Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

CANDIDATE BRIEF

Operations Director

Dounreay Site Restoration Limited

Veredus Ref: 24420

August 2020

CONTENTS

Welcome Message 3

About NDA 4

About Dounreay Site Restoration Limited 5

Diversity and Inclusion 6

The Role 8

The Recruitment Process 13

Overview of the Process 14

Annex A – Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form 15

Annex B – Candidate Supporting Information Form 18

WELCOME MESSAGE

Why Join DSRL? Dounreay has a rich tradition of innovation in Science and Engineering since the 1950’s, and that continues as we decommission the facility. It is unique both in the UK and internationally as it represents the short phase of nuclear fast breeder technological development. The UK is one of the global leaders in Nuclear and the Decommissioning sector and the site is one of the most challenging in the NDA Portfolio. It has been a vital source of jobs and prosperity within the local community and the NDA are committed to assisting in helping develop future economic opportunities with local and national government leaders. The site has well established international links, particularly with Japan. We are looking for people who are qualified, motivated and want a career in the NDA. Our number one priority is Safety, and we expect our Leaders to lead by example. As part of the DSRL Team you will be expected to collaborate closely with each of the other NDA Businesses, and take a lead role within the industry. Alan Cumming Group Director of Nuclear Operations, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

ABOUT NDA

The NDA is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Established by the Energy Act 2004, it employs 250 staff across 17 sites in the UK. It is responsible for establishing strategy, allocating budgets and monitoring progress of the decommissioning and disposal of the UK’s earliest nuclear facilities, ensuring the safe management of all waste products both in the short and long-term and overseeing the decommissioning plans of nuclear reactors currently operating in the UK. Its mission is to deliver on these responsibilities whilst never compromising on safety or security, taking full account of its social and environmental responsibilities, seeking value for money for the taxpayer and actively engaging with stakeholders. This mission is delivered through the NDA’s 12 operating companies which in total comprise of around 16,000 staff.

ABOUT DOUNREAY SITE RESTORATION LIMITED

Dounreay is Scotland’s largest decommissioning project and is widely recognised as Europe’s most complex nuclear closure programme.

For more than 50 years it was known as the centre of the UK’s fast reactor research and development and now the team is aiming to be recognised as a centre of excellence for nuclear decommissioning.

It offers an opportunity to be involved in some of the UK’s most leading-edge technical projects, developing unique skills and experiences which are highly sought after across the industry.

The largest employer in the area, Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) employs more than 1,100 people in Caithness, with a similar number supporting operations from organisations such as the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and supply chain partners.

Its vision is “to be recognised globally for decommissioning excellence, supporting the creation of sustainable alternative employment.”

Covering 181 acres, with around 320 individual facilities, the site is as varied as it is complex. The decommissioning and clean-up programme includes 3 different reactors, fuel fabrication and reprocessing plants and unique waste facilities. They include a 1950s built 65-metre-deep waste shaft which is due to be emptied as well as modern purpose-built Low-Level Waste disposal vaults. The site’s interim end state is due to be reached in the 2030s.

Regularly attracting nuclear industry experts from as far afield as Japan, Canada and Australia, the site team is undertaking first-of-a-kind clean-up activities and the lessons being learned are helping to shape plans worldwide.

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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Our mission

‘To clean up the UK’s earliest nuclear sites safely, securely and cost-effectively with care for people and the environment.’

• Delivering our mission together safely, securely and more creatively, transparently and efficiently

• Creating great places to work and taking pride in what we do

• Trusted to do more in the UK and globally

At its heart, One NDA is about people and culture. How we do things is as important as what we do. As well as being compliant with laws, regulations, policies and procedures, displaying the right values and behaviours is critically important. Great places to work We want our workplaces to be those where people feel proud to work, are supported to do their best work and where our leaders’ ethics and values are visible in their actions every single day. One NDA does not replace the values of businesses or their responsibility to build and sustain a positive safety culture in their organisations. Instead it will align the NDA group on some key principles, which are commonly important to us all. These are the foundations on which a One NDA culture will be built:

