Senior Health & Safety Manager (Permanent) in London

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week

Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office)

If you require more time to apply as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact as soon as possible.

Initial telephone interview followed by one to two competency-based interviews (depending on the volume of applications).

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly, and objectively.

The Chief Operating Office is at the heart of engaging and inspiring Cancer Research UK's people by delivering operational transformation and an employee experience that enables us to be an inclusive and agile organisation. We aim to become the hub for operational management ensuring we govern, prioritise, and are effective and efficient in all we do.

Our Health & Safety team is crucial to this mission by creating a safe and healthy environment for our staff and volunteers. With a presence spanning retail stores, distribution hubs, scientific research institutes (laboratories), a head office and multiple events involving the public and volunteers across the UK, the team provides wide-ranging and expert safety, health and wellbeing support.

We're searching for a Senior Health & Safety Manager to lead Cancer Research UK's Health, Safety & Welfare Strategy, ensuring a safe, compliant, and supportive environment that protects our people and all those impacted by our work from health and safety risks. In this leadership role, you'll be the driving force behind our health and safety culture, acting as our designated 'competent person' responsible for ensuring our safety, health, and welfare framework is appropriate and effective for Cancer Research UK's diverse range of environments.

From shaping and overseeing risk management and continuous improvements to leading a high-performing team and partnering with and influencing stakeholders and senior leaders to ensure legal compliance and operational excellence, you'll play a critical role in embedding safety into everything we do.

If you're a NEBOSH Diploma-qualified Health & Safety Manager with experience leading safe and compliant operations in line with UK legislation and best practices within large, complex, and hybrid organisations (both onsite and remote-based), we would love for you to join our mission.

• Leading, owning, managing, and governing Cancer Research UK's organisation-wide Health, Safety & Welfare Strategy & Framework, reviewing as appropriate to ensure they are fit for now and the future.
• Building and maintaining a shared understanding and ownership of safety practices across all activities and directorates, ensuring a compliant safety culture is embedded and understood at every level, from shops and offices to events and laboratories.
• Acting as Cancer Research UK's designated 'competent person' under the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, providing expert guidance, leadership, and support to ensure legal compliance and a safe working environment.
• Developing, maintaining, and monitoring the health & safety management system to ensure it remains effective and fit for purpose for the team, function, and wider organisation.
• This includes overseeing safe systems of work, risk assessments, policies, training, communications, monitoring, assurance, and reporting; ensuring compliance with all relevant, current, and emerging health & safety legislation, regulations, and best practices.
• Leading, developing, and motivating the Health & Safety team of 3-4 direct reports, helping them to deliver continuous improvements in health and safety practices and drive a culture where health, safety, and welfare are considered in all activities.
• Ongoing hazard and risk identification.
• End-to-end accident and incident management and monitoring.
• Providing management information, reporting, and analysis.
• Running health and safety forums and committees.
• Providing professional advice, guidance, and support, partnering with key internal stakeholders and teams (including Risk, Property, Inclusion & Wellbeing, and Safeguarding), and external third parties (such as enforcement agencies).
• Exercising sound judgment in health, safety, and welfare matters-making timely decisions, escalating issues when necessary, and providing strategic recommendations to senior leadership to support operational excellence and regulatory compliance.
• Providing relevant management information, including data analysis, trends, and actions to address risks and issues through verbal and written reports to the Head of Assurance and other stakeholders.
• Undertaking other tasks as necessary to contribute to the wider success of the Health & Safety team, the wider Assurance department, and Cancer Research UK's strategy.

NEBOSH Diploma level+ qualified Health & Safety Manager who has led on health and safety management in large, complex, and hybrid organisations (both onsite and remote-based).

Expert knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation, requirements, and best practices with experience applying this knowledge across a diverse range of environments.

Demonstrates strong prioritisation and organisation skills, with a track record of working independently with minimal supervision, managing multiple priorities and projects from initiation to completion, and consistently meeting deadlines while delivering high-quality outcomes.

Some experience in either direct line or matrix management, or supporting more junior members of a team, with the ability to lead, empower, motivate, and coach others and drive high performance.

Demonstrable leadership skills with experience influencing and supporting stakeholders and teams in driving change and health and safety compliance.

Able to occasionally travel across the UK on an ad-hoc basis as necessary.

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.

You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.