Deputy Health & Safety Advisor

University of Exeter; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 33,951 - 35,608; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

41 days leave per year

Flexible working options

Discounts at leading retailers

Onsite gyms

Cycle to work scheme

Sector-leading parental leave policies

Job summary

A leading global university in Exeter is seeking a Health and Safety Advisor to advance its Health and Safety Strategy. The successful candidate will provide expert advice on all aspects of Health and Safety, contribute to a mature safety culture, and ensure that all community members are supported. With the opportunity for hybrid working and a competitive salary between £33,951 and £35,608, this role offers a significant impact on safety within a diverse environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in advising on Health and Safety practices.
• Strong track record in delivering safety improvements.
• Ability to work effectively with Trade Union Safety Representatives.

Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of Health and Safety management across the university.
• Advise and support line managers in managing risks in their services.
• Contribute to a sustainable, healthy, and socially just future.

Skills

Health and Safety advice

Scientific safety improvements (COSHH, radiation)

Effective communication with teams

Education

Relevant Health and Safety qualifications

Job description

The above full time role is available from January 2026 on a permanent basis.

This role offers the opportunity for hybrid working – some time on campus and some from home.

About the post

We are seeking to appoint a competent Health and Safety Advisor to play a pivotal role in advancing our Health and Safety Strategy and the University’s 2030 vision for a sustainable, healthy, and socially just future. This important position will support the effective delivery of university wide Health and Safety management, ensuring that all members of our community are supported to thrive.

The University has a mature established Health and Safety culture and great Health and Safety and Fire Safety Teams. The post holder will be part of the Health and Safety team and working in the devolved risk management culture, will ensure that all line managers have the support they need to manage the risks in their services. They will also work effectively with the Trade Union Safety Representatives and take time to support any matters they raise.

The successful candidate will bring experience of effectively advising on all aspects of Health and Safety and have a strong track record of delivering improvements in scientific safety such as COSHH and radiation.

About the Department

The Health and Safety Team (including Fire Safety) is based on the Streatham Campus, Exeter and support people on the St Lukes campus (Exeter) and Penryn Campus (Cornwall). The team is an established team within the Assurance, Compliance and Risk Service, where the post holder will work alongside the other departments including Occupational Health, Public Health, Safeguarding, Information Governance, Compliance, Insurance, Audit, Risk and Business Continuity.

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

• 41 days leave per year
• options for flexible working
• numerous discounts at leading retailers
• onsite gyms on all of our campus’ and a cycle to work scheme
• sector leading policies around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay) and a Fertility Treatment Policy
• stunning campus environments in Exeter and Cornwall, in the beautiful South West of England

Further information

This is a significant opportunity for an experienced Health and Safety professional to shape the future of safety at a leading global university. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Kate Lindsell, Assistant Director Assurance, Compliance and Risk at [e-mail]

The starting salary will be from £33,951 to £35,608 on Grade (E), depending on qualifications and experience.