Safety and Injury Management Advisor

Lort Smith Animal Hospital; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 62,000 - 90,000; Part time

Job summary

Lort Smith Animal Hospital in Melbourne VIC is seeking an experienced Safety and Injury Management Advisor on a part-time basis (3 days per week) across our North Melbourne and Campbellfield sites. You will blend your technical WHS knowledge with a people-first approach to support recovery, prevent injuries and strengthen safety practices.

Working with People & Culture, managers and external partners, you’ll lead return-to-work programs, coordinate claims, provide practical guidance, and drive

Qualifications

• At least five years' experience in a WHS or OHS role.
• Experience in injury management and coordinating return-to-work.
• Understanding Victorian OHS legislation and workers' comp.
• Experience identifying hazards, inspections and audits.
• Knowledge of psychosocial hazards and psychologically safe workplaces.
• Ability to engage with stakeholders and external providers.
• Strong record-keeping and reporting abilities.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate workers' compensation claims and RTW plans.
• Provide safety guidance to managers and staff.
• Identify hazards and coordinate risk assessments.
• Deliver safety training and engagement activities.
• Review safety practices and recommend improvements.
• Maintain records and produce safety reports.

Skills

WHS expertise

Injury management

Return to Work

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Collaborative mindset

Education

Return to Work Coordinator qualification

Job description

Lort Smith Animal Hospital - Melbourne VIC

Safety and Injury Management Advisor

Permanent Part Time | 3 days per week | North Melbourne & Campbellfield

Make a difference to the people who make a difference every day.

At Lort Smith Animal Hospital, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We're looking for an experienced and approachable Safety and Injury Management Advisor to help us create a safe, supportive and positive workplace for our employees.

This is a varied, hands-on role where you'll bring together your technical knowledge of workplace health and safety and injury management with a genuine passion for supporting people. From helping employees navigate their recovery and return to work, to working with managers to identify risks and strengthen safety practices, you'll play an important role in making sure our people feel supported and our workplace continues to evolve.

Working closely with our People & Culture team, managers, employees and external stakeholders, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution across our two sites.

What you'll be doing

You'll take ownership of a broad range of return-to-work, injury management and workplace health and safety activities, including:

• Return to Work & Injury Management: Coordinate workers' compensation claims and return-to-work plans, supporting injured employees throughout their recovery and working closely with managers, treating practitioners and insurers to achieve positive outcomes.
• Health, Safety & Wellbeing: Provide practical advice and guidance to managers and employees, helping maintain a safe and compliant working environment.
• Risk Management & Prevention: Identify workplace hazards, coordinate risk assessments and inspections, and develop practical solutions to minimise risks and prevent injuries.
• Education & Engagement: Build awareness of workplace health and safety responsibilities through training, education and ongoing engagement with employees, managers and Health and Safety Representatives.
• Continuous Improvement: Review safety practices, identify emerging trends and recommend improvements to systems, processes and policies.
• Reporting & Stakeholder Management: Maintain accurate records, monitor injury and safety trends, prepare reports and build effective relationships with external providers and insurers.

What you'll bring

You'll bring a solid technical foundation in workplace health and safety and injury management, along with the confidence and initiative to manage this portfolio independently.

Ideally, you'll have:

• At least five years' experience in a workplace health and safety or OHS role.
• Demonstrated experience in injury management and coordinating return-to-work programs, ideally supported by a Return to Work Coordinator qualification.
• A sound understanding of Victorian OHS legislation, workers' compensation and relevant compliance requirements.
• Experience identifying workplace hazards, conducting inspections and audits, and implementing practical risk controls.
• An understanding of psychosocial hazards and strategies to support a psychologically safe workplace.
• Confidence working with a range of stakeholders, including managers, employees, Health and Safety Representatives, insurers and external providers.
• Strong organisational and communication skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and prepare reports。

Just as important as your technical expertise is the way you work with people.

We're looking for someone who is a natural collaborator and genuine team player. Someone who is empathetic, approachable and a great listener, who takes the time to understand individual circumstances and can navigate sensitive conversations with care and understanding.

You’ll be someone who

• Enjoys working collaboratively and building trusted relationships across different teams and levels of the organisation.
• Works comfortably and collaboratively with others to find practical solutions to challenges.
• Can see the bigger picture and understands the wider impact decisions can have on individuals, teams and the organisation.
• Is proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to manage your own workload, priorities and deadlines.
• Communicates with confidence, builds trust and can influence others in a positive and constructive way.

You’ll enjoy having ownership of your work while being part of a supportive People & Culture team that values collaboration, accountability and getting things done.

Why join Lort Smith?

Lort Smith is Australia's largest not-for-profit animal hospital, with a proud history dating back to 1936. Our purpose is simple but powerful: to keep pets and their people together by providing accessible, compassionate care and championing the human-animal bond.

Every day, our people make a meaningful difference through veterinary care, rehoming programs and community initiatives.

Joining Lort Smith means being part of an organisation with a genuine purpose, where the work you do contributes to something bigger. You'll have the opportunity to influence positive change, support our people and help create a workplace where everyone feels safe, valued and supported.

Ready to make a difference?

If you're an experienced Return to Work and Health, Safety and Wellbeing professional who enjoys combining technical expertise with a people-first approach, we'd love to hear from you.

Join Lort Smith and help us create a safer, healthier and more supportive workplace for the people who make our purpose possible.