Health and Safety Advisor

Grade 7 (£36922 - £41881)

Permanent, full time.

Are you a committed, enthusiastic Health and Safety Practitioner looking for a new challenge?  If so, we have a fantastic opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team within a forward-thinking authority planning to meet the key challenges for local government in the coming years.

We have up to 3 exciting and motivating opportunities for progressive and competent Health and Safety Advisors to join us in taking our health and safety service forward.  You will work with the Service Manager – Health and Safety, to provide health and safety support across all Council services, to elected members, subsidiary companies Wolverhampton Homes and WV Living, plus support services to partner organisations, such as Community Associations, Tenant Management Organisations and Academy Schools.

We are particularly looking to enhance our health and safety support to the City Council in the areas of education provision, advice to Wolverhampton Homes Arms Length Management Organisation, Adult Care Provision, Local Authority Waste Service provision, and construction related projects. In the post you will be given considerable responsibility and expected to make a positive contribution to team outcomes. Enjoying a varied, challenging work load, working within a supportive team, you will also have freedom to devise and implement project work. You will be given every opportunity to make full use of your skills and to influence how our work is carried out.

This is a business-critical role which comes with a far-reaching remit and excellent commitment and support from the organisation’s senior leaders.  Working with the Service Manager- Health and safety and other Health and Safety Advisors, you will be proactively involved with the team’s operational delivery. You will assist with the development of strategy, advising and supporting the organisation with competent and pragmatic advice and support to a wide range of employees at all levels in both the City Council and partner organisations in line with legal requirements, approved codes of practice and sector specific guidance and best practice.  You should be a team player and have the ability to forge good working relationships with internal staff and external agencies. The successful candidate will have skills, knowledge and experience in working with Trades Unions to ensure that health and safety is embedded at all levels within the organisation and delivers  our ‘One Council’ approach.  As an active member of the Health and Safety Team the postholder will contribute on behalf of the service to progression of the wider Council Plan, to Relight Our City and Relight our Council.

The successful candidate will be keen to get the best out of themselves and others and will be a Member of the Institution of Occupational Health and Safety with an appetite and plan to achieve Chartered status.  They will have a Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety e.g. NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent post graduate health and safety qualification.  They will have undertaken other specific relevant health and safety qualifications and studies to demonstrate their competency across the wide range of services delivered by the City Council.

The role requires a knowledge of statutory duties of local authorities relevant to health and safety and the successful candidate will have experience and a proven track record of developing and implementing strategies and policies in providing health and safety advice to a large public service organisation. We require an individual with strong negotiation and influencing skills who will work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines, will use initiative within delegated authority and have confidence in their own ability and judgement, especially when faced with health and safety risks. In addition to outstanding health and safety knowledge, the post holder will be able to demonstrate awareness and commitment to the Councils core values, in particular our equalities, diversity and inclusion strategy and ensure that they are considered and included as part of implementing health and safety objectives. 

If you wish to discuss the role in more detail please contact Natalie Barrow, Service Manager – Health and Safety on natalie.barrow@wolverhampton.gov.uk

City of Wolverhampton Council are committed to representing Wolverhampton’s diverse community and therefore strongly encourage applications from all applicants meeting the essential criteria. The council operates a guaranteed interview policy for disabled candidates, those who have previously been under our care and are over the age of 25 and veterans who have served in the military, where it is evidenced that the essential criteria of the post are met. Our application system is anonymous, this means recruitment interview panel members will not receive details of your name or date of birth unless you are invited to attend an interview. We are not able to hide personal information from any attachments that you upload so we request that you remove your name, date of birth and any personal information from any supporting documentation. The shortlisting panel will receive your candidate pack in full (including any attachments) showing your candidate number. If you are invited to attend an interview, panel members will be provided with your name.

Supporting documents
Job Description and Person Specification Health and Safety Adviser October 2021 .docx