions.
• Work with colleagues across SEAD to assess control effectiveness, identify emerging risks and compliance issues, analyse assurance findings and identify themes to strengthen processes, documentation, controls and reporting, supporting informed decision-making across statutory, major hazard, business continuity and governance activities.
• You will coordinate and deliver assurance reviews, audits and compliance activities, maintain oversight of action tracking and evidence, and support the development of the Division's certified Quality Management System (ISO 9001).

Person specification

Essential Skills & Criteria

• Proficient organisational skills and be able to manage and maintain assurance documentation plans, logs, trackers, evidence requests, deadlines and records accurately and to agreed standards and timescales.
• Understand how evidence is gathered, assessed, recorded and used to support findings, recommendations and improvement actions in line with assurance methodologies and good governance practices.
• Able to review data, identify themes, assess gaps, highlight risks or issues and support proportionate decision making. Translate findings into practical recommendations and measurable improvements.
• Able to produce clear reports, action updates, briefings and stakeholder communications that are accurate, concise and appropriate for the audience. You will be confident presenting findings and discussing outcomes with a range of stakeholders.
• Able to build professional relationships, clarify requirements, challenge evidence appropriately and support colleagues to improve controls, compliance and performance.
• Experience of assurance planning, action tracking, evidence review and management reporting. You will be able to monitor progress, maintain oversight of actions and support effective delivery of assurance programmes.
• Experience of supporting compliance activities related to business continuity, GDPR, environmental requirements, statutory duties or major hazard controls such as LOLER, DSEAR or COMAH.

The role requires attendance at the Buxton site for 60% of the working week. The specific days required on site may vary in line with business needs.

At HSE, we are proud to be able to offer our people the opportunity to work in a hybrid way which combines working from home and the office. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement, and your allocated office will be your contractual place of work.

There will be a requirement to travel to the Buxton office for various activities, e.g., collaborative working, supporting and training colleagues. If hybrid working is suitable for you and your role, you will be expected to attend the office, or other business-related site, for 60% of your working week. The arrangements will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account.

Therefore, we would encourage candidates to consider if the commute from home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. Please note that if you are successful, hybrid working will be discussed prior to taking up the post.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,005, Health and Safety Executive contributes £11,010 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

We invest in our people with;

• Competitive rates of pay
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97% far more than in the private sector.
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
• 185 hours annual holiday increasing to 222 hours after 5 years' service, plus public holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave (recorded as 7.4 hours in addition to your annual leave balance)
• Parental leave benefits
• As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E-Gift Cards, and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Selection Process Information

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application information

As part of your application, you will be invited to complete an anonymised CV which should include your career history, experience, and qualifications.

Please be advised that the CV is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

As part of your application you will be asked to complete a Personal Statement of no more than 1250 words which demonstrates how you meet the Essential Skills and Criteria of the job advert. You will also be asked to write 250 words on the Lead Behaviour "Managing a Quality Service".

Application guidance

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement Civil Service careers

Sift information

A sift will take place during week commencing 7th September 2026 and you will be assessed on your personal statement. We will assess your experience, skills, and knowledge against the criteria detailed above. In the event of a high number of applications at sift we will assess on the lead behaviour: Managing a Quality Service.

Interview information

Interviews will take place face-to-face at our Buxton office, SK17 9J N, during week commencing 21st September 2026. You will be assessed against experience, strengths and the advertised behaviours.

Please also note that sift and interview dates are subject to change depending on the number of applications received.

Sponsorship

This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.

Further information

Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.

From 23rd June 2025, if you are successful at interview, as part of your pre-employment checks, HSE’s Recruitment Team are required to check your details against the Internal Fraud Hub (IFH), using your personal details – name, NINO, and date of birth. If you are included on the database, you will be refused employment . If you believe that there has been an error in the inclusion of your data and wish to make an appeal, please contact the CO email box internal.fraud@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Details of the types of internal fraud/dishonesty covered by this process are defined by the Cabinet Office and can be found here Internal Fraud Register privacy notice - GOV.UK

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.

Progression through pay ranges is subject to annual pay awards as permitted within annual Civil Service pay remit guidance and negotiations with Trade Unions.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.

If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example, if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: HR.Resourcing-Team@hse.gov.uk

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

Any move to HSE 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 here.

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further;

Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter .

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)
• 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

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .

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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : John Edwards
• Email : john.edwards@hse.gov.uk
• Telephone : 07500025335

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk

Further information

Enter the complaints narrative.:

If you believe that Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition have not been met, you can raise a complaint by emailing: HR.Resourcing-Team@hse.gov.uk or by writing to HSE at the following address:

HR Resourcing Team, 2.3 Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 7HS. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact Civil Service commissioners:

https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/civilservicecodecomplaints/