Safety and Assurance Officer

THE MARINE SOCIETY AND SEA CADETS; England; Hybrid; GBP 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading maritime charity in the UK seeks a Safety and Assurance Officer to maintain high standards of safety and compliance across units and events. This home-based role serves the Southern area, requiring travel and occasional evening/weekend work. The successful candidate will deliver safety training, oversee safety at events, and support inshore boating activities. Applicants should hold a NEBOSH qualification or equivalent and have experience in safety management and incident reporting.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Hybrid working for many roles

Volunteering Leave

Life assurance (4x salary)

Private medical insurance

Generous pension (up to 10% employer contribution)

Cycle to work scheme

Access to the Marine Society Digital Library

Wellbeing portal and EAP with 121 counselling

Employee development opportunities

Qualifications

• Good general education and NEBOSH qualification (or equivalent).
• Experience implementing safety and environmental management systems.
• Ability to manage, investigate, and report incidents.
• Capability to train non-specialists on safety and assurance matters.
• Proven track record in managing workload and volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Ensure highest safety standards across units and facilities.
• Lead assurance inspections and maintain compliance.
• Support safe management of weapons and inshore boating activities.
• Oversee safety at events, camps, and competitions.
• Conduct audits and monitor incident reporting.

Skills

Implementing safety management systems

Conducting risk assessments

Managing and reporting incidents

Delivering training and support

Workload management

Education

Good general education and NEBOSH (or equivalent)

Job description

Job Title : Safety and Assurance Officer

Location : Homebased (Southern area), with some travel to the Portsmouth Area required.

Salary : £32,000 gross per annum

Job type : Full time, permanent

Closing Date : 21st November 2025.

Are you a Safety Specialist looking for a new opportunity?

The Marine Society & Sea Cadets (MSSC) is the leading maritime charity for youth development and lifelong learning. We are a vibrant and growing charity inspiring young people to achieve their potential through challenge and nautical adventure and also enabling seafarers and maritime professionals to realise their potential through learning and career development. Working with our employees, cadets, and volunteers, we have built a strong vision and five-year Future Ready strategy to meet the growing demand for what we provide, both for young people, seafarers and maritime professionals - and the thousands who aspire to be the sea cadets and marine professionals of the future. It is also about equipping them to achieve their potential and thrive in a rapidly changing world, while growing our charity to benefit even more people - including those from under-represented or marginalised groups.

We are currently looking for a Safety and Assurance Officer to join our team.

About the role

The Safety & Assurance Officer (SAO) is an employee of the MSSC and a member of the MSSC National Safety Assurance Team (NSAT). This is a home-based role, with a primary focus on the Southern area, predominantly the South-East. The SAO will report to the Head of Safety, Health, and Environment.

The SAO will work closely with other SAOs and will be functionally accountable to :

• The Head of Inshore Boating for inshore boat assurance
• The Staff Royal Marines Officer for weapons and ammunition safety and security assurance

The role requires regular travel within the area of responsibility and, on occasion within the UK. It will involve evening and some weekend work to fulfil the role's responsibilities.

Requirements

• Qualifications : Good general education and NEBOSH (or equivalent), with completion required during probation if not already held.
• Safety & Environmental Management : Experience implementing safety and environmental management systems, conducting risk assessments, and working within formal assurance frameworks.
• Incident Management : Experience managing, investigating, and reporting incidents.
• Training & Support : Ability to deliver training, guidance, and support to non-specialist staff or volunteers on safety, health, environmental, and assurance matters.
• Workload & Volunteer Management : Proven ability to manage a busy workload and effectively support and manage volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Join the Marine Society & Sea Cadets as a Safety and Assurance Officer, ensuring the highest standards of safety, health, environment (SHE), and operational compliance across our units and facilities.
• You'll lead assurance inspections, maintain compliance with legislation and organisational regulations, and support the safe management of weapons, armouries, and inshore boating activities. Working closely with other members of the National Safety and Assurance Team (NSAT) and Area teams, you'll oversee safety at events, camps, and competitions, conduct audits, and monitor incident reporting.
• This role plays a vital part in upholding the safety and welfare of our cadets and volunteers through proactive assurance, training, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave per annum, increasing with length of service
• Hybrid working for many roles
• Volunteering Leave
• Life assurance (4x salary)
• Private medical insurance
• Generous pension (employer contribution up to 10%)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to the Marine Society Digital Library
• Wellbeing portal and EAP with 121 counselling
• Employee development : We are investing in our employees' development and have an annual calendar of learning and development opportunities, designed to support employees to develop into their roles and stretch them to achieve their full potential.

Additional Information

MSSC positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates from all backgrounds. Equity, diversity, and inclusion really matters to us, so we can best serve our beneficiaries from every community. We work to ensure a fair and consistent recruitment process and aim to be a charity where diversity of experience, identity and skills are valued and welcomed. MSSC is an equal opportunities employer.

All successful applicants are required to attend safeguarding training and undergo pre-employment checks including a criminal record check.

Please click APPLY to be redirected to our website to complete your application.

Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of; Safety Manager, EHS Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, HSE Advisor, Safety Specialist, Health and Safety Coordinator, or Compliance Officer, will be considered for this role.