Head of Health & Safety

NHS; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare charity in Birmingham is seeking a Head of Health and Safety to lead and develop an organizational strategy. The ideal candidate will possess extensive health and safety leadership experience and a NEBOSH Diploma. This full-time role offers a salary range of £50,000 to £60,000, plus additional benefits including a car allowance and employee discounts.

Benefits

Employee discounts from leading retailers

Employee gym discount scheme

Bike-to-Work scheme

Generous pension contribution

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in a senior H&S leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation.
• Experience in developing and implementing organizational H&S strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver an organization-wide Health and Safety strategy.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Provide expert advice and guidance to senior leadership.

Skills

Health and Safety Leadership

Risk Management

Knowledge of UK H&S Legislation

Education

NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety

Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH)

Job description

Overview

Acorns Children's Hospice are looking for a Head of Health and Safety to lead, develop, and implement a robust Health and Safety (H&S) strategy across the organisation.

Job specifics

Details

• Job locations: Acorns in Birmingham Hospice, 103 Oak Tree Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6HZ; Acorn Childrens Hospice, Walstead Road, Walsall, WS5 4NL; Acorns Childrens Hospice, 350 Bath Road, Worcester, WR5 3EZ
• Date posted: 05 September 2025
• Salary: £50,000 to £60,000 a year plus car allowance
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 286364

Job responsibilities

Acorns Children\'s Hospice are looking for a Head of Health and Safety to lead, develop, and implement a robust Health and Safety (H&S) strategy across the organisation.

About the Role

At Acorns Children\'s Hospice we offer specialist palliative care and support for children and their families across the West Midlands from our three hospices. Each hospice has specially decorated bedrooms, therapy rooms, a hydrotherapy room and dining facilities. We also have a network of charity shops across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire, which help to provide the funding that we need to provide this care.

As Head of H&S, you will:

• Develop and deliver the organisation-wide Health and Safety strategy aligned with Acorns objectives
• Ensure the organisation meets statutory and regulatory requirements, including Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations, CQC Fundamental Standards (as a healthcare charity), Healthcare-specific H&S guidance, and ISO 45001 standards where applicable
• Create, review, and update H&S policies, procedures, and management systems to maintain compliance and best practice
• Provide expert advice and guidance to Trustees, Executive Directors, and Senior Leadership Team
• Support managers to complete safety audits, investigations, and root cause analysis for incidents, accidents, and near-misses
• Develop and maintain emergency plans, including fire safety, evacuation, pandemic response, and incident escalation
• Participate in an on-call rota, being on call 1 in 7 weeks

About You

• NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety or equivalent (NCRQ, NVQ Level 6, degree in Safety & Health)
• Extensive experience in a senior H&S leadership role, ideally within healthcare or a regulated environment
• Strong knowledge of UK H&S legislation, risk management, and governance frameworks
• Experience in developing and implementing organisational H&S strategies

What We Offer

• £50,000 to £60,000 per annum plus car allowance (additional £3,192 per annum)
• 37.5 hours per week
• Based at your nearest Acorns Hospice (Walsall, Birmingham or Worcester), with travel across the region
• Employee discounts from leading retailers
• Employee gym discount scheme
• Bike-to-Work scheme
• Generous contribution to group personal pension plan or continuation of current NHS pension scheme
• NHS pension scheme life assurance or Acorns group life assurance scheme

You need to be eligible to work in the UK to be considered for this role. We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and therefore any successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check for children and will be asked to provide two satisfactory references. In addition, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of immunisation against specific diseases or confirm their willingness to receive the necessary vaccinations.

As a UNICEF Gold Rights Respecting organisation, we are committed to ensuring that the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child is embedded into both culture and practice within the organisation. As an employee you will be a Duty Bearer for Children\'s Rights and support all children to be Rights Holders.

If you have any questions, please contact [e-mail]. Find out about our culture, career development, benefits and more here: Why Work for Acorns?

Additional Job Responsibilities

Additional responsibilities mirror the role details above as published in multiple sections of the original posting.

Qualifications

• Essential: NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent qualification in Occupational Health and Safety
• Desirable: Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH) or equivalent

Experience

• Essential: Extensive experience in a senior H&S leadership role, ideally within healthcare or a regulated environment; knowledge of H&S legislation, risk management, and governance
• Desirable: Experience working in a healthcare setting, charity experience

Disclosures

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name: Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust

Address: Acorns in Birmingham Hospice, 103 Oak Tree Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6HZ

Employer's website: Acorns.org.uk