Safety Risk Specialist

Location: Gatwick, GB

Salary: £45,000 to £49,500 per annum dependent upon experience

Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time

Security Level: BPSS

Base Location: Gatwick – there will be a collaborative approach to office attendance that will be discussed during the interview process.

Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.

The Role

To support GDSAR, the SARG Leadership Team and Business Teams on a day-to-day basis by acting as a Key Risk Area(s) focal point as defined by the Regulatory Safety Management System (RSMS). The post holder will make important contributions to the development and refinement of the KRA including how safety issues are identified, captured, managed and overseen and how this feeds into the total system approach. The post holder will work as an integrated member of the Safety Performance Team within SARG, working to achieve optimum safety outcomes across the aviation and aerospace sector, by applying a total system risk approach to managing the Key Risk Areas and ensuring proportionate and targeted oversight within entities and sectors. This will lead and direct the applicable safety oversight teams to formulate and promote safety initiatives both within the UK and overseas. The post holder will engage directly with multiple business areas across the CAA and external stakeholders. The postholder will support the KRA Safety Risk Panels, the output of which will be presented to other RSMS governance forums, as appropriate.

Core Accountabilities

• To facilitate the framework within which the CAA ensures that state level Safety Risks and Hazards (i.e., industry wide) are captured in a way that is accurate, easily analysed, and shared.
• To support the development and implementation of the Sector and total system risk picture by providing analysis and SME input.
• To facilitate a systematic assessment, risk mitigation and improvement action for the KRA’s safety risks and hazards.
• To ensure that Safety Risk Management (SRM) practices: identification, assessment, action implementation, review effectiveness/re-assessment are aligned with CAA SRM framework.
• To ensure adherence to and support continuous improvement of business rules to support the safety management system and safety risk management principles.
• To facilitate and support business area ability to ensure actions are evaluated for effectiveness.
• To facilitate the assessment of whether there is an acceptable or tolerable level of safety for safety concerns within the KRA with the business areas.
• To liaise with RSMS Focal Points as appropriate to ensure that the KRAs’ activity is joined up and crossovers between KRAs’ safety risks and hazards are captured and managed.
• Ensure accurate and reflective KRA reporting for use by the SRPs, SRC, SLG, Board and State Safety Board as appropriate.
• Provide support and input to the continuous improvement of tools, processes and procedures surrounding the RSMS and KRA delivery.
• Engage, where required in using tools and approaches, e.g. BowTie and STPA, to support effective risk analysis, discussions for ensuring safety performance improvements.
• To facilitate assurance to heads of business teams, DSARG and the board of the full and thorough identification and management of safety risks and hazards, and that activity, priority and focus is placed correctly, proportionately and in a targeted way.
• Support PBR training on an ‘as required’ basis.
• Liaise with the Safety Intelligence Team for ensuring the tracking and monitoring for Safety Performance Indicators (SPIs) and intelligence/analysis and data associated to the KRA.
• May be required to provide secretariat support to key RSMS governance forums, e.g. taking minutes and recording actions from meetings.

About You

Required experience, knowledge, and skills:

• The capability to positively influence others internally and externally to generate momentum and achieve results.
• Ability to problem solve and have an enquiring mind to assess issues to identify the causes and possible solutions, making recommendations and tracking resolutions.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to engage and persuade people across the organisation.
• The capability to coordinate the production of high-quality deliverables (analysis, proposals and reports) that are developed jointly by a range of contributors.
• Resilience in the face of challenge.
• Anticipate, understand and respond to the requests of senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Able to be flexible and agile in their approach in response to changing demands.
• Ability to work well in a team where they are not the SME.
• People training and meeting / workshop facilitation.

Desirable experience, knowledge, and skills:

• Experience and a clear understanding of risk management approaches.
• Experience of operating Safety Management Systems.
• Experience of safety culture development.
• Experience of developing new ways to improve processes and operations.
• Experience of project management.

Additional Information

For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance. BPSS - To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken. If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application. The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Relocation & Property

The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (Our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years’ time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational and environmental considerations. We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15-mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers. We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office, before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028.

Inclusive Recruitment

We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.

Use of Artificial Intelligence by candidates in the CAA recruitment process

We recognise that many of our candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience and these may be tested at interview. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected on that basis.

Working With Us

We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us. We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance. We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!

Our Values

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone.

Closing Date: Sunday 22nd March 2026

Interview Date: W/C Monday 13th April 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. No recruitment agencies please.