UK Senior Manager High Hazard Technical Safety
// Role Summary
Lead technical safety and high hazard assurance for critical defence programmes, acting as the UK Technical Safety Authority and driving robust risk management frameworks.
// Key Responsibilities
- Serve as the UK Technical Safety Authority for complex, safety-critical activities.
- Lead and evolve the High Hazard Management (HAM) framework across the organisation.
- Provide expert advice and independent challenge to senior leaders and customers.
- Oversee high-hazard operations including OME, RF, Laser, and Diving.
- Develop organisational capability and foster a proactive safety culture.
- Eligible for SC clearance required.
// Role Specification
Senior Manager - Technical Safety & High Hazard Assurance
At QinetiQ, we are creating the future of defence technology. Join us as a Senior Manager - Technical Safety & High Hazard Assurance at our Farnborough site, working with cutting-edge technology alongside brilliant minds.
The Role
As the recognised UK Technical Safety Authority for complex and safety-critical activities, you will operate at the forefront of risk management. You will provide trusted expert advice and independent challenge to senior leaders, programme directors, and customers, influencing critical decisions to enable safe delivery across a diverse portfolio of nationally important programmes. Your expertise will span disciplines including OME, RF, Laser, Diving, and other high-hazard areas.
Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:
- Leading and continuously evolving the High Hazard Management (HAM) framework to ensure robust governance, assurance, and risk management processes.
- Overseeing the quality and effectiveness of hazardous activity reviews and appointing competent HAM Chairs.
- Ensuring risks are identified, assessed, and managed to ALARP principles.
- Collaborating with operational, engineering, and programme teams to champion continuous improvement, learn from incidents, and engage with regulators and customers to ensure safety, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
Your Responsibilities Will Include:
- Owning and continuously improving the UK High Hazard Management (HAM) framework, ensuring consistent implementation, governance, assurance, and compliance across all high-hazard activities.
- Acting as the recognised UK Technical Safety Authority, providing expert interpretation of legislation and standards, and authoritative challenge on safety-critical risks and decisions.
- Maintaining oversight of high-hazard risk across disciplines including OME, RF, Laser, Diving, and other hazardous activities, ensuring risks are managed to ALARP and tolerable levels.
- Leading high-hazard governance and assurance activities, including the Hazardous Activity Scrutiny Panel, compliance strategy, regulatory engagement, audits, investigations, and risk review processes.
- Providing strategic leadership on risk management, advising senior leaders on risk acceptance, tolerability, emerging hazards, regulatory developments, and the overall UK high-hazard risk posture.
- Developing organisational capability and safety culture, establishing competence frameworks, overseeing hazardous activity reviewers and chairs, and driving continuous improvement and operational learning.
Essential Experience:
- Extensive expertise in High Hazard Management (HAM), safety risk control, hazard identification, ALARP principles, and safety justification methodologies in complex, high-risk environments.
- Recognised Technical Safety Authority experience, providing expert interpretation of legislation, standards, and policy, alongside independent technical challenge.
- Deep knowledge of defence high-hazard operations (OME, RF, Laser, Diving, Maritime, Aviation, Nuclear, Safety-Critical Systems) and UK defence regulations.
- Proven ability to develop and govern High Hazard Management frameworks, assurance programmes, and risk review processes in highly regulated organisations.
- Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience influencing senior leaders, regulators, military authorities, and customers.
- Demonstrable track record of driving safe delivery and continuous improvement, including leading incident investigations and embedding a proactive safety culture.
Qualifications:
We value difference and welcome applicants with the required level of experience and a willingness to learn, regardless of background or education.
Working Environment:
This role is based at our Farnborough site, working 37 hours per week with a minimum average site attendance of three days per week. Travel to other QinetiQ and customer sites will be expected. Our Farnborough site features state-of-the-art facilities, including high-energy laser technologies and a unique 5m pressurised wind tunnel.
Clearance Requirements:
All applicants must be eligible for SC clearance as a minimum.
Why Join QinetiQ?
QinetiQ offers a unique working environment where diverse teams collaborate to solve complex challenges. We foster a culture where you can be authentic, feel valued, and realise your full potential. We are committed to building an inclusive and accessible workplace.
Benefits:
- Matched contribution pension scheme with life assurance.
- Generous holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days.
- Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance, and Dental Insurance options.
- Employee discount portal.
- Support for the Armed Forces community.
- Volunteering opportunities.