Health Safety And Wellbeing Adviser - Req24511

Job title: Health, Safety and Wellbeing Adviser.
Salary: £34,834 - £36,648 per annum
Hours: 37 
Contract: Permanent.
Location: Belle Isle Centre, hybrid working.

Due to recent promotion and retirements, we are excited to offer vacancies for 2 Health, Safety and Wellbeing Advisers in our innovative and ambitious Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team.

We are particularly looking for people with experience and expertise in one or more of the following specialist areas of: 

• Wellbeing,
• Health, Safety and Wellbeing training and,
• Health, Safety and Wellbeing aspects of Violence and Aggression at work, including lone working.

As a Health, Safety and Wellbeing Adviser you’ll excel in providing a range of high quality, responsive and flexible health, Safety and Wellbeing advice and guidance to a variety of stakeholders, including Directors, service area staff, managers, and unions to help them comply with health and safety legislation and good practice.
You’ll thrive on being part of a fast paced, dynamic team who strive to ensure we meet our duties and responsibilities as the council’s “Competent People” every day and seek to continually improve.

It’s not about a one size fits all approach or always black or white. It’s about being a critical thinker who can interpret legislation and guidance, understand the needs of our varied customers, and apply suitable solutions.  

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 24,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you

As a Health, Safety and Wellbeing Adviser you will bring to the role:

• Experience of interpreting and applying health, Safety and Wellbeing legislation and best practice including experience of interpretation and implementation.
• Excellent communication skills through a range of media and with a range of stakeholders.
• A can-do approach and confidence to check and challenge and make decisions on routine health, Safety and Wellbeing issues.
• Experience of conducting health and safety audits and inspections, investigating incidents and delivering health, Safety and Wellbeing training.
• Experience of effectively using your own judgement skills to ensure positive outcomes whilst maintaining good working relationships with colleagues, managers, and other stakeholders.

About the role

As one of our next Health, Safety and Wellbeing Advisers you’ll be part of something bigger and join us in achieving the Best City Ambition, working together as a Team for Leeds. We have a new and ambitious Health, Safety and Wellbeing vision that you will play a key role in delivering and realising across Leeds.   

The roles offer excellent opportunities to develop and widen your experience, skills and knowledge and make a real difference to the staff and people of Leeds.

The roles are integral to our Corporate Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team, that is part of the Human Resources Team. We support over 24,000 staff (based in 5 Directorates and over 100 Leeds City Council schools) and have a traded service to over 150 other organisations. Our remit also covers protecting the people of Leeds who use over 500 different Leeds City Council services.  Within the team we also have a range of specialist sub teams supporting strategies to reduce violence and aggression, schools’ health, Safety and Wellbeing and Occupational Health.

We are a caring and supportive team, who want the best for and from our colleagues, and we are committed to developing each other to achieve the full potential of the team and individuals within it.

You’ll provide specialist health, Safety and Wellbeing advice and support on a wide range of issues for allocated service areas and contribute to cross-council projects and initiatives.

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Apply for this job online. Please complete the online application form and upload your CV if you have one.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Annette Bradley - Senior Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager,  annette.bradley@leeds.gov.uk

Assessment may include presentations, group work and written based assessment centres and interviews for applicants that successfully pass any presentation and assessment centre stages.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is ranked 70 on the Stonewall Equality Index 2023. We are also an age-friendly employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.
All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job purpose

Assist in delivering core elements of the HSW strategy. Supporting the provision of health and safety advice, monitoring and training relating to health, Safety and Wellbeing activities throughout Leeds City Council (LCC). The role fulfils that of one of the organisation’s ‘competent people,’ pursuant to the statutory requirement to have access to professional and technical health and safety advice. This will be done through:

Responsibilities:

Build rapport and establish credibility with service managers and senior managers on all health, Safety and Wellbeing areas.

Liaise with services in and outside Leeds to ensure holistic and comprehensive support is provided.

Support delivery of health, Safety and Wellbeing services, as part of the wider HR and Health, Safety and Wellbeing Teams, anticipating, influencing and delivering against defined business needs.

Support service managers, school leaders to identify issues and provide appropriate health and safety solutions, support development and delivery of health and safety solutions to assist services to meet their health and safety obligations.

Help improve and ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and good practice, through the provision of effective guidance, advice, training, monitoring and review.

Deliver health, safety, and Wellbeing training, for LCC services, schools and outside organisations including identifying and seeking out new areas of financial savings / income generation.

Support development and maintenance of LCC Corporate Standards, guidance and documentation relating to Health, Safety and Wellbeing to ensure consistency and clarity.

Coordinate, deliver, and evaluate the impact of a range of learning, training programmes and events.

Contribute to the development and delivery of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing strategies for LCC.

Audit settings for compliance with health, Safety and Wellbeing legislation and support on the development, continual improvement of the audit process to ensure it is relevant, comprehensive and clear.

Provide timely, accurate information and data in relation to health, Safety and Wellbeing performance, which supports the effective operation of the service and assists line management in their health, Safety and Wellbeing responsibilities.

Undertake accident/incident investigations where necessary to promote learning and help prevent recurrence.

Keep abreast of legislation, case law and developments in health, Safety and Wellbeing professional practice and communicate developments and relevant information within the team as required.

Liaise with union and non-union Safety Representatives and attend Safety Committees as required.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Degree level or equivalent relevant knowledge and experience within the service area.  NEBOSH certificate or equivalent and willingness to work towards membership of IOSH as a minimum.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Able to work within and interpret financial policies and procedures ensuring value for money.

Able to communicate appropriately with a wide range of people, through a variety of different methods.

Able to work with managers at all levels in an advisory capacity.

Able to formulate and implement practical guidance to implement safe working practices.

Able to influence and negotiate with others when communicating on health and safety issues.

Able to respect sensitive and confidential information.

Good IT knowledge and able to use a range of Microsoft and in-house applications.

Organisational skills necessary to manage and organise own workload and able to respond to changing priorities to meet deadlines.

Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate. 

Able to demonstrate that legislative knowledge and practice is kept up to date in line with regulatory changes and appropriate training is undertaken where required.

Understanding of the council’s priorities and/or service priorities and the ability to support managers in working towards them.

Awareness of the business priorities and demands of a range of service areas.

Extensive knowledge and experience of interpreting and applying health, Safety and Wellbeing legislation and best practice including experience of implementation.

Experience of delivering health, Safety and Wellbeing training / briefings to a range of stakeholders.

Experience of carrying out health, Safety and Wellbeing audits and monitoring compliance with health, Safety and Wellbeing legislation and good practice.

Experience of reporting to and working effectively with a range of colleagues and partners.

Experience of undertaking accident/incident investigations where necessary to promote learning and help prevent recurrence.

Evidence of effectively using own judgement to ensure positive outcomes and the confidence to make decisions on routine health, Safety and Wellbeing issues.

Experience of effective communication using own judgement to ensure positive outcomes whilst maintaining good working relationships with colleagues, managers, Trade Unions and stakeholders.

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.

Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon

Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.

Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.

Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.

Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.

Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.

Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.

Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.

Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.

The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria.  Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

Health and Safety qualification to NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent) level.