Senior Research and Policy Officer - Structural Safety (Band 3 / SEO)

We are looking for a technical policy advisor to assist in the development of policy in relation to the structural safety of buildings. The successful candidate will help manage research and draft revisions to support the update of the statutory guidance to Building Regulations on structural safety (Approved Document A). They will also be helping provide advice within the Building Safety Division and wider government on emerging structural safety matters.
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., The Building Safety Division is the Government's technical authority on buildings. As part of its duties to keep the safety and standard of buildings under review the regulator develops the technical standards for buildings including the full suite of Approved Documents. This role is in the Technical Policy Team of the Building Safety Division and will focus on the structural safety of buildings. You will be supporting the Band 2 structural safety lead.
We are currently establishing a program of work to systematically review structural safety risks You will assist in developing policy to address serious structural safety risks such as Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), Large Panel System Buildings and ageing building condition.
You will have to work with a range of stakeholders within government and in industry including our structural safety expert advisory group, to ensure that any policy developed is based upon sound evidence and communicated effectively.
The structural design standards in use in England (the Eurocodes) are being revised currently. Following the Eurocodes is the way most buildings demonstrate compliance with building regulations and therefore their revision is triggering a review of Approved Document A which deals with building structure. This will need to be completed by the end of 2027. You will have a key role in scoping and helping manage any research that is needed and drafting documents ready for publication.
Your responsibilities will include:
+ Helping manage relationships with key stakeholders including the Building Advisory Committee working group on structural safety.
+ Helping scope and manage research projects.
+ Contributing to advice to other colleagues within government on structural safety matters.
+ Working with other teams in the Building Safety Division on structural safety issues as they arise.
+ Writing guidance and policy documents and contributing to standards development.
The successful applicant will manage a number of areas of policy work and will need to work flexibly and often at pace. The post will be within a team of technical specialists and policy generalists responsible for a range of regulations including those for ventilation standards, accessibility, acoustics, fire and for the energy efficiency of buildings. You may be required to work across the technical policy team to deliver other areas of work when demand requires it.
This role may include occasional travel to other HSE offices including some potential overnight stays., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Working Together
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Delivering at Pace, 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.
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 D&I Strategy.
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.
We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all disabled applicants who provide evidence of meeting the minimum requirements necessary for the post.
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 criminal record check.
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) (opens in a new window)
+ 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 (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

+ Practical knowledge of building design, construction process and techniques.
+ Effective communication skills with the ability to negotiate and influence stakeholders to help shape outcomes.
+ Strong analytical skills to identify underlying issues and develop innovative, sustainable solutions.
+ Initiative and decisiveness, making sound decisions based on evidence.
+ Strong organisational and planning skills, taking responsibility for planning and delivering outcomes on time to required standard.
+ The ability to work collaboratively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, maintaining positive working relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders.
+ A proven ability to write effectively and present complex information in a clear and concise way for non-technical audiences.

Alongside your salary of £45,954, Health and Safety Executive contributes £13,312 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
+ 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
+ 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.