Lifeboat Risk and Support Lead

Lifeboat Risk and Support Lead

Salary: £50,544 - £59,464 (dependent on experience)
Contract type: Permanent
Hours: Full-Time
Additional information: Home-based role with occasional travel, including a minimum of once a month in Poole
Interview date: w/c 9th November
Closing Date: 22-10-2026
Reference: 22040

About us

Our purpose is simple: to save lives at sea. 24 hours a day, every day, RNLI lifesavers are ready to launch to the rescue.

We're looking for a Lifeboat Risk and Support Lead to join our Lifeboat Services team. The Lifeboat Services team provides the operational framework that enables the RNLI's lifeboat stations, crews and operational teams to deliver safe, effective and compliant lifesaving services. Through risk management, governance, operational support, assurance, policy development and continuous improvement, the team helps ensure that RNLI lifeboat operations remain ready to save lives whenever and wherever they are needed.

Some of the benefits

- Salary - £ 50,544 - £ 59,464 (dependent on experience)
- Flexible working
- 26 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays
- Outstanding pension scheme
- Life assurance

Your role

As a Lifeboat Risk and Support Lead, you will provide leadership for a specialist team responsible for operational risk, governance and support services across Lifeboat Operations. Working with regional teams and subject matter experts, you will help shape policy and operational standards, oversee risk management processes and ensure the RNLI continues to operate safely, effectively and in compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards.

You will also act as an adviser, providing leadership on assurance activities, investigations, lessons learned, operational support and organisational improvement initiatives.

About you

You'll be an experienced operational leader who can balance strategic thinking with practical delivery. You will be comfortable working across complex stakeholder groups, influencing decision-making, managing risk and leading teams to achieve positive outcomes.

To be successful in this role, you'll bring significant experience from any of the following operational environments: maritime, emergency response, search and rescue, defence, coastguard, fire and rescue, aviation, safety-critical or similarly regulated operational environment. You'll be able to demonstrate experience with governance frameworks, leading organisational improvement activities and using evidence and data to support sound decision-making

So, as a Lifeboat Risk and Support Lead, you might already be a senior operational leader, risk manager, governance specialist, maritime manager, emergency services leader or safety professional. You'll have excellent judgement, strong stakeholder management skills, a collaborative leadership style and the ability to influence and drive improvement across a complex operational environment.

Most importantly, you'll be motivated by the opportunity to support thousands of RNLI volunteers and staff by ensuring they have the governance and support needed to deliver safe and effective lifesaving services. If helping save lives at sea through operational leadership and continuous improvement sounds like your next challenge, we'd love to hear from you.

Safeguarding and referencing

The RNLI is committed to safeguarding; protecting a person’s health, wellbeing, and human rights, enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment and have a zero-tolerance approach. The suitability of all prospective employees and volunteers will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment. This will include reference checks at offer stage and relevant criminal record checks being carried out, dependent on the eligibility of the role. (England & Wales; DBS check, Scotland; Disclosure Scotland PVG, Northern Ireland; Access NI, Republic of Ireland; Garda Vetting; International, International Child Protection Certificate process).

Diversity at the RNLI

Our staff and volunteers have been saving lives at sea without prejudice for 200 years. We respect and value diversity of background, skills and perspectives within our teams, and consider it essential to help us deliver a world-class lifesaving service. We are an inclusive organisation and welcome applications from everyone. In addition to having the skills needed for the role, we also look for applicants who share our commitment to living our RNLI values (trustworthy, courageous, selfless, and dependable) and helping us work towards Our Vision: To save Every One.