Health & Safety Consultant, Chelmsford

Join one of the UK's largest local authorities and make a real impact on the lives of thousands of employees and residents. This is a unique opportunity to influence health and safety across a wide range of environments, from corporate offices to frontline services including highways, waste, recycling, education and social care. This hybrid-working role is contractually based in Chelmsford, with 2-3 days per month in the office and travel across the operational area depending on business need.

You will tackle varied, complex challenges that directly safeguard employees and residents, while accessing extensive training, development and progression in a forward-thinking organisation. If you're proactive, solutions-focused and confident in applying health and safety legislation, we’d love to hear from you.

As part of the Corporate Health and Safety Team, you’ll support the Council in meeting its responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related legislation. You will provide advice, guidance and training, support managers to meet statutory obligations, and help maintain effective arrangements for health, safety and welfare, contributing to a positive safety culture.

You will build strong stakeholder relationships, encouraging collaboration and informed decision-making, and deliver a service that makes a real difference to how the organisation manages health and safety risks. No two days are the same - you’ll tackle complex challenges across multiple sectors. Your work will safeguard thousands of employees and residents, making a tangible difference every day.

Accountabilities

• Contributes to the delivery of the health and safety advisory provision, to support a positive health and safety culture across the council and promote health and safety awareness and good practice to stakeholders.
• Works collaboratively with stakeholders to provide a support and advice service, as well as the necessary tools and guidance enabling them to effectively manage health and safety hazards associated with Council activities and its commissioned services.
• Reviewing health and safety policies and guidance which are well communicated and understood across the Council.
• Delivers health and safety training across the council, including ECC controlled schools, and to external clients.
• Responsible for carrying out health and safety management audits to ensure compliance with health and safety law and ECC policy, delivering reports to highlight findings and recommendations and escalating concerns where necessary.
• Works closely with stakeholders to ensure health and safety best practice, industry standards and statutory requirements are met, including addressing queries provided from the support desk and proactively contributing to the marketing of Health and Safety services.
• Acting as a subject matter expert for health and safety, works closely with the team to provide updates and share their knowledge.
• Supporting Functions in the delivery of H&S committee meetings.
• Supports stakeholders in the use of health and safety management systems, including support desk cover as required by the needs of the service.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to NEBOSH Certificate or NQF/QCF Level 3 or above.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
• Has experience of working in a health and safety related role within a complex organisation.
• Excellent customer service skills with experience of building collaborative relationships by engaging with services and influencing decision making.
• Proven track record of carrying out risk assessments, inspections audits and writing reports.
• Experience of delivering health and safety training.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs. At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.