Head of Profession – Safeguards and Nuclear Materials Accountancy

Are you ready to step into a role where your expertise shapes strategy, drives compliance and ensures excellence across a critical national capability?

As the Head of Profession – Safeguards and Nuclear Materials Accountancy (NMAC), you will provide authoritative leadership, direction and assurance across all aspects of nuclear materials accountancy and control, ensuring NRS meets its legal, regulatory and company obligations.

As a senior SME and corporate leadership position, you will set the strategic direction for NMAC across the organisation, providing expert guidance to site teams and supporting the Head of Security & Safeguards, EHSSQ leadership and senior stakeholders in maintaining robust compliance and governance arrangements.

The role requires extensive engagement with internal stakeholders and external bodies such as ONR Safeguards, DESNZ, and key industry groups. Responsibilities include establishing policy and standards, overseeing assurance activities, leading audits and inspections, and delivering high-quality reporting to key stakeholders including the Special Materials Accounts Committee.

This role demands a proactive and highly skilled safeguards professional with the credibility, leadership capability and strategic awareness to influence diverse stakeholders and ensure a compliant, effective and continuously improving NMAC framework.

The holder will be required to travel between NRS sites / DNY where necessary.

What will you be doing

In this role, you will provide authoritative leadership for nuclear materials accountancy and safeguards across the NRS enterprise, ensuring policies, standards and guidance are in place and effectively implemented.

You will need to develop and argue the case for pragmatic and proportionate governance regimes that demonstrably meet the needs of international safeguards and nuclear non-proliferation agreements.

You will lead the corporate NMAC framework, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and legislative requirements while supporting and influencing site teams and senior leaders. You will also oversee the effective operation and ongoing development of the ATOM system, ensuring it continues to meet operational and compliance needs.

Your remit will include driving high-quality assurance activities, including audits and inspections across NRS sites, and producing detailed reporting to inform decision-making and provide assurance to stakeholders.

You will represent NRS with key external bodies, helping to shape a consistent corporate approach to safeguards and nuclear materials accountancy.

•  Provide strategic and tactical NMAC leadership, direction and SME guidance to site Nuclear Material Controllers (NMCs) and wider NMAS staff
• Lead the development and implementation of NMAC policy, standards and guidance across NRS and prepare and deliver the annual NMAC report to stakeholders, including the Special Materials Accounts Committee
• Undertake and oversee audits and inspections to ensure compliance with company and regulatory requirements as well as work closely with Security colleagues on nuclear materials-related matters to ensure a joined-up approach
• Represent NRS with ONR Safeguards, DESNZ and other external stakeholders
• Oversee the management, development and contractual support arrangements for the ATOM system and chair the ATOM User Group and drive continuous improvement in system performance and governance
• Coordinate collaboration, consultation and learning across NMAS teams

Who are we looking for

This role requires a highly experienced safeguards or nuclear materials accountancy professional with strong leadership capability and a proven ability to operate at a strategic, corporate level.

You will bring extensive experience in nuclear materials accountancy, safeguards, or a closely related discipline, alongside a strong understanding of regulatory and legislative frameworks.

You will be:

• Educated to NQF level 6 / NVQ Level 6 (or equivalent in a post related subject).
• Highly experienced in nuclear materials accountancy, safeguards or a related field
• Knowledgeable in relevant regulatory frameworks, legislation and industry good practice as well as being experienced in audit, assurance and compliance activities
• Experienced in developing and implementing policy, standards and governance arrangement
• Demonstrably strong in leadership, stakeholder engagement and influencing at senior levels as well as a confident communicator with the ability to represent NRS externally
• Familiar with managing complex systems and contracts (experience with ATOM desirable)

Sound like you …. apply now and be part of something that protects, enables and delivers.