Safety, Health, Environmental and Quality Manager

Booker; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food wholesaler is seeking a SHEQ Manager to ensure compliance with safety and food standards across depots. The ideal candidate will lead safety culture, conduct audits, and manage training programs while ensuring legal compliance. With extensive experience in a distribution environment and strong communication skills, you will partner with site leadership to achieve quality and safety objectives. This role is pivotal in maintaining operational excellence and fostering a positive SHEQ culture.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Inclusive work environment

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in a fast-moving distribution environment.
• Ability to interpret and apply safety legislation.
• Strong background in SHEQ policies.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage safety compliance across depots.
• Ensure food safety standards are implemented effectively.
• Conduct internal audits and training for teams.

Skills

Health & Safety knowledge

Strong communication

Problem-solving

Customer-driven approach

Collaborative skills

Education

NEBOSH – National General Certificate or equivalent

Food Safety Level 3 (or equivalent)

HACCP level 3

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

As a Safety, Health, Environment, Quality (SHEQ) Manager for Best Food Logistics, you will play a vital role in ensuring the depot operates in accordance with the laws that govern company, depot compliance and quality standards.

You will be responsible for leading our Safety Culture, supporting site leadership teams and heads of department in implementing, administering, enforcing all Safety, Health, Environmental, Quality policies and processes.

Your duties will include ensuring that all requirements of the SHEQ, Food Standards policies are met by the depots leadership by overseeing and supporting the depot management team on these related subjects. You will also be responsible for briefing depot teams on updated or new ways of working, expected standards, risk assessments, safe systems of work, SHEQ alerts, reviewing all Depot accident investigations and completing both Depot and National SHEQ reports and presentations.

Reporting into the National SHEQ Manager, working with the wider SHEQ Management Team, you will also be critical leading and ensuring compliance to both business and group set Safety Standards, Goals and Projects set nationally for your depot(s).

Your proactive problem-solving approach will be crucial in resolving any areas of non-compliance and ensuring that all SHEQ, and Food Standards training is completed on time and in full. You will also be responsible for managing conflicting priorities across several compliance areas and dealing with assurance and compliance issues in the depot that require immediate attention and resolution.

Overall, your role as a SHEQ Manager will be critical in ensuring the depot is fully compliant with internal and external standards and requirements, audits and meeting business/legal requirements.

• Responsible for the maintenance of Safety, Health, Environmental and quality systems as documented on the Process Library. Ensures depot facilities are legal, and insurance compliance is co-ordinated with the Depot Management Team(s)
• Ensure that all requirements of the SHEQ, and Food Standards policies are met by the depot through influencing and overseeing the depot management team(s)
• Briefing depot teams on updated or new ways of working, standards, how to guides, risk assessments, safe systems of work and SHEQ alerts
• Ensure fire safety standards, tests, drills are adhered to, including equipment and emergency lighting and Fire Risk Assessment Report actions are completed
• Accountable for completing internal (first party) audits across the business to support assurance, audits and risk objectives
• With the support of the appropriate central departments, provide guidance to the Depot Management team(s) to comply with internal and external audits and help ensure the management and auditing teams close out requirements after audit.
• With the support of the Depot training teams, work to ensure depot compliance to audit standards through induction training, ongoing development and refresher training as required
• Monitor SHEQ business, Group standards & audit requirements to ensure compliance
• Highlight areas of non-compliance to Depot Management Team(s) and demonstrate a proactive problem-solving approach to resolve any areas of non-compliance
• With the support of the appropriate central departments, provide advice and guidance on all aspects of site Safety, Health, Environment and Food Standards
• Deliver and co-ordinate all SHEQ and Food Standards and compliance related events to update management team and new employees
• Work with the Depot Management Team(s) to identify and review compliance key performance indicators and suggest improvements and efficiencies to better meet business/legal requirements
• Ensure all SHEQ, and Food Standards training is completed on time and in full, reports gaps along with any non-compliance to the General Manager as well as Head of SHEQ
• Complete and present SHEQ presentations, chairing the local Health & Safety Committee Meetings, attend and presenting at the National Health and Safety Committee Meetings
• Attend Monthly SHEQ Team Meetings that are held across the business locations throughout the year and other business critical meetings as set by the National SHEQ Manager
• Input, lead and ensure full compliance at Depot to all National and Group set SHEQ projects and standards

Are you an experienced SHEQ Manager looking for your next challenge? Best Food Logistics is seeking a talented individual to join our team! As our SHEQ Manager, you will be responsible for the above.

