Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager

We offer great flexible working opportunities, and have offices in Belfast, Cardiff and York. Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not overseas. Travel within the UK will be required on a regular basis, possibly with overnight stays.

Are you passionate about creating safer, healthier workplaces? Do you thrive on driving positive change and supporting colleagues? If so, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) invites you to bring your expertise to our Health, Safety and Wellbeing Unit and join us as our Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager. We are a small government department with a big mission: to keep food safe, ensure it is what it says it is, and that it is increasingly healthy and more sustainable. With such a diverse remit, it's important that our teams have everything they need to deliver their important work successfully. The Health, Safety and Wellbeing Unit (HSWU) aims to ensure that staff at the FSA work in an environment that supports their needs.

As our Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the culture of safety across the Agency. You'll be the trusted expert, delivering clear, practical advice to managers and staff, maintaining robust safety systems, and spearheading initiatives that drive our health, safety, and wellbeing strategy forward.

This Is Your Opportunity To:

• Lead the development and delivery of innovative policies and projects that make a real difference.
• Guide and support managers through incident investigations, audits, and risk management, ensuring we meet and exceed UK legislation.
• Design and deliver engaging training, analyse performance data to spot trends, and recommend improvements that keep our people safe and empowered.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, raising awareness and building engagement at every level—from Trade Unions to senior leaders.

We're looking for a qualified professional with a track record of delivering results in health, safety, or wellbeing. Your analytical skills, passion for positive change, and ability to build strong relationships will be key to your success. If you're ready to prioritise, engage, and inspire, we want to hear from you. At the FSA, you'll find a supportive environment where your work truly matters. Join us and help ensure our colleagues are safe, valued, and able to deliver their best—so together, we can keep food safe for all.

Ready to make your mark? Apply today and help shape the future of workplace wellbeing at the FSA.

Working pattern guidance: Applicants who wish to work compressed hours are welcome to apply - however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying. If applying as a job share partnership you should both complete separate application forms on Civil Service Jobs but should make it clear that you are applying as job sharers. Due to the nature of the role, we are unable to consider requests for part time working.

This post is a temporary Fixed Term/Loan appointment available until the return of the substantive post holder, estimated to be 18 December 2026 with the potential, but no guarantee, of extension or permanency.

Candidates that are already established Civil Servants or from non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will come to the FSA on a Loan basis and will need to request permission from their Home Department for the Loan prior to applying for this vacancy.

Note for FSA employees: You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy.

Please note that if applying for a temporary post within the FSA or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion - you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).

Person specification: Please read the attached Candidate Pack to discover further details about the role, our organisation, who we are looking for and the criteria we will assess against during the selection process. We look forward to receiving your application and wish you every success.

Licences: Full Driving Licence (Manual or Automatic) for category B vehicles.

Qualifications: A minimum of a level 6 H&S Qualification and An IOSH Training qualification (or willing to undertake during the first 6 months in post).

Memberships: A chartered member of IOSH (or application for chartered status underway and due in less than 12 months).

Technical skills: We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: A minimum of a level 6 H&S Qualification. A chartered member of IOSH (or application for chartered status underway and due in less than 12 months). An IOSH Training qualification (or willing to undertake during the first 6 months in post).

Alongside your salary of £42,596, Food Standards Agency contributes £12,340 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Selection process details: This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Experience and Technical skills. Full details of the selection process are detailed in the attached candidate pack.

Application and shortlisting: You will be asked to provide personal details (not seen by the Panel) and to confirm your eligibility to apply for the role.

Technical: You will be asked two questions to confirm that you meet the following Technical requirements of the role: A minimum of a level 6 H&S Qualification and a chartered member of IOSH (or application for chartered status underway and due in less than 12 months).

If you cannot answer yes to both questions – you will not be able to proceed further with your application. You will then be asked to complete an application which will be used to assess you against the following essential criteria.

Essential Criteria Technical - Lead Criteria: A minimum of a level 6 H&S Qualification and A chartered member of IOSH (or application for chartered status underway and due in less than 12 months) and An IOSH Training qualification (or willing to undertake during the first 6 months in post).

Experience: Significant practical experience of working in health and safety within a complex, multi-site organisation. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with experience of influencing a wide range of internal and external stakeholders - effectively managing competing demands and perspectives. Experience in participating in training development and delivery. Demonstrable experience of identifying and acting on trends through analysis of performance data.

Interview: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the interview stage which will consist of an interview and briefing exercise, during which you will be assessed against the criteria below.

Details of assessment exercise: Full details of arrangements for the briefing exercise will be included in the invitation to interview.

Expected Timeline: Advert closes: 25 January. Sift: Expected to take place during week commencing 26 January 2026. Final panel interview: Expected to take place during week commencing 2 or 9 February 2026. Interviews will be held remotely via MS Teams.

Childcare Vouchers: Any move to the Food Standards Agency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.

Reserve List: A reserve list will be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointment may be made.

Visa Sponsorship: Please note that the FSA does not offer visa sponsorship and cannot provide advice on visa applications.

Making a complaint: The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements: This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups: UK nationals, nationals of the Republic of Ireland, nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK, nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

Working for the Civil Service: The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

Diversity and Inclusion: The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found.