Health & Safety Manager

Connect2Dorset; Dorchester; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

Connect2Dorset is seeking an experienced Health & Safety Manager to lead the development and delivery of health and safety services for Dorset Council and partner organisations. The role requires strong leadership, governance, and a collaborative approach across People & Workforce to embed safety and wellbeing across the organisation.

The post involves coaching and line management of the Health & Safety Team, with a hybrid working pattern (2 days a week in Dorchester), and an immediate start.

Qualifications

• Relevant professional qualification in health and safety.
• Minimum five GCSEs including Maths and English.
• Evidence of working towards Chartered Health and Safety Practitioner.
• Significant post-qualifying experience in a large organisation.
• Experience managing health and safety across a large service.

Responsibilities

• Lead and be accountable for Health & Safety services for Dorset Council and partners.
• Manage and motivate the Health & Safety Team.
• Collaborate with People & Workforce to meet customer needs.
• Promote a culture of safety, wellbeing and continuous improvement.
• Provide strategic leadership and governance for health & safety.
• Develop, monitor and review policies and procedures.
• Lead on safety policy development and assurance activities.
• Engage with customers and stakeholders to shape the service offer.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Stakeholder management

Risk assessment

People management

Education

NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health

GCSEs including Maths and English

Chartered Health and Safety Practitioner (in progress/required)

Job description

Health & Safety Manager

Temporary on going

Hybrid - 2 days a week in Dorchester

£350 to £450 a day

Inside IR35

Immediate Start

About Connect2Dorset

Connect2Dorset is the managed service recruitment partner to Dorset Council, providing temporary, contract, and interim opportunities across the organisation. Built on values of being ethical, trustworthy, and caring, our profits are reinvested back into our Local Authority shareholders.

To lead on and be accountable for the development and delivery of Health & Safety services for Dorset Council and partner organisations/customers, including the development and review of policy and practice and overview of risk.

Lead, manage and motivate all staff in the Health & Safety Team and be accountable for all aspects of service delivery and development.

Work collaboratively with colleagues within the People & Workforce service and across the council to ensure that health and safety services meet the needs of customers and are joined up.

Build leadership capability and organisational ownership of health, safety and wellbeing through coaching, engagement, learning and continuous improvement approaches.

Promote a Council wide health, safety and wellbeing culture and embed health, safety and employee wellbeing considerations into everyday management practice across the organisation.

Through membership of the designated service management team, take collective responsibility for the management and development of service plans, including the contribution to be made by the service delivery areas for which the post holder is responsible in ensuring that the People & Workforce service provides best value for the organisation.

Support the achievement of whole authority people priorities and meet corporate aims, enabling the organisation to transform ways of working and achieve whole authority cultural change.

Key responsibilities

Ensure the effective delivery of Health and Safety services, including responsibility for the setting and achievement of performance standards and outcomes, managing and monitoring resources, including budgets to underpin effective service delivery.

Ensure all health and safety related risks are understood across the council and that appropriate measures and systems are in place to mitigate any such risk/Develop and maintain effective assurance arrangements which support managers to discharge their health and safety responsibilities whilst providing independent professional oversight and challenge.

Lead health, safety and wellbeing governance arrangements, providing strategic leadership, corporate assurance and regular performance and risk reporting to senior leaders and governance forums.

Work collaboratively with People & Workforce colleagues to deliver an integrated service for the benefit of customers and to inform preventative approaches to employee health and wellbeing.

Through visible leadership, coaching and effective performance management, create an environment where people are engaged and empowered, understand what is expected, are accountable for agreed performance standards and supported to deliver results at pace.

Monitor and assess the potential impact of legislation on the authority to inform the development and revision of safety and wellbeing related strategies, policies and procedures to minimise the potential for harm and/or injury and reduce the potential risk of litigation.

Take decisions leading to the setting of work standards for others, resulting in changes in procedures or practice, which have significant implications for the service.

Lead on the development, production, monitoring and review of new and existing health and safety policies, procedures and guidance, liaising, influencing, negotiating and consulting with managers, staff and Trade Union representatives as appropriate.

Create opportunities to regularly engage with our customers, securing feedback on service delivery and reshaping the service offer within financial and organisational boundaries.

Provide technical advice and guidance to senior managers and other service customers in line with organisational objectives.

Carry out investigations of high profile accidents and incidents in accordance with relevant health and safety legislation and regulations, and monitor and review accident statistics to establish underlying causes, identify trends and recommend action where necessary. This response to serious accidents and incidents may include working outside of normal working hours and liaison with external enforcement authorities.

Deputise for and represent the service manager as required.

Attend/chair appropriate internal and external forums as a representative of Dorset Council, including the Council's Risk Management Group

Undertake continued professional development to keep knowledge up to date, remain up to speed with best practice thinking and to develop and learn new skills.

Carry out such other comparable professional duties in support of corporate or service objectives as required.

NB: The duties and responsibilities of this post are not restrictive, and the post holder may be required on occasion to undertake other duties. This will not substantially change the nature of the post.

Supervision and management

Reporting to: Service Manager

Responsibility for: Line management of Health & Safety Team

In addition to the key responsibilities, as a people manager you will also:

Lead and manage team dynamics and performance by setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and ensuring high-quality delivery through effective quality assurance practices.

Create an inclusive and supportive team environment that ensures continuous learning, professional development and good wellbeing, aligning to the council plan priorities, people and culture strategy, and responsibilities set out within our people management policies and requirements.

Lead and champion opportunities for service improvement, innovation and change by taking accountability for its successful implementation, ensuring team members are engaged, motivated, and supported throughout transitions, whilst role modelling new ways of thinking and working.

Qualifications, Experience and Knowledge

1. Relevant professional qualification (NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health or equivalent)
2. A minimum of five GCSEs or equivalent, two of which must be mathematics and English
3. Evidence of working towards becoming a Chartered Health and Safety Practitioner
4. Significant post qualifying experience, preferably in a large organisation
5. Operating a systematic approach to inspection, audit and health and safety management
6. Working through problems and finding solutions within a legal and organisational framework
7. Management/ supervision
8. Leading on the introduction of new services or approaches to service delivery
9. Training delivery
10. Understanding of the role of health and safety within a large organisation and identification of organisational needs
11. Sound knowledge of health and safety law and good practice

Connect2Dorset is a trading style of Dorset & Kent Commercial Services LLP - A joint venture between Dorset Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Dorset is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates