At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead Health & Safety initiatives, improve standards, and engage with senior stakeholders.
- Company: Local Council in London focused on health and safety improvements.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, hybrid working, and impactful leadership role.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in health and safety during a critical transition period.
- Qualifications: Senior experience in Health & Safety and knowledge of ISO 45001 systems.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth in a dynamic public sector environment.
Interim Health & Safety Lead – London
£400 paye / £550 per day Umbrella (Inside IR35)
37 hours per week
3–6 month contract
We are currently supporting a London based Local Council in recruiting an Interim Health & Safety Lead to provide senior capacity during a period of transition. This is a high-impact strategic interim focused on stabilising existing Health & Safety activity, progressing priority improvements and preparing a structured handover for incoming permanent staff. The assignment is about creating clarity, frameworks and momentum — not delivering full ISO accreditation or long-term cultural transformation.
Hybrid working applies: 2 days per week in the London office, 3 days remote. Reporting directly to the Head of Corporate Health & Safety, you’ll act as a senior advisor across the organisation, helping to establish consistent standards and engagement during this critical period.
Responsibilities
- Health & Safety Standards & Systems
- Review and update corporate H&S policies, procedures and management systems
- Establish a baseline of H&S maturity across the Council
- Identify key risks, gaps and duplication
- Design a proportionate ISO 45001-aligned framework
- Produce priority corporate standards and model risk assessments
- Design (not deliver) an audit and assurance framework
- Engagement, Communications & Culture
- Reset the H&S engagement and communications approach
- Develop a simple engagement strategy for Directorates
- Improve visibility of H&S through consistent messaging
- Support managers to embed H&S into daily operations
- Design leading and lagging performance indicators
- Training & Capability (Design Phase Only)
- Complete a high-level training needs analysis
- Create a H&S competency and training matrix
- Identify priority gaps and quick wins
- Produce a roadmap for future training delivery
- Leadership & Handover
- Act as senior H&S advisor to Directors and senior managers
- Report into governance and leadership forums
- Coach and support existing H&S team members
- Produce a comprehensive handover covering:
- Baseline maturity assessment
- Work completed
- Key risks and dependencies
- Clear next steps and recommendations
Requirements
- Senior Health & Safety leadership experience within large, complex organisations
- Strong experience designing or implementing ISO 45001-aligned systems
- Proven ability to improve H&S management frameworks
- Experience driving engagement and cultural improvement
- Confident influencing senior stakeholders without formal authority
- Able to deliver at pace in short-term interim roles
- Public sector or local government experience (highly desirable)
Contact James at Service Care Solutions 01772 208967 james.glover@servicecare.org.uk
Health & Safety Lead employer: Service Care Solutions
Contact Detail:
Service Care Solutions Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Health & Safety Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the health and safety field, especially those who have experience in local councils. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of ISO 45001 systems. Be ready to discuss how you've improved H&S frameworks in past roles. We want to see you shine as a senior advisor!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your ability to influence without authority. Think of examples where you've successfully engaged stakeholders and driven cultural improvements. This is key for the role, so make it count!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Health & Safety Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Health & Safety Lead role. Highlight your senior leadership experience and any relevant ISO 45001 systems you've designed or implemented. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this interim role. Share specific examples of how you've improved H&S frameworks in the past, and don’t forget to mention your public sector experience if you have it.
Showcase Your Engagement Skills: Since this role involves resetting H&S engagement and communications, make sure to highlight your experience in driving engagement and cultural improvement. We want to know how you've influenced stakeholders and improved visibility in previous roles!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Service Care Solutions
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of Health & Safety standards, especially ISO 45001. Familiarise yourself with the specific challenges faced by local councils and be ready to discuss how you can address them.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare examples from your past roles that demonstrate your ability to lead Health & Safety initiatives. Highlight any experience you've had in improving management frameworks or engaging stakeholders, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Engagement is Key
Think about how you would reset the H&S engagement and communications approach. Be ready to share your ideas on developing a simple engagement strategy and how you would improve visibility of H&S across the organisation.
✨Plan for the Handover
Since this role involves preparing a structured handover, consider what key information and recommendations you would include. Discussing your approach to creating a comprehensive handover will show your strategic thinking and foresight.