JOB SUMMARY

This is an exciting time to join the Chemicals Regulation Division (CRD) with opportunities to develop and shape our regulatory schemes for the future. Our primary role is to deliver regulatory schemes intended to protect the health of people and the environment, balancing the economic and social benefits that chemicals offer to society and helping to ensure the safe and sustainable use of chemicals. We also have a role through guidance, partnership working and leadership to raise awareness and promote behaviour change to help improve the control of hazardous substances in the workplace.
We employ around 450 scientific, regulatory and support staff in various locations, including York, Bootle, Bristol, Milton Keynes and Edinburgh.

JOB DESCRIPTION

As a Strategic Operational Advisor you will support the Team Leader by providing strategic operational advice and guidance on the UK Registration, Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals regulation known as “UK REACH”.

The work of the team involves:

• Developing advice on the operationalisation of systems within the legal framework of UK REACH
• Working with operational colleagues and colleagues from other government departments
• Drafting and contributing to responses to official correspondence; MPs letters, ministerial submissions and parliamentary questions
• Ensuring delivery of REACH operational policy development to respond to current and emerging issues
• Overseeing implementation of future changes to the REACH Regulation delivering key priorities in line with government requirements
• Leading of HSE responses to work by other government departments that is relevant to REACH but also where this could impact on wider health and safety policy

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND CRITERIA

The successful candidate will have:

• Knowledge and/or experience of UK REACH work, e.g. authorisations
• Experience of delivering policy options using data, evidence and advice on the needs of those affected by the policy, also confidence in using evaluation processes to generate evidence and learning that can further inform policy, decisions and delivery
• Ability to identify gaps in evidence needs and areas of risk and challenge to support key policy matters.
• Ability to proactively create, maintain and work effectively as part of the team through active engagement with key internal and external stakeholders, responding to developing policy issues, often in complex contexts.
• Ability to plan, monitor, analyse and pull together key data concisely at pace and to present and defend HSE positions continuously seeking to improve fast paced delivery.
• Good written and oral communication skills, producing concise and accurate briefings, reports and submissions etc.

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)
• 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

RESPONSIBILITIES

You will work closely with the Team Leader to identify the priority areas for REACH and taking responsibility for the management of certain areas of the REACH process:

• Working with Defra as the lead department for REACH to ensure that statutory instruments developed in the REACH context are cognisant of HSE positions.
• Agreeing and defending HSE positions working with legal advisers where necessary
• Building relationships with teams within HSE, other Government Departments, and Devolved Administrations
• Where necessary, leading on the engagement of stakeholders to ensure accurate and timely information is collected to inform development of positions and other aspects in REACH where HSE are responsible
• Developing in depth knowledge of the UK REACH authorisation processes on applications to use substances of very high concern (SVHCs)
• The role may require line management responsibilities

Please note: this is not an exhaustive list and there may be other tasks/responsibilities that will be required as part of this role.