Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Driven by our sense of the place and community, Waltham Forest continues to grow and prosper. Waltham Forest is London’s first Borough of Culture and 2019 MJ Council of the Year. Our opportunities are real: a new university campus, £300 million new shopping centre, 10,000 new homes over the next ten years, re-invigorating a much-loved 950-seat theatre and a new hospital at Whipps Cross.
We are looking for a leader who brings expertise in safety and wellbeing, who can help us continue to build an inclusive, safe and healthy working environment for employees. You will be the key adviser to senior managers, leading a team of professionals who ensure managers are given professional support and assure or change the Council in undertaking its responsibilities.
You will influence across all areas, including working with colleagues in building management to ensure our corporate properties and schools are well maintained, safe and comfortable for all of our users, including public buildings libraries, museums and galleries that are safe and welcoming for our residents to visit.
We are also developing a pro-active approach to new ways of working and wellbeing across the council and supporting staff in areas such as mental health.
The team you will lead aims to offer best advice, tools and systems to focus on our most important resource – our staff to maintain and improve their health and wellbeing, whilst supporting managers to effectively control hazards and the operational risks created.
About the role
The Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing is a leader of a team who will be the council’s subject matter expert for health, safety and wellbeing. This will include responsibility for the council’s health, safety and wellbeing policies and guidance, training, inspection and investigation, along with leading support for any enforcement visits by the HSE/London Fire Brigade.
As the lead on the development and maintenance of the council’s health, safety and wellbeing strategy you will be responsible for ensuring the council is up to date with current legislation and sharing best practice across directorates.
You will be responsible for the performance and delivery of the annual health, safety and wellbeing business plan, managing the Occupational Health and Employee Assistance Programmes, managing a team of two advisers, a health and wellbeing officer, an assistant adviser and an apprenticeship adviser.
You will be able to shape improvement programmes, such as occupational health and employee assistance, a new 3 year wellbeing strategy and improving learning opportunities.
About you
You will need to be someone who finds pragmatic solutions, maximises value for the council and has a fantastic customer focus.
As an expert in your field, you will have up to date knowledge of all the statutory requirements in a broad range of areas including building related safety, people safety, behavioural safety and wellbeing. You will be able to train a range of stakeholders on the continual improvement of the health, safety and wellbeing management system.
You will have experience reporting to and influencing senior leaders. You will be able to demonstrate continual improvement of health, safety and wellbeing management in a large complex organisation and develop the team to drive improvement and innovation
Specific skills, experience and qualifications
- Key experience of working in complex and busy site operations in a council or similar public facing organisation
- Experience of delivering programme of continual improvement, including upskilling key stakeholders
- Commitment to equality diversity and inclusion across all activity.
- Excellent organisational, logistics and leadership skills
- Ability to manage and motivate team
- Proven experience in building and managing relationships with key partners
- Ability to work to deadlines and keep calm under pressure
- Behaves with integrity and honesty and acts confidentially where required
- Outstanding communication abilities, with the ability to work collaboratively across the directorates/council
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to establish trust and confidence at all levels and externally
- NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health; or NVQ Level 4/5 in Occupational Health & Safety Practice, or similar
- Graduate Member of the Institute of Occupational Health and working towards chartered membership
- Chartered/Fellow Membership of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (desirable)
- CFPA Diploma in Fire Prevention; or NEBOSH National Certificate in Fire Safety and Risk Management, or similar (desirable)
- Health & Safety Lead Auditor qualification (desirable)
- Wellbeing / Mental Health / Stress Management qualification (desirable)
- Ability to influence and negotiate with internal partners and clients (desirable)
- Solid knowledge of performance reporting and financial budget processes (desirable)
- Knowledge of Waltham Forest (desirable)
- Experience of operating in a political environment (desirable)