• Respect and inclusion • Openness • Collaboration • Performance • Creativity and innovation

Respect and inclusion We want to build great places to work where people feel respected, included and able to perform at their best. It’s not only the right thing to do but good for our mission. Attracting the skills and talent we need over the coming years calls for us to be a modern and inclusive employer. The NDA group is actively pursuing a programme of work to achieve the ambitions of our NDA group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. Openness A culture of trust and openness needs to be reflected in everything we do. This includes how we lead our businesses, share and receive information and ideas, make known and respond to mistakes and engage with our stakeholders. We understand the critical importance of fostering and sustaining openness about how safety concerns are raised, investigated and acted on; it is this culture that helps us to maintain our excellent safety records. Openness across business boundaries is a key enabler to One NDA.

We want to build great places to work where people feel respected, included and able to

perform at their best.

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Collaboration One NDA has been developed to maximise success through greater coordination of work and collaboration. This is about people at all levels, and regardless of group employer, working together and acting in the interests of the mission and the taxpayer. One NDA includes a greater emphasis on being part of a group and where possible enabling greater flexibility to move between organisations. Collaboration needs us to embed transparency, trust and communication into the way we work and be driven by inclusive leaders who believe in the benefits of One NDA. Notes: Equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) underpins One NDA and the People Framework to embed ED&I into the culture, policies, practices and behaviours of the group. The ED&I Strategy ensures that the group has the capability to deliver its vision, to transform work environments into places where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and where differences in thought and experience are encouraged. ED&I is an enabler that drives high performance, through collaboration and supporting the development of a group wide inclusion approach that is articulated within group and business strategies. It’s the right thing to do and we have a legal responsibility within the Equality Act 2010 to

ensure that we can deliver the mission inclusively, as well as, our defined responsibilities to the communities in which we operate. The Nuclear Sector Deal recognises the sector ED&I challenges. The sets out challenging target of 40% women by 2030. To be a high performing modern employer we recognise the need to improve workforce diversity and addressing historical STEM / sector barriers for women and ethnic minorities. This work will enable the group to become an employer of choice, reduce its Gender Pay Gap and meet the Ethnicity Pay Gap reporting requirements. ED&I is an enabler to drive the delivery of the mission through our people by attracting and developing our talent and creating an inclusive culture in which they can thrive. Building ED&I capability will enhance our delivery across strategic workforce planning, attraction and recruitment, talent development and succession, employee engagement, learning and development, health and wellbeing, agility and flexibility and workforce reform. ED&I work supports the people elements of the Nuclear Sector Deal (40% women by 2030) and our ED&I approach seeks to move the dial on women in Nuclear and widen the focus to other diversity strands such as ethnicity, age, mental health, disability, LGBTQ and religion / belief.

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THE ROLE

Job Description

Role title Operations Director Salary Range Competitive

Function Dounreay Site Restoration

Limited Role Level

Range Personal Contract

Holder

Base Location Dounreay Role Type Permanent

Purpose of the Role:

• Provide overall leadership and management of operations. • Act as the Chief Nuclear Officer. • To deputise for the Site Managing Director, when requested.

Key Requirements of the Role:

• Contribute to decommissioning strategy with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. • Ensure decommissioning and operational activities are planned and executed in a safe,

secure and environmentally compliant manner. • Optimising plans including responses to changes where necessary. • Manage the preparation and implementation of the Dounreay asset management plan

and knowledge management plan. • Ensure the site organisation has the capability and capacity to manage and deliver the

baseline scope. • Manage organisational arrangements to ensure they are contemporary, fit for purpose

and adhere to the highest practicable standards of safety, security, quality and environmental compliance.

• Represent Dounreay at external forums. • Manage the interfaces with NDA Business Facing Team. • Manage internal and external stakeholders and regulators. • As an ExCo member, contribute to the development of site business strategy and

implement this within the specific area of responsibility and across the whole site as part of management teams.

• Perform the responsibilities of Management Appointments relevant to the post including appointment to Site Emergency Response Role.

• Lead Dounreay staff as a Senior Manager.

