At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead health and safety initiatives in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.
- Company: Join a dynamic food manufacturing business committed to high standards.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Why this job: Shape a proactive safety culture and drive meaningful change.
- Qualifications: NEBOSH qualification and experience in health and safety management.
- Other info: Hands-on role with strong visibility and influence across all levels.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Health & Safety Manager in Kent for a fast-paced food manufacturing business that prioritises high standards. The role requires a leader who actively engages with the workforce, ensuring safety is integral to the business culture.
Responsibilities:
- Take full responsibility for health & safety across the site - strategy, compliance, culture, and performance.
- Lead and evolve the H&S strategy in line with operational demands.
- Ensure full compliance with legal, regulatory, and audit standards (BRC, ISO, COP).
- Create and embed a proactive, engaged safety culture across the workforce.
- Identify gaps through audits and observations and implement clear, workable solutions.
- Own and manage the H&S budget effectively.
- Keep the site audit-ready at all times.
- Manage the crisis management framework, ensuring plans are current and workable.
Day-to-Day Activities:
- Be visible, vocal, and hands-on in leading from the front.
- Drive engagement and accountability across all teams.
- Challenge existing processes constructively and advocate for improvements.
- Deliver training and guidance that is understandable and applicable.
- Ensure all risk assessments (RA) and PUWER requirements are robust and up to date.
- Act as the key contact for external agencies and enforcement bodies.
- Lead H&S performance reviews, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Partner with operational teams to address accident trends and risk hotspots.
- Support projects with clear, commercially sound H&S input.
- Own site-wide safety protocols, including new equipment sign-off.
- Ensure emergency preparedness, including fire drills and trained teams.
- Maintain strong contractor management and emergency cover.
- Be a reliable escalation point, including out-of-hours when needed.
Ideal Candidate:
- Credible on the ground and confident in the boardroom.
- Strong understanding of UK H&S legislation and regulatory frameworks.
- Able to influence at all levels, from shop floor to senior leadership.
- Proactive mindset with the ability to spot risk early and act decisively.
- Analytical skills to turn data into insight and action.
- Calm, pragmatic, and solutions-focused under pressure.
Qualifications:
- NEBOSH qualification (or equivalent).
- Experience with ISO 45001 and audit standards (BRC/ISO Lead Auditor ideal).
- Proven track record of building a positive H&S culture in manufacturing (food experience highly advantageous).
- Strong stakeholder management and team leadership experience.
- Working knowledge of BRC, ISO45001, SMETA/SEDEX, and COP standards.
Success Metrics:
- Zero major non-conformities in audits.
- Strong audit performance across customer and ethical standards.
- Fully compliant, up-to-date risk assessments and equipment standards.
- Measurable reduction in accident frequency rates.
- A workforce that owns safety, not just follows it.
This role is about building a culture where safety is second nature, with high standards and engaged people. If you want to make an impact, drive change, and be recognised for it, we should talk.
Health and Safety Manager in Gravesend employer: The Collective Network
Contact Detail:
The Collective Network Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Health and Safety Manager in Gravesend
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture before your interview. Research their values and how they approach health and safety. This way, you can tailor your responses to show that you're not just a fit for the role, but for the team too!
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your storytelling skills! Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led health and safety initiatives. This will help you demonstrate your proactive mindset and ability to influence at all levels.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t shy away from asking questions during the interview. Show your interest by inquiring about their current health and safety challenges or how they measure success in this role. It’ll make you stand out as someone who’s genuinely invested.
✨Tip Number 4
Finally, apply through our website! We’re all about building partnerships, and applying directly shows your commitment. Plus, it gives us a chance to see your enthusiasm right from the start!
We think you need these skills to ace Health and Safety Manager in Gravesend
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Safety: When you're writing your application, let your passion for health and safety shine through. We want to see how you lead from the front and make safety a core part of your work culture. Share specific examples of how you've driven safety initiatives in the past!
Be Specific About Your Experience: Don't just list your qualifications; tell us how you've applied them in real-world situations. Mention your NEBOSH qualification and any experience with ISO standards, but also highlight how you've built a positive safety culture in previous roles. We love details!
Tailor Your Application: Make sure your application speaks directly to the role we're offering. Use the job description as a guide and align your skills and experiences with what we’re looking for. This shows us that you understand the role and are genuinely interested in joining our team.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it’s super easy – just follow the prompts and you’ll be good to go!
How to prepare for a job interview at The Collective Network
✨Know Your Legislation
Brush up on UK health and safety legislation and regulatory frameworks. Be ready to discuss how these laws apply to the food manufacturing sector, and think of examples where you've successfully implemented compliance measures in your previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Hands-On Approach
This role is all about being visible and vocal. Prepare to share specific instances where you led from the front, engaged teams, and made safety a priority on the shop floor. Highlight your proactive mindset and how you’ve tackled risks before they became issues.
✨Demonstrate Your Analytical Skills
Be prepared to discuss how you've turned data into actionable insights. Bring examples of audits or performance reviews you've conducted, and explain how you identified gaps and implemented solutions that improved safety culture and compliance.
✨Engage with Real Scenarios
Think of potential crisis management scenarios relevant to the food manufacturing industry. Be ready to outline your approach to ensuring emergency preparedness and how you would keep the site audit-ready at all times. This will show your practical understanding of the role.