Project Portfolio Health & Safety Lead

United Utilities’ (UU) mission is to deliver high-quality water for a more prosperous, greener and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society. We are proud to be ranked #4 in The Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers List. We value diversity, inclusion and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves.

We uphold our ethics, values and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long-term value for our colleagues, customers and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of.

We’ve got a lot to offer. You’ll be part of a thriving FTSE 100 company and will enjoy a range of core benefits that reflect your value and value contribution. These include:

• A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service, in addition to 8 bank holidays
• A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover
• Up to 20% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements
• A £5,000 car allowance to support your travel needs
• A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working

Our projects are designed to be environmentally and socially responsible and will offer you opportunities to learn and grow throughout the project cycle. As part of our team, you will benefit from a range of training and development programs, such as APM Project Management Qualifications (PMQ), CIPS professional membership and chartered status, support to become a Chartered (CEng) or Incorporated (IEng) engineer, leadership coaching, professional accreditation and mentoring. We are here to support you in reaching your full potential and thriving in your career and beyond.

The role

As Project Portfolio Health & Safety (H&S) Lead, you will provide expert H&S guidance to ensure top-tier performance across a portfolio of capital projects, each valued at approximately £4 billion. Your role will involve supporting the Project Director and Head of Health and Safety Delivery in developing and implementing comprehensive H&S plans throughout the entire project lifecycle, ensuring projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget.

You will collaborate with the Project Director and contractor partner executive leadership to establish a robust H&S culture that aligns with United Utilities\’ values. Critical H&S issues will be escalated to project leadership to ensure timely and appropriate interventions. Working closely with project managers, you will develop local H&S plans that align with the broader Capital Project H&S strategy and delivery model. Additionally, you will coach and mentor H&S team members, fostering their professional growth and ensuring the highest standards of H&S performance.

This transformational leadership role offers you the opportunity to influence safety culture across the organisation and make a meaningful impact on society. You will be responsible for nurturing and developing the competence and capacity of the Operational and Project H&S teams, driving continuous performance improvements, and identifying and cultivating future talent within United Utilities.

We are recruiting for four positions covering Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, and Lancashire. We are committed to supporting your work-life balance through our flexible, hybrid working model. You can choose to work from our main sites near Kendal, Manchester, Warrington, and Chester, or from our hubs in the county districts. While you will have the flexibility to work remotely, you will be required to attend your designated site at least three days per week to foster face-to-face collaboration. A willingness to travel and the ability to commute to sites in the North West is required. Initially, more frequent site attendance may be expected to help you familiarise yourself with the team, site, and your new role.

United Utilities offers dynamic and long-lasting opportunities that will help you grow professionally and personally. You will have the chance to enhance your skills, knowledge, and experience in a supportive and collaborative environment. If you are passionate about making a positive difference for the North West of England and want to join us on our journey of transformation, we would love to hear from you and welcome you to apply!

Key accountabilities

• Collaborate with Project Directors and the Head of Health and Safety Delivery to develop and implement H&S plans, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and safely
• Develop, gain approval for, and onboard the H&S organisation, including coaching and mentoring to build capacity in H&S leadership
• Participate in leadership meetings and site visits to support the delivery of H&S policies, procedures, and improvement plans
• Build effective relationships with project teams and contractor partners to communicate challenges and ensure learning from significant H&S incidents
• Review and analyse H&S data to identify improvement opportunities and provide advice and support for UU health and safety requirements and improvement programmes

Skills & experience

To be successful with your application, you’ll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent qualification in Health, Safety, and/or Wellbeing, or equivalent skills, knowledge, and experience
• Demonstrable experience delivering sustained H&S and wellbeing improvement to large scale (£Billion) capital projects as both a client and contractor partner
• Experience of providing H&S support during detailed design, preconstruction, construction and commissioning/handover phases of a project
• Demonstrable internal/external stakeholder management skills with experience influencing, coaching and negotiating with senior leadership
• Hold a current UK/EU driving licence

Other

We believe in empowering you to achieve your aspirations and dreams, both in your work and in your life. To help you achieve your goals, we offer a variety of voluntary benefits that you can select according to your needs and preferences.

• Onsite gym and physio lounge with instructor-led gym classes and dedicated physiotherapist, onsite childcare and nursery, free parking and EV charging points, dedicated multi-faith/prayer rooms and free bus service for UU colleagues – Warrington only
• MyGymDiscounts – gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions
• Best Doctors
• Salary Finance
• Wealth at Work courses
• Deals and discounts
• EVolve Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Mental health first aiders
• ShareBuy
• Enhanced parental leave schemes
• You may be entitled to relocation expenses of up to £8,000 for this position. This will depend on the outcome of an eligibility check

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

• Pre-screening – We will check that your CV meets the essential/eligibility criteria listed in the Skills & Experience section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the criteria above
• Application Review – Your CV, supporting documents and qualification notes will be reviewed by UU hiring managers to determine eligibility for interview
• Interview – If invited to interview, you\’ll be assessed against the sift categories in the Skills & Experience section of this advert
• Feedback – Feedback will be provided post-interview. If successful, your application will be considered for offer. Please note feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview

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