To be successful in this role, you will need a sound working knowledge of processes and standards for all SHEQ areas, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge practically. You will also need to be a strong communicator, able to persuade and influence senior management and depot leadership teams, heads of departments, supervisors and all Colleagues

In addition, you should be customer-driven and collaborative, with a hands‑on approach to identifying pragmatic, business-focused solutions to areas of non-compliance. You should be comfortable working independently and able to interpret and apply safety legislation and policy.

Experience in a fast-moving distribution environment is a must, as is proficiency in Microsoft Office applications. You should also be able to work within tight budgetary controls and deliver effective presentations and training courses.

Challenges/Decision Making

• Managing conflicting priorities across several compliance areas
• Dealing with assurance and compliance issues in the depot that require immediate attention and resolution
• Influencing other managers in the depot to ensure they follow processes and standards and resolve issues in their areas of responsibility
• Leading on SHEQ Culture across the business
• Reviewing and giving feedback on investigations and other SHEQ matters

Requirements

• A sound working knowledge of company processes and standards within the business and demonstration of practical application.
• Strong knowledge in Health & Safety, Environmental management, Food Standards, and internal and external auditing.
• Effective communicator with the ability to persuade and influence senior management.
• Flexible, enthusiastic, and positive approach.
• Able to cope under pressure and priorities demands.
• Ability to deliver effective presentations and training courses.
• Customer driven, collaborative and hands‑on approach able to identify pragmatic, business-focused solutions to areas of non-compliance.
• Ability to work independently on own initiative as well as with the depot and wider SHEQ Teams.
• Ability to interpret and apply safety legislation and policy.
• Ability to analyse customer needs and make recommendations based on sound business knowledge and commercial acumen.
• Experience of a fast-moving distribution environment.
• IT literate – Microsoft Office applications.
• Cost management and ability to work within tight budgetary controls.
• Travel to and across the business network to attend meetings or support/investigate on SHEQ Matters at their locations.

If you meet these requirements and are enthusiastic, positive, and flexible under pressure, we encourage you to apply today!

Working Hours:

Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week.

Relevant Qualifications:

• NEBOSH – National General Certificate or equivalent
• Food Safety Level 3 (or equivalent)
• HACCP level 3

We look forward to you joining the BESTteam!

Booker is the UK's leading food & drink wholesaler. We are privileged to serve independent retailers, caterers and small businesses, from locations across the country. We operate over 190 cash and carry branches, eight distribution centres, five Best Food Logistics sites, as well as six support centre locations across the UK.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) at Booker means that whoever you are and whatever your background, we always want you to feel represented and that you can be yourself at work. In short, we’re a place where Everyone’s Welcome.

We know life looks a little different for each of us. That’s why at Booker and Best, we always welcome conversations about flexible working. Some people are at the start of their careers, some want the freedom to do the things they love. Others are going through life‑changing moments like becoming a carer, nearing retirement, adapting to parenthood, or something else. So, talk to us throughout your application about how we may be able to support you.

We’re proud that Booker is a Disability Confident Committed employer and we’re committed to providing a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process. For further information on the accessibility support you can expect, please contact [e-mail].

Please note

We can only accept candidates over the age of 18 if the role requires working before 6:15 am or after 9:45 pm or involves working in areas such as the warehouse, beers, wines & spirits, and driving roles.

On the occasions where we have high volumes of applicants, some roles may close earlier than the advertised end date in order for us to manage all of the applicants appropriately. We will only be able to offer individual feedback to those candidates who attend an interview.

*Booker Group is part of Tesco plc, however, is operated separately from the core Tesco business and as such the benefits offered will be different from those offered at Tesco*

For more information about us please visit www.bookergroupjobs.co.uk