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Senior Health and Safety Advisor
Salary: Competitive and based on experience
Location: Warwickshire, hybrid
Keywords: health and safety, risk management, compliance, training delivery, policy development
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Health and Safety Advisor to join a respected education institution in the Warwickshire area.
What you'll do:
As a Senior Health and Safety Advisor based in Coventry, you will play an instrumental role in fostering a safe learning and working environment throughout the university group. Your day-to-day activities will involve collaborating closely with colleagues at all levels-from frontline staff to senior managers-providing them with expert guidance tailored to their specific departmental needs. You will take ownership of specialist subject areas within health and safety according to your experience or interests while also contributing to policy development that ensures legal compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Regularly conducting audits and inspections will allow you to identify risks proactively; your recommendations will drive continuous improvement.
- Encourage high standards of legal compliance and best practice by building strong networks with stakeholders to enhance their capacity for risk management and proactive consideration of health and safety issues.
- Provide proactive, solutions-focused advice on health and safety matters to managers, supervisors, and staff within designated departments based on risk priorities and technical requirements.
- Lead on specialist areas such as machinery safety, lasers, radiation, biological hazards, events management, drones operation, or disability adjustments by developing relevant standards, guidance documents, and processes.
- Develop comprehensive policies, procedures, standards, and guidance that translate complex legal requirements into practical arrangements promoting a healthy work and study environment.
- Monitor statutory compliance through regular audits, inspections, and risk assessments; prepare detailed reports with actionable recommendations for remedial measures when necessary.
- Act as a focal point for expert advice on all aspects of health and safety for both staff and students across the university group.
- Support the implementation of strategic health and safety initiatives by undertaking project work and keeping colleagues informed about emerging issues that may affect the organisation.
- Provide line management support to Health and Safety Advisors or Trainees by ensuring effective communication within the team, allocating tasks appropriately, monitoring quality of work, managing workloads, reviewing progress against objectives, approving leave requests, and supporting personal development through coaching or supervision.
- Maintain liaison with enforcement agencies such as the Health and Safety Executive or Fire Authority as directed by senior management to ensure compliance with external regulations.
- Assist in developing local emergency response procedures in collaboration with business continuity teams while supporting centralised processes like first aid provision or display screen equipment assessment.
What you bring:
To excel as a Senior Health and Safety Advisor in this academic setting, you will bring substantial experience gained from roles involving complex hazard management-ideally within higher education or research environments. Your qualifications should include advanced certifications such as NEBOSH Diploma alongside active involvement with professional bodies like IOSH. You are adept at translating legislation into practical solutions that resonate with diverse audiences; your interpersonal skills enable you to connect empathetically with colleagues at every level while fostering trust-based relationships. Your proven ability to design impactful training interventions-whether face-to-face or online-will empower others across the organisation. A meticulous approach underpins your audit work: you consistently identify root causes behind incidents before recommending sustainable improvements.
- Qualified to degree level or equivalent experience in a relevant field alongside holding a NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent) as well as graduate membership of IOSH.
- Demonstrable experience as a health and safety professional managing diverse hazards within environments similar to further education or research sectors.
- Proven track record in delivering display screen equipment assessments along with home working evaluations tailored for academic settings.
- Extensive background in developing robust risk assessments plus systems of work that address both routine operations and unique challenges found within universities.
- Experience designing engaging training programmes-including e-learning modules-and delivering workshops aimed at improving organisational competency around health topics.
- Excellent networking skills enabling you to build productive relationships internally across departments as well as externally with regulatory bodies or industry peers.
- Strong written/oral communication abilities allowing you to articulate complex information persuasively while influencing others towards positive change.
- Ability to interpret intricate legal requirements related not only to UK law but also international jurisdictions where applicable; understanding GDPR obligations regarding confidentiality is essential.
- A flexible approach that supports collaboration within multidisciplinary teams coupled with cultural sensitivity reflecting commitment towards equal opportunities for all community members.
- Full driving licence with willingness to travel regularly within the Midlands region; readiness to occasionally work outside standard office hours when needed.
Robert Walters Operations Limited is an employment business and employment agency and welcomes applications from all candidates
