Risk Officer in Nottingham

The Risk Officer is an integral member of the Corporate Patient Safety Team and plays a crucial role in supporting effective risk management and governance across the Trust. Working across all areas of organisational risk, the post holder will help embed and continually improve the risk management framework, provide subject matter expertise, and deliver high-quality analysis and assurance of risk registers. The Risk Officer will collaborate closely with clinical and corporate colleagues, promoting a culture of safety, transparency, and continuous improvement. The role includes maintaining risk systems, coordinating routine governance processes, and supporting training and communication activities. The post holder will work with the Head of Risk and Quality Insight and the Risk and Quality Governance Manager to implement the Trust’s risk strategy, ensure alignment with national standards, and contribute to key improvement programmes.

Main duties of the job

• Promote and embed the organisation’s risk management framework, ensuring risks are identified, assessed, and effectively managed.
• Provide expert advice, tools, training, and guidance to support teams in managing risk.
• Maintain and continuously improve risk systems, including the Risk Register and Safety & Learning System (e.g. Datix).
• Analyse risk data to identify themes, learning, and opportunities to reduce exposure and strengthen controls.
• Coordinate, facilitate, and chair operational risk-related meetings, ensuring clear actions, follow-up, and reporting.
• Aggregate and escalate risk information supporting all colleagues.
• Act as a subject matter expert and “critical friend,” offering constructive challenge and assurance to teams.
• Produce clear, high-quality reports, briefings, and presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Support delivery of the Trust’s risk strategy, improvement plan, audits, and continuous enhancement of risk processes.
• Design and deliver risk management training, supporting organisational capability and maturity.

Working for our organisation

With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation. Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career! We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Promote consistent application of the risk management framework, ensuring organisational risks are identified, assessed, and well-managed.
• Provide specialist advice to support teams in identifying, evaluating, and managing risks.
• Deliver tools, templates, guidance, and training that enable effective risk management practice.
• Identify and incorporate relevant best practice to strengthen the risk management framework.
• Provide high-quality administrative support to the Risk and Quality Governance Team and to the wider Corporate Quality Team.
• Maintain and update risk systems (e.g., Datix) and produce required reports using system dashboards, Excel, or other approved platforms.
• Coordinate and facilitate meetings related to the risk process, including scheduling, virtual management, and arranging equipment.
• In collaboration with the Risk and Quality Governance Manager, chair the Risk Management Operational Group bringing together key roles from all Care Groups and Corporate Directorates supporting the effective and efficient management of risks.
• Record accurate minutes, maintain action logs, and ensure timely follow-up.
• Support delivery of the wider risk strategy and programme of work as required.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant policies, legislation, guidelines, and national requirements.
• Review, update, and develop Standard Operating Procedures relevant to the role, ensuring alignment with organisational needs.
• Collaborate with the Quality Governance Coordinator to coordinate and facilitate meetings that support the wider Quality Team in using the Health and Safety compliance toolkit and reviewing all Health and Safety risk assessments.

Data, Analysis and Improvement

• Support the delivery, documentation, and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative risk assessments.
• Analyse risk data to identify themes, learning, and opportunities to reduce exposure and improve controls.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of data collection and reporting methods that support the organisation’s risk profile and learning.
• Work collaboratively with staff across the Trust, understanding service needs and enabling the effective use of risk processes.
• Maintain accurate and accessible risk information and ensure reporting is completed within agreed timescales.
• Produce briefings and presentations to enhance understanding of risk management and its application.
• Proactively identify and resolve issues in risk processes, escalating concerns when required.
• Support the implementation of actions within the risk improvement plan and contribute to continuous enhancement of the risk management framework.
• Lead on the maintenance, review and continual improvement of the Risk Register Module built within the trusts Safety and Learning System.

Collaboration, Communication and Engagement

• Coordinate the aggregation and escalation of risk information to support Care Group, Corporate Directorate, Executive Leadership Team and Trust Board oversight.
• Support colleagues to maintain risk registers through risk reviews, workshops, and system assurance checks, working closely with teams and risk leads.
• Act as a subject matter expert and “critical friend,” offering constructive challenge to strengthen risk management activity.
• Promote engagement with risk processes through clear, motivational communication tailored to all levels of staff.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships across clinical and corporate teams, using a clear and common language.
• Produce high-quality written reports for internal and external audiences.
• Maintain close communication with line managers and team members, ensuring relevant intelligence and system issues are shared.
• Represent the Risk and Quality Governance Team in internal and external forums, ensuring consistent and accurate communication regarding risk management systems and processes.
• Support the development and maturity of risk systems across operational and corporate divisions.
• Assist in internal and external audit activity related to the Trust’s Risk Management Framework.
• Liaise effectively with clinical and support staff regarding risk systems and processes.

Training and Development

• Support the Head of Risk and Quality Insight and Risk and Quality Governance Manager with the design and implementation of risk training across the organisation.
• Develop learning materials for face-to-face, remote, and e-learning training packages.
• Provide face-to-face and remote training on the organisations adopted risk management process and the use of the Risk Management System.
• Undertake personal development to maintain up-to-date knowledge of risk frameworks, legislation, and best practice.

Person specification

• Experience of chairing and coordinating operational meetings, supporting colleagues in making risk-based decisions and developing SMART action plans.
• Experience of presenting risk reports to operational colleagues and senior leaders enabling decisions to be made based on risk data.
• Formal qualification in risk management (Institute of Risk Management (IRM)/Management of Risk (MoR) Practitioners accreditation).
• Evidence of continuing risk management development.
• Strong knowledge of risk management methodologies, frameworks and best practice tools.
• Knowledge of current clinical issues and the changing landscape of the NHS.
• Experience supporting policy development and implementation.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills.
• Effective negotiation and influencing skills.