QHSE Advisor in London

Reports to: QHSE Manager

Location: London – Heathrow

Contract Type: Permanent

Introduction to Role

Vanderlande is a global leader in logistics process automation across the airports and parcel sectors. The UK & Ireland Airports Quality, Health Safety and Environment department forms part of our global organisation with a focus on the projects being delivered in the UK and Ireland region.

As a QHSE Advisor, you will support the delivery of complex engineering and installation projects by providing competent, practical health, safety and environmental advice to project teams, contractors, and stakeholders. You will work closely with engineering, project management, site supervision, and customers to help ensure work is planned and executed safely, in line with legal requirements, client standards, and Vanderlande policies. This role offers the opportunity to develop your career while contributing to projects with real-world impact. Vanderlande values different perspectives and supports ongoing learning and career development and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and experiences as we build a diverse engineering team.

Role Responsibilities

The ideal candidate is hands-on, proactive and pragmatic, with the confidence to engage positively with site teams and contractors to improve health and safety performance. You will be comfortable working on live construction/installation environments around Heathrow Airport, carrying out inspections, coaching teams, and challenging unsafe behaviours. Strong verbal and written communication skills are essential, along with the ability to influence at all levels.

You will act as a key point of contact for HSE on assigned projects, helping to ensure safe systems of work are in place and understood. This includes supporting risk assessment and method statement (RAMS) reviews, pre-start planning, permit and isolation processes where applicable, and ensuring controls are implemented and maintained. You will help keep projects audit-ready by maintaining accurate HSE records and supporting compliance with Vanderlande and client requirements.

In this role, you will support HSE performance throughout the project lifecycle—mobilisation, installation, testing, commissioning and handover—by monitoring standards, identifying emerging risks, and working with teams to implement effective corrective and preventive actions. You will contribute to incident prevention through visible leadership, effective engagement, and timely reporting.

Your work will directly support the prevention of harm, legal and client compliance, and a positive safety culture—helping to protect our people, partners and customers while enabling successful project delivery. You will contribute to delivering mission critical baggage automation systems in one of the most complex live airport environments in the world.

Your responsibilities and activities will include:

• Providing advice and support to Vanderlande teams to meet requirements of legislation, ISO standards and company processes & procedures.
• Supporting implementation of the Vanderlande QHSE Policies to drive improvements and gain / maintain certification.
• Promoting a proactive approach to QHSE management including regular site visits & contact with supervisors, managers and subcontractors to ensure issues are clearly understood and effectively managed.
• Driving an incident & injury free culture.
• Maintaining a strong focus on key HSE risks and critical controls, ensuring that risk is assessed, communicated and managed effectively.
• Assisting teams in compiling and communicating user friendly documentation to manage QHSE risks including pre-start planning and meetings.
• Assisting managers in ensuring competence of their teams (including contractors) and ensuring adequate records are maintained.
• Assisting Managers & Supervisors in managing key risks and non-conformances.
• Liaising with project and support teams to close out non-conformances.
• Supporting compliance with client/site rules and project controls (e.g., permits to work, isolations/LOTO, contractor management and access requirements) and maintaining appropriate HSE records.
• Investigation of site issues, accidents, incidents and non-conformances, including production of accident & incident reports and root cause analysis.
• Facilitating the delivery of corrective and preventive actions for significant issues in conjunction with the relevant teams / managers.
• Conducting site inspections and audits (internal and contractor/supplier), reporting findings, and following up to verify effective close-out.
• Communicating significant HSE issues, lessons learned and safety alerts to the QHSE Manager and relevant teams, helping to share learning across projects.
• Assisting the QHSE Manager in meeting regional objectives and supporting other duties required by projects and contracts.

Role Qualification and Skills

• Detailed knowledge of UK health, safety and environmental legislation. NEBOSH General Certificate (Level 3) minimum; working towards NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent) is desirable.
• 3 to 5 years practical HSE experience in either Logistics, Maintenance, Construction or Engineering industries and application of health & safety practices in a variety of working environments.
• Strong understanding of CDM and its application to support teams in achieving high standards during the sales, design, installation and commissioning of projects.
• Good understanding of machinery/installation safety (e.g., guarding, PUWER principles and risk reduction), with the ability to engage technical teams on safe design and safe installation practices.
• Excellent interpersonal, written oral and presentation skills as well as proven leadership and communication skills at all levels within the business and clients.
• Experience in incident and accident investigation, management and report compilation including detailed Root Cause Analysis.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Experience in development & delivery of QHSE training packages such as Inductions, Tool Box Talks, Safety Alerts, Incident Investigation & Risk Assessment (Instruction/teaching qualification associated to H&S desirable).
• Strong computer skills including database, presentation, spreadsheet and word processing packages.
• Experience planning and supporting internal and external audits/assessments (e.g., ISO 45001 / ISO 14001 / client audits) and coordinating follow-up actions.
• Experience supporting teams in delivering high standards of health, safety, environmental & quality management through appropriate processes, communication, auditing and follow up.

Desirable

• Tech IOSH / Grad IOSH (or working towards).
• ISO 45001 internal auditor (or demonstrable audit experience).
• Environmental qualification and/or experience supporting ISO 14001.
• Train-the-trainer / instructional qualification (desirable).
• Experience working in live operational environments (e.g., airports) with strict access controls and stakeholder interfaces.
• Experience in FMCG, logistics automation, or highly automated environments.
• Experience in training, coaching, or leading site team.
• Maintains high standards and follows procedures consistently.
• Proactive and visible on site; confident to intervene and coach to prevent harm.
• Able to influence and build relationships with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• Comfortable with travel and dynamic site environments.

What we offer

• 28 days annual leave (excluding public holidays).
• Bupa Medical Cover.
• YuLife – Wellbeing membership with fast access to GP appointments, promotion of health and wellbeing along with daily quests to gain Yucoins that can be swapped for shopping vouchers.
• A challenging work environment with lots of opportunities for career progression.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Yellow Nest is a salary exchange scheme that reduces childcare costs for parents and employers.
• Pension with Aviva.
• Access to Achievers, an award-winning recognition platform that inspires to recognise your coworkers where points are awarded that can be exchanged for a range of goods and discounts.

Diversity & Inclusion

Vanderlande is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regards to race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age marital status or disability status. If you feel there is a barrier that potentially prevents you from applying, we are always happy to discuss or explore, any reasonable adjustments can be made to support your application.