Head of Health and Safety

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We are working with a Local Authority in the Southwest who are seeking a Head of Health and Safety practitioner to act as the interim strategic lead for the corporate Health and Safety service at the Council.

Location: Southwest England

Set-up: Hybrid – ideally 2-3 days per week on-site

Rate: Up to£550/day via umbrella, inside IR35 (rate increase DoE)

Duration: Initial 3-month sign-off, likely extension

Hours: Full-time position

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the development and implementation of corporate Health & Safety and LoTC strategies, ensuring compliance with statutory obligations and delivery of best practice across all council services
• Act as the council’s principal H&S professional, advising on complex or high-risk matters, and coordinating with agencies such as the HSE and Fire & Rescue
• Drive and oversee the achievement of accredited standards under the Workplace Charter, managing a multi-disciplinary team to deliver on key well-being domains
• Manage H&S audits, accident investigations, training programmes, and reporting to inform strategic decisions and improve outcomes
• Lead the corporate H&S advisory service for schools and academies, including foreign travel and high-risk outdoor education activity assessments

Requirements:

• Chartered Member of IOSH with a relevant degree or equivalent qualification and a minimum of 10 years\’ senior experience in health and safety
• Demonstrated strategic leadership and people management skills, with experience leading change across large, complex organisations
• Deep understanding of statutory H&S responsibilities, including the Health and Safety at Work Act, Fire Safety Order, and related regulations
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead multi-agency collaboration to drive cultural and operational improvements
• Strong communication, project management, budgetary, and data analysis skills to underpin evidence-based decision-making

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