Head of HSE

The Adecco Group; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

The Adecco Group is seeking a Head of Safety, Health and Wellbeing to lead the operational delivery of safety, health and wellbeing across the group in Australia. You will drive risk management, incident response, injury prevention and sustainable return-to-work outcomes for Adecco, Akkodis, LHH and DFR.

You will collaborate with operational leaders, clients, insurers and regulators to strengthen governance, secure executive support and improve claims performance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in senior safety leadership roles across multi-site or matrix organisations.
• Experience in overseeing workers’ compensation, injury management and return-to-work outcomes.
• Strong knowledge of Australian WHS/OHS, workers’ compensation and rehabilitation legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead egency-wide safety, health and wellbeing strategy implementation across frontline operations and host sites.
• Oversee risk management, incident response, investigations and claims performance.
• Build high-performing teams and partner with internal/external stakeholders to deliver safety and claims outcomes.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Safety governance

Risk management

Communication & presentation

Change leadership

Education

Tertiary qualification in OHS/Injury Management

Tools

Safety management system

Job description

• The Head of HS&E reports directly to the SVP, Adecco Australia.
• Directly supervises the WC & Injury Manager and WHS Manager.

Lead the operational delivery of safety, health and wellbeing across The Adecco Group, ensuring priorities are translated into practical actions across frontline operations and host sites. The role oversees risk management, incident response and investigations, injury prevention, early intervention, workers’ compensation and sustainable return-to-work outcomes, while driving measurable improvements in injury frequency, lost time and claims performance across Adecco, Akkodis, LHH and DFR.

Working closely with operational leaders, clients, workers, insurers, insurance brokers and regulators, the role builds strategic partnerships and influences senior internal and external stakeholders to strengthen governance, secure executive support and deliver effective safety, claims and business outcomes.

About Us

We are the world’s leading recruitment agency with more than 32,000 passionate full-time employees in thousands of branches across 60 countries. We are committed to connecting organizations with the talent needed to succeed. In Australia, our network of offices across the country allows us to support you no matter where you are. Our local teams understand the Australian market and are busy connecting people with jobs and jobs with people every day. Every year in Australia alone, we help thousands of people get into exciting new careers. At any given time, we have over 2,500 temporary employees working for us and each year we place more than 1000 people into full-time permanent roles.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead the implementation of the national Safety, Health and Wellbeing Strategy and supporting safety, workers’ compensation, injury management and return-to-work frameworks, aligned with legislation, ISO 45001 and industry practice.
• Lead enterprise safety, health and psychosocial risk management across company and host sites, translating strategic priorities into practical controls, training, awareness and leadership actions that strengthen safety culture.
• Oversee workers’ compensation, claims, rehabilitation and return-to-work performance, partnering with brokers, insurers, legal advisers, regulators and internal stakeholders to reduce claim costs and improve recovery outcomes.
• Analyse and report on safety, claims and injury management performance, maintain accurate records and use emerging trends to recommend and implement targeted improvements.
• Provide expert advice, coaching and practical support to leaders, managers and employees on safety responsibilities, injury management, rehabilitation, workplace adjustments and legislative or procedural change.
• Partner with HR, Operations, Delivery, Governance, Risk, Compliance and Audit teams to embed safety and wellbeing into business priorities, meet national compliance obligations and support internal and external assurance activities.
• Lead the implementation and operational adoption of a new electronic safety management system, ensuring effective governance, data integrity, user training and consistent use across all businesses and sites.
• Build and lead a high-performing safety, workers’ compensation and injury management team, while influencing senior internal and external stakeholders to secure support, strengthen accountability and deliver strategic and operational outcomes

Key Outcomes

• Measurable reduction in workplace injuries, lost time, claim costs and injury escalation through effective risk controls, early reporting and intervention.
• Improved rehabilitation and sustainable return-to-work outcomes across all businesses and jurisdictions.
• Consistent implementation of practical safety, health, psychosocial risk and injury management frameworks across company and host sites.
• Strengthened compliance with WHS/OHS, workers’ compensation, rehabilitation and ISO 45001 requirements, supported by effective assurance and timely closure of actions.
• Accurate, timely and actionable safety, injury and claims reporting that informs operational decisions and continuous improvement.
• Successful implementation and adoption of the electronic safety management system, with effective governance, reliable data and consistent use across all businesses and sites.
• A high-performing safety, workers’ compensation and injury management function, with stronger leadership accountability and stakeholder engagement.

About you

• Tertiary qualification in Occupational Health and Safety, Injury Management or a related discipline.
• Certificate in Return to Work (desirable)
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in senior safety, workers’ compensation and injury management leadership roles within complex, multi-site or matrix organisations.
• Demonstrated success in setting strategic direction and translating safety, health and wellbeing priorities into practical operational programs across frontline and host-site environments.
• Extensive experience overseeing complex workers’ compensation claims, injury prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation and sustainable return-to-work outcomes.
• Proven experience partnering with insurers, insurance brokers, legal advisers and regulators to improve claims performance, manage risk and deliver effective commercial outcomes.
• Strong working knowledge of Australian WHS/OHS, workers’ compensation and rehabilitation legislation, including self-insurance requirements and ISO 45001 principles.
• Proven experience developing, implementing and improving safety management systems, governance frameworks, assurance programs and reporting tools.
• Demonstrated capability in psychosocial risk management and building a physically and psychologically safe workplace culture.
• Experience within labour hire, recruitment, workforce solutions or comparable host-employer environments, with a strong understanding of shared risk and liability.
• Seasoned people and thought leader with demonstrated success leading high-performing teams, transformation and change across a matrix organisation.
• Proven ability to influence executives and senior internal and external stakeholders, build strategic partnerships and secure support for key safety and claims initiatives.
• Highly developed communication, negotiation and presentation skills, including the ability to interpret data, advise senior leaders and communicate complex matters clearly.
• Commercially astute, analytical and solutions-focused, with a compassionate approach to employee wellbeing, recovery and rehabilitation.
• Travel Requirements Regular up to 35%

On Offer

We empower our people to carve their own career paths their way. After all, it's only natural that a people-focused organization should be focused on its own people too. We will offer all the training, tools, motivation, and inspiration you need to achieve exactly what you want from your career. If you can make an impact, we'll provide the career development opportunities you need to achieve your potential and thrive.