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Mandatory Training Requirements (Excluding Site Basic Induction and Associated Legislative Training)

• Licence conditions. • Environmental legislation, systems and processes.

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Person Specification

Qualifications:

• Degree in Science/Engineering or equivalent qualification plus experience

Experience

• Evidence of project management and control skills to deliver either a project of high complexity and risk or a programme of projects of medium risk and complexity.

• Evidence of an understanding of the operation/decommissioning of buildings/plant safely. • Proven track record of a detailed knowledge of all aspects of nuclear safety, backed up

by sound theoretical and/or practical knowledge and experience. Participation in site nuclear safety working parties or committees, investigations of non-compliances together with arising recommendations and remedial action based on best practice.

• Successful track record in the promotion of best practice in all elements of nuclear safety management at a site or department level to ensure learning from experience.

• Evidence of an understanding of safety case documentation and how to apply it. Understanding of outputs of risk and hazard assessment techniques audits and reviews and ensures appropriate action is taken.

• Evidence of an understanding of HR strategy and policies together with the business drivers behind organisational change and their impact on the Nuclear Baseline.

• Evidence of the knowledge, skills and experience to manage suppliers of professional services, equipment, materials and site work to ensure Dounreay’s requirements are met whilst protecting Dounreay’s interests.

Key Competencies:

• Understanding of the long-term strategic direction of the business, the environment in which the business operates and the drivers for change.

• Understand technical, operational, financial and risk issues. • Management and delivery of the DSRL Lifetime Plan. • Motivate the direct and indirect workforce to establish improving productivity and positive

morale. • Setting and contributing to Dounreay’s policy on project strategies, organisation,

processes and tools. • Knowledge of all Dounreay’s operation/decommissioning activities including site

management, fuel manufacture, waste reprocessing and waste management. • Promotion of best practice in all elements of safety management at a site or department

level to ensure learning from experience. • Ability to liaise authoritatively with regulators and other key stakeholders to meet and

maintain licence conditions. • Ability to analyse, interpret and report financial information and the ability to recognise

and understand the project controls deliverables. • Understanding of Site Security Planning, Emergency Planning and local exercises. • Understanding of the Quality Management Requirements as described License

Condition 17 and international standards. • Understanding of the philosophy and practical application of knowledge management.

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• Understanding of the board’s corporate governance role in terms of concepts, principle and codes of practice. Understanding of the distinction between governance, direction, management and ownership.

• Understanding the role of the board, the legal duties and liabilities of individual directors and the board together with disclosure requirements.

We value the unique differences that each of our colleagues bring to work every day and are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, included and able to perform at their best. At the NDA we are committed to creating a workplace that is diverse and inclusive, and we therefore particularly welcome applications from women, BAME, LGBT+ and disabled candidates.

We are happy to talk flexible working.

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THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

To apply for this post, you will need to submit the following documentation to us by no later than 23:59 BST on Sunday, 6th September 2020. 1. A CV setting out your career history, with

key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps.

2. A Supporting Statement (approximately two pages of A4) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to criteria in the person specification. Failure to submit both a CV and Statement of Suitability will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your

application against the criteria in the person specification. Please ensure that both documents contain your full name.

3. A completed Diversity Monitoring Form (Annex A). All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence, will not be provided to the selection panel and will not affect your application in any way. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say'.

4. A completed Candidate Supporting Information Form (Annex B).

Applications should be sent via Veredus website - www.veredus.co.uk, quoting the relevant reference number: 24420 - Operations Director All submissions will receive an automated response. If you do not receive confirmation of receipt when submitting your application, please contact us on 020 7932 4236.

