Head of Technical Safety & Hazard Assurance

Package:
69,300 – 77,000 (salary dependent on experience) + Benefits Role :
SF20686

Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we’re not just imagining tomorrow we are creating it. From cutting-edge defence technology to ground-breaking innovations our mission is to empower and protect lives. Join us as a Senior Manager
- Technical Safety & High Hazard Assurance at our Farnborough site, where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology in partnership with some of the most brilliant minds.

The Role As a Head of Technical Safety & High Hazard Assurance, you will be the recognised UK Technical Safety Authority for some of the most complex and safety-critical activities across the business, including OME, RF, Laser, Diving and other high-hazard disciplines. Operating at the forefront of risk management, you will provide trusted expert advice and independent challenge to senior leaders, programme directors and customers, shaping critical decisions that enable safe delivery across a diverse portfolio of nationally important programmes.

Day-to-day, you'll lead and continuously evolve the High Hazard Management (HAM) framework, ensuring robust governance, assurance and risk management processes are consistently applied across the organisation. You'll oversee the quality and effectiveness of hazardous activity reviews, appoint and support competent HAM Chairs, and ensure risks are identified, assessed and managed to ALARP principles. Working closely with operational, engineering and programme teams, you'll champion a culture of continuous improvement, drive learning from incidents and investigations, and collaborate with regulators and customers to ensure complex activities remain safe, compliant and operationally effective.

Your responsibilities will include:

Own and continuously improve the UK High Hazard Management (HAM) framework, ensuring consistent implementation, governance, assurance and compliance across all high-hazard activities

Act as the recognised UK Technical Safety Authority, providing independent expert advice, interpretation of legislation and standards, and authoritative challenge on safety-critical risks and decisions

Maintain oversight of high-hazard risk across disciplines including OME, RF, Laser, Diving and other hazardous activities, ensuring risks are identified, assessed and managed to ALARP and tolerable levels

Lead high-hazard governance and assurance activities, including the Hazardous Activity Scrutiny Panel, compliance strategy, regulatory engagement, audits, investigations and risk review processes

Provide strategic leadership on risk management, advising senior leaders on risk acceptance, risk tolerability, emerging hazards, regulatory developments and the overall UK high-hazard risk posture

Develop organisational capability and safety culture, establishing competence frameworks, overseeing hazardous activity reviewers and chairs, and driving continuous improvement, operational learning and best practice across the business.

Essential experience of the Senior Manager
- Technical Safety & High Hazard Assurance:

Extensive expertise in High Hazard Management (HAM), safety risk control, hazard identification, ALARP principles and safety justification methodologies within complex, high-risk environments

Recognised Technical Safety Authority experience, providing expert interpretation of legislation, standards and policy, alongside independent technical challenge to support risk-based decision making

Deep knowledge of defence high-hazard operations, including OME, RF, Laser, Diving, Maritime, Aviation, Nuclear and Safety-Critical Systems, supported by a strong understanding of UK defence regulations and industry standards

Proven ability to develop…