Head of Risk and Assurance

UK Atomic Energy Authority; England; On-site; GBP 84,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy organization is seeking a Head of Risk and Assurance in the UK. This role involves leading the effectiveness of risk management practices, ensuring compliance, and advising senior leadership. The ideal candidate will have a professional risk management qualification and significant experience with ISO standards. This position offers competitive benefits, including a strong pension program, while working onsite for 3 days a week and supporting requests for flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Excellent benefits including pension

Flexible working requests supported

Qualifications

• Strong background knowledge of fusion science and technology.
• Pro-active approach to safety with UK compliance appreciation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of the risk and assurance strategic agenda.
• Monitor internal controls and drive a pro-active risk culture.
• Oversee enterprise risk assurance programmes and reporting.

Skills

Professional risk management qualification

Significant experience in managing ISO certified systems

Strong commercial awareness

Excellent Board report writing skills

Education

Professional risk management qualification including IRM Certificate / Diploma

Professional Project Management qualification

Job description

The salary for this role is 83421 excellent benefits including outstanding pension . Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week however we actively support requests for flexible working.

This role is based at the following site: Culham Oxfordshire.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions and possibly a search of open source data.

The Role

As the Head of Risk and Assurance you will be leading the delivery of UKAEA Risk and Assurance strategic agenda driving cultural improvement and embedding best‑in‑class practices and advising the Board and senior leadership on all risk and assurance matters ensuring robust governance compliance and internal controls. You will also be championing the organisational Risk and Assurance framework influencing stakeholders and developing a high‑performing team to build capability across all levels and providing independent assurance and benchmarking to maintain alignment with legislation and global best practice.

Additional Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the UKAEA risk and assurance strategy operating model and improvement plan.
• Monitor internal controls embed lessons learned and drive a pro‑active risk and assurance culture.
• Offer visible guidance and governance in risk and assurance representing UKAEA nationally and internationally.
• Guide coach and manage the risk and assurance team ensuring effective and inclusive service delivery.
• Oversee enterprise risk assurance programmes and programme board reporting ensuring alignment and effective escalation.
• Develop risk appetite integrate risk and opportunity management into decision‑making and conduct horizon scanning and risk workshops.

Qualifications

Essential Requirements

• Professional risk management qualification including IRM Certificate / Diploma or working towards IRM certification.
• Significant experience in managing systems that are certified to ISO standards.
• Passion for ensuring good risk and assurance management practices and culture.
• A pro‑active approach to safety with good appreciation of UK compliance requirements in design.
• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to make sound economic decisions that maximise project value.
• Good background knowledge and understanding of fusion science and / or technology and engineering
• Excellent Board report writing technical skills.

Desirable Requirements

• Professional Project Management qualification.
• Lead auditor / quality systems trained with experience of implementing assurance quality improvement programmes.

Additional Information

A full list of our benefits can be found here mission is clean energy for all and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds who want to help us achieve our mission. We are under‑represented from some groups and so want to encourage applications in particular from women in STEM people from Black British Caribbean and African backgrounds and from Pakistani and Bangladeshi British backgrounds. Our Executive team supported by our Head of Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Wellbeing and our EDI Networks actively promote Inclusion and takes steps to increase diversity within our organization. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.

UK Atomic Energy Authority is committed to being accessible. Please email if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis for example changes to the way we interview or share information.

Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.

Work Information

Remote Work: No

Employment Type: Full‑time