At Veredus, we take care to protect the privacy of our candidates and clients. To read more about how we collect, store and share your data please read our privacy notice which can be accessed here: https://www.veredus.co.uk/privacy-and-cookies Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via: centralgovernment@veredus.co.uk Further Information If you have any questions about the role or would like to discuss the post further, please contact our advising consultant at Veredus: Stephen Womersley on 07808 015674 – Stephen.womersley@veredus.co.uk

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OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS

When you submit your application, you will receive an acknowledgement. Veredus will update you once the selection panel have reviewed all the applications after the closing date. Applications will be reviewed by the NDA selection panel to select those which demonstrate the best fit with the post against the criteria set out in the person specification. Please ensure you keep this in mind when writing your CV and supporting statement. If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to attend a preliminary interview with Veredus. Full details of the selection and assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates once the shortlist has been completed. Prior to the final panel interview, shortlisted candidates may be required to attend a series of further selection assessments. Indicative Timeline

Please see the timetable below for indicative dates:

• Closing date: 23:59 Sunday 6th September 2020

• Candidates are informed of next steps: w/c 7th September 2020 Please note that the dates listed are accurate at the time of writing but may be subject to change.

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ANNEX A – EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY MONITORING FORM

The intention of monitoring and analysis is to establish if there are different success rates between genders, people of different sexual orientation, ages, different ethnic backgrounds or faiths, and people with disabilities. If there are differences in success rates it will enable action to be taken to ensure that no group is treated unfairly. Your answers will be treated confidentially and will not affect your application in any way.

Personal Details:

Age: 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Gender: Male Female Prefer not to say

Gender Identity (if appropriate)

If you identify as transsexual, transgender (in that you have effected a permanent change of gender identity) or as intersex which group do you identify with?

Transsexual Transgender Intersex

Working Pattern: Part time Full time Job Share Other.............................

Ethnic origin: Please tick against one of the following:

Asian or Asian British

Bangladeshi

Indian

Pakistani

Any other Asian background

Please specify below if you wish.......

...........................................................

Mixed

White and Black Caribbean

White and Black African

Asian and White

Any other mixed background

Please specify below if you wish.......

.................................................

Black or Black British

African

Caribbean

Any other Black background

Please specify below if you wish.......

White

British

English

Irish

Scottish

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........................................................... Welsh

Any other White background

Please specify below if you wish.......

...........................................................

Chinese or Other ethnic group

Chinese

Any other

Please specify below if you wish...............................................................

Prefer not to say

Disability: Please tick against one of the following:

Do you consider yourself to have a disability under the Equality Act 2010?

In the Act, a person has a disability if:

they have a physical or mental impairment

the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities

For the purposes of the Act, these words have the following meanings:

'substantial' means more than minor or trivial

'long-term' means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least twelve months (there are special rules covering recurring or fluctuating conditions)

'normal day-to-day activities' include everyday things like eating, washing, walking and going shopping

Yes No Prefer not to say

Please describe the nature of your disability

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This information is provided for monitoring purposes only – if you need any reasonable adjustments you should arrange these separately.

Religion or belief: Please tick against one of the following

No religion

Baha’i

Buddhist

Christian

Hindu

Jain

Jewish

Muslim

Sikh

Other

Please specify below if you wish…………………………

Prefer not to say

Sexual Orientation: Please tick against one of the following

Bisexual

Gay Woman/Lesbian

Prefer not to say

Gay Man/Homosexual

Heterosexual/straight

Please indicate which media/journal you saw this position advertised in.......................................

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ANNEX B – CANDIDATE SUPPORTING INFORMATION FORM

POSITION APPLIED FOR:

REFERENCE NO:

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

SURNAME

FIRST NAME

INITIAL(S): TITLE:

PERMANENT HOME ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE (including post code):

MOBILE and/or HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER(S):

WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER:

Can we contact you at work? Yes / No

EMAIL ADDRESS:

(personal and/or work)

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EMPLOYMENT DETAILS:

MOST RECENT EMPLOYER (ORGANISATION):

MOST RECENT JOB TITLE:

CURRENT REMUNERATION PACKAGE:

NOTICE PERIOD:

AVAILABILITY:

PLEASE GIVE ANY DATES THAT YOU ARE UNAVAILABLE TO ATTEND AN INTERVIEW:

NATIONALITY:

Please indicate your nationality at birth:

Please indicate your current nationality:

Are there any restrictions on your continued residence and/or employment within the UK?