Manager Global WHS

Cochlear; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Cochlear is seeking a Global WHS Manager to shape and lead our worldwide Work Health & Safety strategy, embedding health, safety and wellbeing into business decisions. This is a permanent full-time role based at our Macquarie University headquarters, Sydney.

You will partner with senior leaders and regional safety teams to establish standards, governance and assurance, ensuring effective operation across diverse environments worldwide.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Health, Engineering, Science or a related discipline.
• Extensive WHS leadership experience within a complex organisation, with governance, assurance and leadership.
• Experience operating within a 3 Lines of Accountability (3LOA) model for risk governance.
• Experience in chemical and hazardous materials management with enterprise standards and controls.
• Experience supporting manufacturing or high-hazard environments with risk controls.
• Qualifications or experience in workplace wellbeing and psychosocial risk management.
• Broad expertise across WHS risk management, hazard identification and incident investigation.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and embed proactive safety culture.
• Expert knowledge of WHS legislation, workers’ compensation, liability and emergency management.
• Strong leadership, communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead Cochlear’s global WHS strategy and safety governance frameworks.
• Build and improve the global WHS management system, standards and audit plan.
• Lead the global WHS risk management framework including risk profile and controls.
• Partner with regional and operational leaders to implement global standards locally.
• Provide strategic reporting to senior leaders on WHS performance and risks.
• Strengthen organisational WHS capability and accountability across the network.
• Lead workers compensation risk management and return-to-work practices in Australia.
• Lead a small team and a global community of WHS professionals.

Skills

WHS leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Incident investigation

Risk management

Leadership communication

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety

Job description

Cochlear’s mission is to help people hear and be heard. As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear is dedicated to helping people with moderate to profound hearing loss experience a world full of sound. We aim to transform the way people understand and treat hearing loss and innovate to connect people with future technologies. Our employees tell us that the number one reason they enjoy working for Cochlear is the opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives. Learn and grow with us as we tackle the most complex challenges in helping more people to experience a lifetime of hearing.

The Opportunity

Cochlear is looking for a Global WHS Manager to shape and lead our global Work Health & Safety strategy and strengthen the frameworks that support the health, safety and wellbeing of our people around the world.

This is a highly influential global leadership role spanning enterprise strategy, governance, risk management, assurance, wellbeing and injury management. You will partner with senior leaders, executives and operational teams to establish clear standards, strengthen organisational capability and embed health and safety into business decision-making.

You will work closely with operational safety leaders, including the Safety Manager, Australia Manufacturing, to ensure Cochlear’s global WHS strategy, standards and governance frameworks translate into effective operational practice. You will provide strategic direction and governance oversight, while operational leaders retain accountability for local implementation.

This is a permanent full-time, based at our global headquarters in Macquarie University.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead Cochlear’s global WHS strategy, enterprise policies and safety and injury management governance frameworks, aligned with organisational priorities and emerging WHS practice.


• Build, maintain and continuously improve the global WHS management system, including enterprise standards, procedures, assurance activities and the WHS audit plan.


• Lead Cochlear’s global WHS risk management framework, including the enterprise risk profile, critical hazard identification, risk controls, incident governance and corrective and preventive actions.


• Partner with regional and operational safety leaders to establish consistent global standards and minimum requirements while enabling practical, locally compliant implementation across diverse operating environments.


• Provide strategic advice, governance oversight and clear reporting to senior leaders and executives on WHS performance, emerging risks, trends and opportunities for improvement.


• Strengthen organisational WHS capability, consultation and accountability by supporting leaders to understand and effectively discharge their health and safety responsibilities.


• Lead the effective management of workers compensation risks, injury management and return-to-work practices in Australia, in partnership with relevant internal and external stakeholders.


• Lead a small team and a global community of WHS expertise, promoting collaboration, knowledge sharing, continuous improvement and leading practice across Cochlear’s network.

About You

As we grow our operations, we are looking for people who share our passion for delivering quality hearing solutions to our customers. To add value to Cochlear in this role, you'll be able to demonstrate the following essential skills and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Health, Engineering, Science or a related discipline.


• Extensive WHS leadership experience within a complex organisation, with demonstrated experience providing enterprise-level governance, assurance, management systems and strategic WHS leadership.


• Experience operating within a Three Lines of Accountability (3LOA) model or equivalent risk governance framework, providing strategic direction, governance oversight and assurance while enabling operational leaders to effectively manage WHS risks.


• Experience in chemical and hazardous materials management, including the development and governance of enterprise standards, minimum requirements, risk controls and assurance frameworks.


• Significant experience supporting manufacturing, engineering or other high-hazard operational environments, with a strong understanding of critical risk management and safety controls.


• Qualifications or experience in workplace wellbeing, psychosocial risk management.


• Broad expertise across WHS risk management, critical hazard identification, incident investigation, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement in complex and diverse environments.


• Demonstrated ability to analyse complex WHS, workers’ compensation and organisational risk matters and translate insights into practical enterprise-level actions.


• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and executives, build trusted partnerships and support leaders to adopt a proactive safety mindset.


• Expert knowledge and experience in interpreting and implementing WHS legislation, with detailed knowledge of workers compensation, common law liability, and emergency management and business continuity principles.


• Highly developed leadership, communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and lead collaboratively across organisational boundaries.

At Cochlear, we value and welcome the unique contributions, perspectives, experiences and backgrounds of our employees and aim to build a culture that celebrates and leverages these differences, creating a sense of belonging and enabling our people to realise their full potential.

Why Join Us

• Lead the global Work Health & Safety agenda for Cochlear, shaping enterprise-wide safety, wellbeing and injury management strategies that support a growing global workforce.


• Play a pivotal role in embedding Cochlear’s Three Lines of Accountability (3LOA) model, strengthening governance, accountability and risk ownership across the organisation.


• Partner with senior leaders, operational teams and regional safety teams to influence enterprise decision-making and drive a culture of proactive risk management.


• Lead a global community of WHS expertise, driving best practice, continuous improvement and the adoption of consistent safety standards while enabling operational flexibility across diverse environments.


• Join a purpose-led organisation where your work helps create safer workplaces for the people developing, manufacturing and delivering life-changing hearing solutions worldwide.

#CochlearCareers

How we recognise your contribution

At Cochlear we value and welcome the unique contributions, perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds of our employees and aim to build a culture that celebrates and leverages these differences, creating a sense of belonging and enabling our people to realise their full potential. Through our internal programs and employee benefits, we aim to create an environment where our people will feel value and supported. Whether your focus is on continuous learning, professional development or simply finding an environment which enables you to thrive whilst balancing family or personal life commitments, then we have several programs in place to support you.

For more information about Life at Cochlear, visit www.cochlearcareers.com