Health & Safety Manager

Ascension Executive Recruitment; Naas; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Nationally visible role

Career development

Competitive salary

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Ascension Executive Recruitment is seeking a Health & Safety Manager to lead our safety programme across all locations and travel nationwide for audits and support to local teams.

You will oversee training, compliance, risk assessments, and incident investigations, ensuring adherence to Irish H&S legislation. A strong background in audits, reporting, and stakeholder engagement is essential for success.

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Occupational Health & Safety or a related discipline.
• Membership of IOSH, IIRSM, or equivalent professional body.
• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience in a Health & Safety role.
• Strong experience conducting audits, inspections, and risk assessments.
• Proven track record managing health and safety training programmes.
• Excellent report writing and documentation skills.
• Strong knowledge of Irish Health & Safety legislation.
• Full clean driving licence and willingness to travel nationwide.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive health and safety audits across retail stores, offices, warehouses, and residential properties.
• Prepare detailed audit reports, scoring sheets, corrective action plans, and compliance documentation.
• Monitor audit findings and work closely with operational teams to ensure timely closure of identified actions.
• Maintain accurate property compliance records and building histories.
• Carry out routine inspections and risk assessments to identify and address hazards proactively.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant Irish health and safety legislation and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Audit reporting

Stakeholder management

Training coordination

Risk assessment

Documentation

Communication skills

Education

OHS Diploma/Degree

IOSH/IIRSM membership

Tools

Compliance software

Reporting systems

Job description

The Role

Reporting to the Property Manager, the Health & Safety Manager will lead the organisation’s health and safety programme across all operational locations. The role combines strategic oversight with hands‑on management of audits, inspections, training programmes, compliance systems, and risk mitigation initiatives. The successful candidate will regularly travel nationwide to conduct audits, support local management teams, and ensure consistent implementation of health and safety best practice across all sites.

Key Responsibilities

Health & Safety Compliance & Auditing

• Conduct comprehensive health and safety audits across retail stores, offices, warehouses, and residential properties.
• Prepare detailed audit reports, scoring sheets, corrective action plans, and compliance documentation.
• Monitor audit findings and work closely with operational teams to ensure timely closure of identified actions.
• Maintain accurate property compliance records and building histories.
• Carry out routine inspections and risk assessments to identify and address hazards proactively.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant Irish health and safety legislation and regulatory requirements.

Training & Development

• Manage and coordinate all Health & Safety related training programmes across the organisation.
• Oversee delivery and compliance of:
  • Manual Handling
  • Fire Safety & Fire Warden Training
  • First Aid
  • Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing Training
  • Risk Assessment Training
• Monitor certification expiry dates and coordinate refresher training programmes.
• Collaborate with Learning & Development teams to ensure effective training administration and compliance reporting.
• Identify training gaps and develop initiatives to improve organisational safety awareness.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with Property, Facilities, Retail, and Operational teams to drive continuous safety improvement.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on health and safety matters.
• Support managers in incident investigations and implementation of corrective actions.
• Communicate audit findings, compliance updates, and key risks clearly to senior stakeholders.

Reporting & Governance

• Produce and present Health & Safety reports, KPIs, and compliance metrics.
• Maintain health and safety management systems and compliance databases.
• Support internal committees and management reviews through accurate reporting and recommendations.
• Ensure all documentation is maintained in accordance with organisational and regulatory requirements.

Candidate Profile

We are keen to speak with Health & Safety professionals who have experience managing safety programmes across multi‑site environments such as retail, hospitality, healthcare, logistics, facilities management, property management, or not-for-profit organisations.

Essential Requirements

• Diploma or Degree in Occupational Health & Safety or a related discipline.
• Membership of IOSH, IIRSM, or equivalent professional body.
• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience in a Health & Safety role.
• Strong experience conducting audits, inspections, and risk assessments.
• Proven track record managing health and safety training programmes.
• Excellent report writing and documentation skills.
• Strong knowledge of Irish Health & Safety legislation.
• Full clean driving licence and willingness to travel nationwide.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable Experience

• Multi‑site retail experience.
• Fire Safety Management experience.
• Contractor management experience.
• Experience with compliance management software and reporting systems.
• Train‑the‑Trainer qualifications in Manual Handling or related disciplines.

What’s on Offer?

• Nationally visible role with significant impact across the organisation.
• Collaborative and supportive working environment.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Strong focus on professional development and continuous learning.