Job title: Health and Safety Manager (Highways and Transportation)
Salary: £48,474 to £51,515
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: Leeds
As a Health and Safety Manager (Highways and Transportation), you’ll thrive on keeping people safe, ensuring safety standards remain high and legislation is adhered to.
It’s not just about paperwork, it’s about leading a dynamic team, developing innovative strategies, and collaborating with stakeholders and the community.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you
As a Health and Safety Manager, you will bring to the role:
- Chartered Membership of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health or equivalent
- Significant experience in health and safety legislation and strategy development
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and form positive relationships
- Experience of working with senior management to shape and influence strategy and deliver change
- Ability to lead and inspire a team
About the role
You’ll effectively lead the Health & Safety team within our Highways & Transportation service, serving as the senior Responsible and Competent Person.
You’ll provide strategic direction on policies and management systems, ensuring effective control measures and mitigation strategies are implemented and building strong relationships with senior managers and stakeholders.
You’ll advise on best practices and compliance, conduct audits and risk assessments, manage consultations and develop performance metrics and reporting frameworks to assess health and safety management.
You’ll also oversee accident investigations and share findings to promote continuous improvement, lead corporate health and safety projects and facilitate local health and safety committees.
It’s a busy role in a dynamic environment, and you’ll be making a real difference to the safety of people in Leeds.
What we offer you
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
Please complete the online application form.
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 Jason Boasman, Highways Maintenance Manager, by emailing jason.boasman@leeds.gov.uk or calling 07562439069.
We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. 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:
We are seeking a skilled, experienced and passionate health & safety professional to lead the Health & Safety Team within Highways & Transportation. You will be the most senior Responsible and Competent Person for Highways & Transportation in health and safety matters, providing appropriate assurances on the effective leadership and management of health and safety to the Chief Highways & Transportation Officer. You will provide strategic leadership to
develop and deliver our health and safety strategy, policies and management systems to ensure that we maintain a safe and compliant environment across the full range of Highway & Transportation activities.
This will include:
- ensuring delivery of effective control measures and mitigation;
- advise on good practice requirements across the Highways & Transportation service area;
- audit and elevate practice, procedures, and facilities to assess risk and compliance;
- fulfil legal requirements to effectively consult with trade unions; &
- with your team, determine the requirements needed for each service be able to work safely.
You will provide leadership and line management to our skilled and committed team of professionals who support and enable the Authority to fulfil its duties – supporting the dedicated service-facing H&S managers and advisers.
To ensure that the authority fulfils its duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and associated regulations, you will work in close partnership with facilities management colleagues, Public Health team, business continuity team, trade unions, and elected members.
You will understand the implications of the financial, commercial, political and regulatory environment for the service and take account of this when leading and directing the team.
Lead on liaison with external enforcement agencies e.g., the Health and Safety Executive, auditors, and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to ensure good relations are maintained and the Council’s interests are fully recognised.
Key Accountabilities
- To act as the lead, competent health, and safety professional for Highways & Transportation, providing specific advice to support the effective management of Health and Safety.
- To work closely with senior managers to identify issues and provide appropriate solutions through effective planning.
- To provide performance information to senior managers, within Highways & Transportation, and the Head of Health and Safety to enable an assessment as to whether health and safety is being managed effectively in line with legal requirements, council standards and good practice. This will be done through developing a robust active and re-active monitoring framework.
- To manage and develop a team of health and safety advisors and provide professional and technical support to council employees who are employed in a health and safety (non-enforcement) role outside of HR.
- To provide professional, flexible, timely and high quality health and safety advice and support to service managers and staff within allocated service areas.
- To oversee the investigation of accidents and incidents within Highways & Transportation, ensuring that improvements to prevent a recurrence are identified and shared with service managers.
- To ensure consistent implementation and interpretation of the health and safety policy and health and safety performance standards/guidance across the council, but with the ability to think creatively wherever possible and to share approaches to accrue wider benefit.
- To build the competency and confidence in terms of the provision of health and safety services.
- To develop excellent relationships with key stakeholders, in particular managers at all levels, Trade Unions and the Business Support Centre. This would also include liaising with HM Inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive and other enforcement bodies as necessary.
- To input into the Health and Safety Management Team to establish effective networks with peer groups across the Council to ensure that developments in relevant functional areas are shared, and best practice and learning is disseminated.
- To facilitate local health and safety committees and local Trade Union consultation and negotiation.
- To take a corporate lead on health and safety projects as co-ordinated by the corporate health and safety team.
- To keep abreast of legislation, case law and developments in health and safety and professional practice and communicate developments and relevant information within Highways & Transportation as required.
- To advise that work is stopped if it contravenes agreed standards and systems and is putting people
- at risk.
- To provide timely and accurate information and data in relation to health and safety performance, that supports the effective operation of the service and assists line management to meet their health and safety responsibilities.
- To co-ordinate and/or contribute to council wide change initiatives and projects, especially as itrelates to the health and safety agenda.
- To carry out active and reactive monitoring to assess compliance with corporate and local procedures.
- To be responsible for ensuring and promoting the health, safety, and well-being of team members.
- To be responsible for promoting equality and diversity through this role and that as a line manager.
- Once established, to expand the role to other areas within the directorate.
Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.
- Chartered Membership of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health or equivalent.
- Experience of working with senior management to shape and influence the delivery of the organisational-wide strategic priorities at a City, Directorate and Service level ensuring people issues are kept at the forefront.
- Significant knowledge and experience of health and safety legislation, good practice and ability to write/develop expert plans and strategies.
- Excellent communication skills, with substantial experience in building credible and effective collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders including Chief Officers, elected members, Trade Unions, colleagues, and partner organisations to understand future challenges and to deliver effective workforce solutions.
- Ability to train, develop and inspire colleagues, and to encourage role-modelling and the business partnership model within the H&S Team.
- Embody the Council’s values and embraces our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Evidence of developing and driving an open and supportive culture which puts customers first and where everyone can realise their potential.
- Be responsible and accountable for financial resources within the service area ensuring value for money and working within financial regulations.
- Commitment to service transformation and improvement, creativity and ability to engage in horizon scanning and building influential relationships with stakeholders.
- Ability to represent the authority in relevant areas and leading external groups and special projects as appropriate.
Whilst these competencies may relate to this role more specifically for recruitment and selection purposes, following appointment, all members of staff are expected to demonstrate they meet all of our competencies.
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.
