Head of Business Operations, Governance, Risk & Compliance

Astroscale UK is seeking to recruit a Head of Business Operations, Governance, Risk & Compliance to join our evolving company. As the primary operational support to the Deputy Managing Director, you will reduce operational friction, improve assurance readiness, and mitigate H&S, security and compliance risks. You will embed safe systems of work, controls and compliance frameworks so they are consistently understood and followed across the site.

Responsibilities

• Governance & Operating Framework
• Own, maintain, and continuously improve the site’s governance and control frameworks (policies, RACI, decision rights, escalation routes), ensuring alignment with UK health & safety law, site rules, export controls, and regulatory/contractual requirements.
• Embed clear ownership for operational, H&S, and compliance controls—including stop‑work authority, decision thresholds, and risk escalation pathways.
• Ensure governance is pragmatic, scalable and used in day-to-day operations across functions and environments, while standing up to audit scrutiny.
• Interpret business strategy into operational plans: anticipate future operational requirements to enable revenue delivery, identify constraints and bottlenecks early, and drive cross-site actions to remove operational blockers.
• Lead and run the Governance & Compliance Task Force: set cadence, chair meetings, drive decisions, track risks/issues, and provide clear reporting to site leadership.
• Establish and run an Operational Systems & Controls Task Force to translate operational needs into prioritised system/control requirements, improve traceability and evidence capture, and reduce manual work and bottlenecks—partnering with IT and process owners for solution delivery.
• Coordinate Business Operations inputs to relevant management systems and certifications (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 14001, ISO 22301), working with functional owners to maintain alignment and consistent adherence to policies and procedures.
• Health & Safety, Process Clarity & Repeatability
• Define and document “how we work” across Business Operations processes, with a strong emphasis on health & safety in office, cleanroom, and development lab environments.
• Strengthen safe systems of work: risk assessments, RAMS review, contractor controls, access controls, and pre‑task briefings.
• Identify friction, duplication, or manual work and drive simplification without compromising safety or compliance.
• Standardise templates, checklists, and control points to ensure consistent, right‑first‑time execution across teams.
• Support adoption through clear guidance, communication, and coordination of training/briefings, including maintaining competence and training records where Business Operations is the process owner.
• Work collaboratively with leadership and HR to embed behavioural‑based ownership of health and safety across the organisation and support developing a safety-first culture.
• Compliance, Assurance & Audit Readiness
• Coordinate Business Operations contributions to internal/external audits, regulator/customer assurance activities, and certification processes—including health & safety, quality, security, and operational compliance.
• Maintain compliance calendars, evidence packs, statutory records, version control, and traceability for all relevant controls.
• Act as the first line of defence: identify control gaps early, triage issues, coordinate, and escalate material risks.
• Ensure actions from incidents, near misses, hazard reports, audits, and inspections are tracked to closure.
• Work with internal audit and global assurance stakeholders to provide timely responses, evidence packs and closure of findings.
• Support export compliance processes and awareness, ensuring teams understand obligations and follow required controls.
• Knowledge, Continuity & Operational Resilience
• Reduce single points of failure by embedding knowledge, guidance, and compliance requirements into accessible systems, documentation, and playbooks.
• Ensure robust handovers, succession planning, and continuity across Business Operations processes.
• Capture lessons learned from incidents, audits, and operational experience, translating them into improved safe systems of work and stronger controls.

Essential Skills

• Experience in governance, risk, health & safety or compliance roles within manufacturing, engineering, test, aerospace or similar environments.
• Pragmatic, risk‑based mindset with the confidence to challenge non‑compliance constructively.
• Strong working knowledge of UK health & safety requirements and safe systems of work (risk assessments, RAMS, contractor controls, incident management).
• Proven capability to translate business strategy into operational plans, anticipating future requirements, identifying bottlenecks and removing blockers.
• Experience designing, documenting and embedding clear, repeatable “how we work” processes that reduce risk and improve consistency.
• Experience supporting audits, assurance activities or ISO 9001 management systems.
• Strong stakeholder skills and ability to work across policy, process and people.

Desirable skills

• Knowledge of ISO 27001, ISO 14001 or ISO 22301.
• Exposure to security accreditation, facility clearance or export compliance.
• Experience working with global or international audit teams.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary.
• Opportunity to work with a highly talented, diverse & dynamic international team with cutting edge technology.
• Flexible working around core hours in a friendly and supportive environment.
• Optional 9/75 working pattern.
• Hybrid working available (dependent on individual role requirements).
• 25 days holiday (increasing yearly up to a maximum of 28 days) + 8 days Bank Holiday.
• Life insurance and long-term sick pay.
• Private healthcare (taxable benefit).
• Relocation allowance considered.
• State of the art office and cleanroom facility.
• Regular social events.

Location

Astroscale UK (Harwell).

About Astroscale

Founded in 2013, Astroscale is the global leader in on-orbit servicing, dedicated to the secure and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations. We provide trusted and value-added solutions for government and commercial clients from their geography of choice, to drive the long-term, circular space economy. Astroscale is also collaborating with government and commercial stakeholders to develop norms, regulations, and incentives that promote the sustainable growth of space.

At Astroscale we pride ourselves on our inclusive culture. Our essential criteria are based solely on the requirements necessary to perform the role. If any criteria could present a barrier, we are open to discussing reasonable adjustments and are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. Astroscale is also open to supporting job share arrangements, to further our flexible working offering.