Health & Safety Manager

Cancer Research UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading non-profit organization in Greater London seeks a Health & Safety Manager to lead their Health, Safety & Welfare Strategy. This role involves managing teams, ensuring compliance with UK legislation, and fostering a culture of safety across various operations. Ideal candidates will possess a NEBOSH Diploma and extensive experience in health and safety management. The organization offers a supportive work environment and a generous benefits package.

Benefits

Generous benefits package

Career and personal development opportunities

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• NEBOSH Diploma level+ qualified Health & Safety Manager.
• Expert knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation and best practices.
• Demonstrates strong prioritization and organization skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Health, Safety & Welfare Strategy.
• Develop and deliver Cancer Research UK's Annual Operating Plan.
• Provide professional advice and guidance to stakeholders.

Skills

UK Health & Safety legislation knowledge

Interpersonal and influencing skills

Problem-solving abilities

Leadership and management

Organizational skills

Education

NEBOSH Diploma

Job description

The Chief Operating Office is at the heart of engaging and inspiring Cancer Research UK's people by delivering operational transformation and an employee experience that enables us to be an inclusive and agile organisation. We aim to become the hub for operational management ensuring we govern, prioritise, and are effective and efficient in all we do.

Our Health & Safety team is crucial to this mission by creating a safe and healthy environment for our staff and volunteers. With a presence spanning over 600 stores, 4 distribution hubs, 4 scientific research institutes (laboratories), multiple events involving the public and volunteers, and 2 head offices across the UK- the team provides wide-ranging and expert safety, health and wellbeing support. This involves managing accidents and incidents and ensuring compliance with regulations and good practices in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders.

What will I be doing?

Leading, owning, managing, and governing Cancer Research UK's organisation-wide Health, Safety & Welfare Strategy & Framework, reviewing as appropriate to ensure they are fit for now and the future.

Building and maintaining a shared understanding and ownership of safety practices across all activities and , ensuring a compliant safety culture is embedded and understood at every level, from shops and offices to events and laboratories.

Acting as Cancer Research UK's designated ' ' under the , providing expert guidance, leadership, and support to ensure legal compliance and a safe working environment.

Developing, maintaining, and monitoring the health & safety management system to ensure it remains effective and fit for purpose for the team, function, and wider organisation.

This includes overseeing safe systems of work, risk assessments, policies, training, communications, monitoring, assurance, and reporting; ensuring compliance with all relevant, current, and emerging health & safety legislation, regulations, and best practices.

Managing the Health & Safety Team

Leading, developing, and motivating the Health & Safety team of 3-4 direct reports, helping them to:

• Maintain collaborative stakeholder relationships across the charity.
• Deliver continuous improvements in health and safety practices and drive a culture where health, safety, and welfare are considered in all activities.

Developing and delivering Cancer Research UK's Annual Operating Plan, including:

• Ongoing hazard and risk identification.
• Supplier due diligence and management.
• End-to-end accident and incident management and monitoring.
• Budget management.
• Providing management information, reporting, and analysis.
• Running health and safety forums and committees.

Providing professional advice, guidance, and support, partnering with key internal stakeholders and teams (including Risk, Property, Inclusion & Wellbeing, and ), and external third parties (such as enforcement agencies).

Exercising sound judgment in health, safety, and welfare matters-making timely decisions, escalating issues when necessary, and providing strategic recommendations to senior leadership to support operational excellence and regulatory compliance.

Providing relevant management information, including data analysis, trends, and actions to address risks and issues through verbal and written reports to the Head of Assurance and other stakeholders (e.g., Executive Board and Trustees as required).

Undertaking other tasks as necessary to contribute to the wider success of the Health & Safety team, the wider Assurance department, and Cancer Research UK's strategy.

Qualifications & Experience

NEBOSH Diploma level+ qualified Health & Safety Manager who has led on health and safety management in large, complex, and hybrid organisations (both onsite and remote-based).

Expert knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation, requirements, and best practices with experience applying this knowledge across a diverse range of environments.

Has successfully built credible and collaborative cross-functional stakeholder and senior leadership relationships with demonstrable interpersonal, influencing, and negotiating skills with a proven ability to communicate effectively with a wide-ranging audience.

Demonstrates strong prioritisation and organisation skills, with a track record of working independently with minimal supervision, managing multiple priorities and projects from initiation to completion, and consistently meeting deadlines while delivering high-quality outcomes.

A proactive approach to problem-solving with a continuous improvement mindset for identifying and implementing continuous improvements and interventions, encouraging innovation, promoting best practices, and challenging conventional organisational approaches and thinking.

Some experience in either direct line or matrix management, or supporting more junior members of a team, with the ability to lead, empower, motivate, and coach others and drive high performance.

Ability to work as part of a team and senior leadership team, using wider thinking and contributing towards the team's collective success.

Demonstrable leadership skills with experience influencing and supporting stakeholders and teams in driving change and health and safety compliance.

Able to occasionally travel across the UK on an ad‑hoc basis as necessary.

Our Values

Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination

Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism

We're looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.

If you're interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience we'd still love to hear from you.

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work‑life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.