Safety & Airworthiness Specialist

Manpower UK Ltd; Andover; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading contractor in defense is seeking a Safety and Airworthiness Specialist to lead the Safety Management Systems within the UK Chinook Programme. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in aviation maintenance, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and a solid background in safety management. Key responsibilities include leading safety investigations and managing safety reports while working closely with various stakeholders. This role is critical to maintaining effective safety protocols and promoting a positive safety culture.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in aviation maintenance and/or engineering.
• Experience in managing safety reports using military or civil tools.
• Strong communication and organisational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Safety Management Systems for the UK Chinook Programme.
• Manage all safety occurrence reports and investigations.
• Ensure an effective SMS is maintained.

Skills

Safety Management Systems training

Aviation maintenance and/or engineering

Safety Risk Management

Bowtie methodology

Military aviation regulations

Safety investigation skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Job description

Role: Safety and Airworthiness Specialist

Location: Salisbury

Duration: 12 Months

Pay Rate: Negotiable

The successful candidate will become part of a large, multidisciplinary SMS team comprising approximately twenty experienced professionals in the deployment and sustainment of the SMS within the Defence UK Chinook Programme.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will lead the SMS within the UK Chinook Programme and will be responsible for ensuring an effective SMS is maintained in this crucial UK MoD programme.

• Lead the Safety Management Systems for the UK Chinook Programme.
• Lead the Safety Risk Management strategy for the Programme to effectively derive hazards and risks.
• Lead the facilitation of Hazard Identification working groups to create, review and mature Bowties.
• Sustain a Positive Safety Culture.
• Lead the management of all CH‑47 safety occurrence reports and investigations ensuring the quality and completeness of all reports.
• Perform Safety Investigations in response to the triaging of safety reports.
• Interface with both internal and external key stakeholders in the processing and managing safety reports and issues.
• Lead Safety Promotion activities in support of the Programme.
• Manage the SMS meetings schedule for the Programme ensuring effective audit trail and management of actions and deadlines.
• Creation and maintenance of SMS documentation relating to the Chinook Programme SMS.
• Establish and maintain SMS interface with the MoD Air Safety Teams and key Suppliers to the Programme.
• Manage the safety records in the Centrik tools relevant to the CH-47 Programme and SMS doctrine.

Travel within the UK is expected.

Essential Competencies, Experience and Qualities

• Formal Safety Management Systems training and experience and significant experience in aviation maintenance and/ or engineering.
• Training in Safety Risk Management and experience in utilising Bowtie methodology.
• Experience and understanding of military aviation regulations and their application.
• Qualified Safety Investigator with experience in conducting and leading safety investigations over several years.
• A sound understanding of Just Culture principles and their application.
• Experience in managing large volumes of safety reports using military or civil reporting tools and processes.
• Experience in working across multiple functions and levels to build relationships and understanding to build trust and a positive safety culture.
• The candidate should possess strong communication and organisational skills and demonstrate the ability to use common IT and project management concepts/tools.
• The role will have significant UK MoD customers, suppliers and wider interfaces and, therefore, a person who possesses good interpersonal skills balanced with diplomacy and resolve is essential.

Desirable Competencies

• Qualified and experienced Human Factors trainer.
• Experience using the MoD's ASIMS tool for in-service occurrence monitoring and trending or a civil equivalent system.
• Experience in data analytics.