Health and Safety Manager

Kepak Group; Merthyr Tydfil; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Kepak Group, a leading food processing company in the UK, is seeking a Health & Safety Manager to oversee safety operations at their Merthyr site. The role entails developing safety strategies, ensuring compliance with regulations, and promoting a culture of safety throughout the organization. Ideal candidates will have a NEBOSH qualification and experience in the food/ FMCG sector, along with strong leadership and communication skills.

Benefits

Company Pension

Death in Service Benefit

Employee Discount Platform

Refer a Friend Scheme

Bike to Work Scheme

Subsidised Canteen

Free Car Parking

Long Service Awards

GroceryAid Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• Experience in Health & Safety within manufacturing, ideally food sector.
• Strong track record in transforming organizational safety culture.
• Familiarity with HSE regulations for meat processing.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement Health & Safety plans for meat processing.
• Conduct audits and ensure compliance with safety regulations.
• Lead incident investigations and prepare performance reports.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Risk Assessment

Behavioral Safety

Education

NEBOSH General Certificate

Membership in a recognized Health & Safety organization (e.g., IOSH)

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Kepak is one of Europe’s leading food companies with manufacturing sites across Ireland and the UK. Kepak’s vision is to be a successful, sustainable, future ready Food Business with differentiation at its core, that is a great place to work. This vision is underpinned by our values of Responsibility, Ambition, Passion For Food & Teamwork.

Kepak Meat Division UK is one of the UK’s leading food processing companies operating 3 manufacturing sites across the UK with a core focus on meat and protein-based products, our turnover is approximately £600m. Our company is dedicated to delivering high-quality food products, we have up to 2,000 people supporting our mission to innovate and excel in the food industry, providing exceptional service and value to our stakeholders.

Health & Safety Manager - Primary

Our Merthyr site has recently undergone a transformative shift with the establishment of a new Meat Division UK leadership team and an invigorated Health & Safety agenda cascading from the top. This has involved substantial operational realignments to separate our site into Primary and Retail functions. In light of these changes, we are excited to announce that we are looking to hire a H&S Manager to join our Primary business.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy, Leadership & Change Management

• Design and implement a proactive and detailed Health & Safety plan specifically crafted for the unique challenges and requirements of red meat processing and retail packing environments.
• Promote a strong culture of behavioral safety by initiating targeted programs and fostering engagement across all levels of the organization.
• Guide and support change management efforts focused on enhancing safety, integrating new equipment, refining processes, or adapting to organizational transformations.
• Ensure that local Health & Safety systems and culture are in sync with the Group H&S strategy through ongoing collaboration and open communication with Group H&S teams.

Systems & Compliance

• Take charge of the creation, rollout, and ongoing enhancement of our local Health & Safety management systems, ensuring that our operational practices not only meet legal requirements but also align perfectly with the standards set by Kepak, our regulators, and our esteemed customers.
• Guarantee that both scheduled and surprise internal safety audits, inspections, and fire drills are conducted diligently and that any findings are promptly addressed.
• Oversee adherence to lone working procedures, contractor management, machine safety protocols, and permit-to-work systems to ensure a safe working environment for all.

Engagement & Communication

• Work closely with the HR team to ensure that all essential training and specific competency requirements for each role are consistently met.
• Provide training sessions and toolbox talks as necessary to promote behavioral safety, enhance risk awareness, and ensure operational compliance.
• Lead regular safety meetings on-site and represent our location at group safety forums and discussions with external stakeholders such as HSE and insurers.
• Assist line managers in the creation, review, and implementation of risk assessments and control measures, fostering a spirit of collaboration in sharing risk ownership.

Incident Management & Reporting

• Lead thorough incident investigations, ensuring that root cause analysis, follow-up actions, and lessons learned are seamlessly integrated into our practices.
• Deliver comprehensive monthly Health & Safety reports that feature performance metrics, identify risk trends, and provide actionable insights for our site leadership.
• Raise any violations of safety policies/procedures promptly and ensure that corrective action plans are executed effectively.
• Provide precise KPI data according to Group reporting schedules, while also regularly assessing site-specific KPIs in collaboration with the Site Manager and department heads.

Continuous Improvement

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by analyzing trends and pinpointing opportunities to mitigate risks and enhance performance.
• Establish and maintain dynamic visual safety management systems, cultivate a culture of near-miss reporting, and spearhead risk-reduction initiatives throughout the site.
• Collaborate with engineering, production, and hygiene teams to incorporate safety considerations during the design phase of new machinery, layout alterations, or process enhancements.

Essential:

• NEBOSH General Certificate or an equivalent qualification
• Membership in a recognized professional Health & Safety organization (e.g., IOSH)
• Demonstrated expertise in leading Health & Safety initiatives within a manufacturing context, ideally in food or FMCG sectors
• Proven track record in fostering behavioral changes and championing organizational transformation projects
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with a talent for influencing and coaching individuals at all levels
• In-depth understanding of pertinent legislation and standards, particularly HSE regulations related to meat processing
• Skilled in risk assessment methodologies, auditing practices, and conducting incident investigations
• Adept at utilizing Health & Safety data reporting systems and the MS Office suite (with a focus on Excel, Word, and SharePoint)

• Company Pension
• Death in Service Benefit
• Employee Discount Platform - All Kepak employees are entitled to access to the WrkIt platform, which offers significant discounts and cashback with hundreds of brands.
• Refer a Friend Scheme - Get up to £500 for successfully referring a friend or family member to Kepak Group.
• Bike to Work Scheme - You can buy a bike and safety equipment through a salary sacrifice scheme which reduces your taxable income – meaning you pay less tax!
• Subsidised Canteen - Our on site canteen is serving multiple hot food options during the day
• Free Car Parking - Our Kepak site has a dedicated staff car parking facility which is free to use for all of our colleagues.
• Long Service Awards - We recognise, acknowledge and award the dedication and valuable contribution of long serving employees
• GroceryAid Employee Assistance Program - Providing emotional, practical and financial support for all Kepak colleagues.