Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Business Partner

Co-op Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail cooperative in Manchester is seeking an experienced Environment, Health & Safety Business Partner. This role involves providing oversight and strategic support to the Property function, ensuring compliance with EHS legislation, and fostering a safety-first culture. The successful candidate will have a NEBOSH Diploma and significant EHS experience, ideally in property management. The company offers a competitive salary with great benefits including an annual bonus, generous holidays, and a pension scheme.

Benefits

30% off Co-op branded products

Annual bonus based on performance

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

Private healthcare

Access to a subsidised onsite gym

Career development coaching and training

Wagestream app for early pay access

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in EHS, ideally within property or facilities management.
• Ability to work at a strategic level and influence at all levels.
• Experience working in or with a second line function is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent oversight and support as EHS Business Partner.
• Develop and implement EHS policies and frameworks.
• Monitor compliance and identify performance improvement opportunities.
• Report to senior leaders and governance forums.
• Manage relationships with Primary Authorities.

Skills

EHS legislation understanding

Influencing and challenging

Risk analysis

Collaboration

Education

NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent level 6 qualification

Job description

Overview

Environment, Health & Safety Business Partner
£60,000 to £67,350 plus great benefits (Work Level 5)
Manchester City Centre based with some hybrid working and limited travel.

We're looking for an experienced EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) professional to join our Group Compliance team as a Business Partner. Our team of business partners collaborate to deliver SME input, support and guidance to our operational teams right across our Co-op group of businesses and enabling functions.

In this role, you'll be working closely with our Property and Technology functions helping to embed a strong EHS culture and ensure we meet our legal responsibilities across our large and diverse estate. From shops and depots, funeral homes and care centres, alongside a number of corporate sites - there's a lot to keep you busy and interested. Property supports our Co-op to optimise our operations and build and manage a safe, optimised and sustainable portfolio to underpin our longer term strategy.

You'll provide expert oversight, challenge, and support to operational / 1st line H&S risk owners across Property. Our role is to ensure risks are well understood, effectively managed and appropriately communicated. As part of this, we'll look to you to influence and support colleagues at all levels to promote a "think safety first" culture.

What you’ll do

• Act as a trusted EHS Business Partner to the Property function, providing independent oversight, support and challenge.
• Support the development and implementation of EHS policies, standards, and frameworks.
• Monitor compliance and performance, identifying trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with first line colleagues to build capability and drive continuous improvement.
• Provide clear, evidence-based reporting to senior leaders and governance forums.
• Lead and contribute to second line assurance activities.
• Help shape and maintain Co-op Standards, ensuring they reflect current legislation and best practice.
• Complete horizon scanning to identify emerging risks and developing effective mitigation plans.
• Manage our Co-op relationship with various Primary Authorities.

This role would suit people who have

• A NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent level 6 qualification.
• Extensive experience in EHS, ideally within property and/or facilities management. A construction background would also be considered.
• A deep understanding of EHS legislation and frameworks.
• The desire to work at a strategic level and the ability to influence and challenge constructively at all levels.
• Experience working in or with a second line function previously (but not essential).
• A collaborative mindset and a passion for improving safety culture and performance.
• A keen eye for detail when analysing risk & compliance management information.

Why Co-op?

If you have the skills that we need, we can offer you a competitive salary and great benefits package which includes 30% off Co-op branded products in our food stores (as well as other discounts on Co-op products and services).

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Private healthcare
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• Coaching and training to support your career development
• Wagestream app - giving you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn

Building a diverse environment

We're actively building diverse teams and we welcome applications from everyone. If you have a disability, we can make reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process according to your needs. We're also part of the Disability Confident scheme, meaning we'll always offer an interview to disabled candidates who apply through the scheme if they meet the minimum criteria for a job.

We'll ask whether you'd like to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme when you apply. If we invite you to take part in the recruitment process for any of our jobs, we'll ask you if you need any reasonable adjustments to enable you to participate.

You can find out more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process

You can find out more about the Disability Confident scheme at Disability Confident Scheme - Co-op Colleagues and more about our commitments to diversity and inclusion at Diversity and Inclusion

Please note that we may close applications for this role early.

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.