Head of Corporate Health and Safety

Adecco are delighted to be partnering with Westminster City Council in their recruitment of their Head of Corporate Health & Safety.

As the Head of Corporate Health & Safety, you can make your own powerful contribution to Westminster's success. Providing leadership and strategic advice, you will promote a culture where the councils activities are managed in a manner which reduces risk and enhances H&S for staff, residents, and visitors. Working within their statutory and policy framework, and in line with the highest professional standards, you will develop, implement, and continuously improve culture, both across the Council and among suppliers.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Work within the statutory and policy framework of the council, and in line with the highest professional standard, lead the Corporate Health and Safety Team to advise on risks, controls, and compliance of the diverse range of activities and responsibilities of all council departments.
• Develop, implement, and continuously review and improve the Council's H&S policy and procedure framework and culture to ensure that the requirements of all relevant Health & Safety legislation are embedded across the council.
• Work with the Commercial Partnerships team to embed the highest standard of H&S amongst suppliers and to ensure that contract managers are actively managing contracts from a H&S perspective.
• Ensure effective governance and scrutiny with all relevant stakeholders and represent the H&S Team at all relevant meetings.
• Embed a Corporate Risk Register and actively manage the resolution of corporate risks.
• Ensure that a comprehensive Health & Safety training strategy is implemented and monitor where gaps in provision and completion require action.
• Ensure that comprehensive performance measures, monitoring systems and audit programmes are in place to provide assurance that H&S management is suitable and sufficient and report on these to relevant Executive Directors, Members, and the Chief Executive.
• Keep fully abreast of all legal and technical developments in the H&S field and ensure the pro-active dissemination of relevant information in a usable and digestible form across the council.
• Develop and implement the communications strategy using all council communication channels to embed a H&S culture across the organisation.
• Provide ad hoc advice to third sector partners who may require signposting to relevant resources including training resources.
• Effective budget management and monitoring.
• Carry out any other duties as required as determined by the Director of Corporate Property.

Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required

• A recognised degree in Health & Safety (or a related discipline) or alternatively a relevant NEBOSH Level 6 qualification.
• Chartered Member of IOSH and be able to demonstrate an independent record of continuous professional development.
• Substantial experience in the management of health and safety in a comparable complex public sector corporate environment.
• Wide knowledge of H&S legislation.
• Experience of auditing to determine the effectiveness and reliability of the relevant governance systems.
• Experience of systems management for the reporting of accidents, assaults, injuries, occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences.
• Ability to communicate effectively across all levels of management to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Experienced in producing clear and concise reports for senior management.
• Adequate DBS check completed.

All shortlisted candidates will be invited to participate in a Technical Panel which involves a written exercise as well as a face to face interview.

Westminster City Council Testimony

The Council is committed to achieving diverse shortlists to support our desire to increase the number of staff from underrepresented groups in our workforce. We especially encourage applications from a global majority background and, while the role is open to all applicants, we will utilise the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to appoint a candidate from a global majority background where there is a choice between two candidates of equal merit. If you are from a Global Majority background, you can self-declare this to the hiring team as part of our positive action commitments.

Westminster is an amazing place. We are home to more than 200,000 residents from all backgrounds, over 50,000 vibrant and vital businesses and three-quarters-of-a-million people work in Westminster.

Westminster City Councils strategy is to work towards a Fairer Westminster. A Fairer Westminster is one in which our communities are at the heart of our decision-making and help to determine the city's future. By working directly with our communities and other partners, we can build a more inclusive city that celebrates our diverse communities, and where residents, workers and visitors from all backgrounds will feel welcome and safe.

At Westminster City Council, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive workplace and employer of choice. We encourage and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that, at all levels, represents the communities we serve. We champion equality, diversity, inclusion, and well-being and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging and is empowered to be their best, that is the Westminster Way.

To find out more about how we do this visit:

(url removed) Council is a Disability Confident Employer. If you have declared a disability in your application, we guarantee an interview if you meet the essential criteria of the job. If you are invited for interview, you will be asked if you need any reasonable adjustments in order to attend, and we will make these wherever possible.