Location
Warrington, Newcastle or Darlington, Leeds or York, Lincoln or Nottingham, Sutton Coldfield or Tewkesbury, Bridgewater or Romsey, Welwyn Garden City or Farnham or Ipswich

Hours
Full time, Permanent, Flexible working available

Salary
£54,940 - £64,576 per annum (plus additional £4,750 for specialist COMAH expertise, subject to eligibility)

About the Role
Are you ready to make a real difference? Join our High Hazard specialist team as a Principal Regulatory Officer. We are committed to enhancing our regulatory practices and building a more effective regulatory framework. You will provide assurance on the quantity and quality of regulatory delivery at COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015) sites across England. As a nationally recognised expert, you will deliver complex compliance solutions and manage environmental and reputational risks. You will collaborate across the business to ensure a consistent regulatory approach.

The role involves developing and leading less experienced officers, playing a key part in the leadership of COMAH delivery, driving business and workforce planning, assessing regulatory capabilities, and delivering training. You will provide advice and guidance using coaching skills, shape local strategy and tactical direction, and manage risk.

The COMAH team covers a variety of industries, requiring strong influencing and negotiating skills to ensure best practice, often engaging with senior industry personnel, local communities, and other stakeholders.

You will benefit from a culture that embraces difference and inclusivity, with support to grow and shape your career. Our benefits include a generous pension scheme, overtime opportunities, paid holidays, training and professional development time, and flexible working policies.

In this role you will:
- Ensure compliance with COMAH Regulations at complex, nationally significant sites
- Lead site inspections, investigations, and enforcement actions for complex environmental incidents
- Lead enforcement strategy in collaboration with the COMAH Team Leader and Competent Authority partners
- Provide expert input to national investigations and joint initiatives with partner organisations
- Fulfil COMAH Competent Authority roles such as Intervention Manager or Assessment Manager
- Shape national regulatory approach and delivery for COMAH
- Plan and deliver the COMAH work plan for your team, ensuring KPI delivery and providing assurance
- Oversee regulatory officers’ performance and resolve issues or risks
- Develop and deliver training to upskill COMAH officers
- Assess technical capabilities to support workforce planning
- Respond to incidents as part of your role, with full training and potential additional payment

You will be part of a newly formed team reporting to a COMAH Team Leader, working with Senior Regulatory Officers and Regulatory Officers. The role requires regular travel for site visits and fieldwork. Flexible working is welcomed.

Experience
- Knowledge and practical application of the COMAH regime
- Experience working with partner organisations on joint initiatives and regulatory duties
- Proven influencing skills and success in complex environments
- Experience in training and coaching others
- Regulatory experience across complex sites and regimes is desirable
- Experience delivering results through others and providing strategic and tactical direction is desirable
- Proven track record of initiative and continuous improvement is desirable

About you
- Strong commitment to people development
- Excellent influencing and negotiating skills
- Ability to work collaboratively across teams and with external partners
- Willingness to respond to incidents and provide business continuity support
- Flexible and adaptable to travel and fieldwork requirements

Qualifications
- Degree in a Scientific or Engineering subject or comparable external industrial experience
- Membership of a relevant professional body with Chartered status or working towards Chartered status
- Full UK driving licence