Health & Safety Advisor - Environment, Sustainability & Leisure - Southwark Council : Job Details

Why Southwark?

At Southwark Council, we don’t just talk about impact… we deliver it! As our new Health & Safety (H&S) Advisor, you’ll join a forward-thinking, collaborative team that places innovation and community safety at the heart of everything we do.Southwark is a borough that thrives on diversity, confidence, and ambition. With over 120 languages spoken and a young, multi-cultural population, we are committed to delivering a fairer future for all. Here’s why this role stands out:

• Real Influence: You’ll work across high-profile services in Environment, Sustainability and Leisure, driving habitual change and embedding best-in-class health and safety practices across the council.
• Modern Leadership: Work in a supportive team that values professional H&S development, embraces flexible ways of working and believes in pragmatic solutions.
• Big-Picture Impact: Help shape H&S policies and systems that protect thousands of employees and residents across one of London’s most iconic boroughs.

What You'll Be Doing

Your Key Responsibilities:

• Act as a key advisor across departments, ensuring compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and council policies.
• Develop, review and implement health & safety procedures, ensuring they’re practical, up-to-date, and legally sound.
• Lead on internal audits, incident investigations and data analysis, providing clear, actionable reports to senior leaders.
• Keep intranet and health & safety platforms current and accessible.
• Support delivery of training (workshops, toolbox talks, e-learning), building a stronger safety culture at all levels.
• Facilitate departmental H&S committees and working groups, offering expert guidance and challenge where needed.
• Provide risk assessment support (including DSE, manual handling, lone working and more).
• Oversee health & safety contract admin (e.g. safety devices, systems access).
• Monitor, investigate and escalate non-compliance, recommending tailored solutions.

What We're Looking For

What you’ll bring to the table:

• NEBOSH General certificate or working towards the NEBOSH Diploma.
• Technical member of IOSH (TechIOSH) working towards certified status.
• Proven support experience working in a complex, multi-site setting, ideally public sector or blue-chip facility environments.
• Confidence conducting audits, inspections, and investigations, with a track record of clear reporting and influence.
• Strong data analysis and reporting skills, able to spot patterns and present compelling evidence to drive change.
• Skilled trainer and communicator, adaptable across all levels.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Health & Safety databases.
• Has an interest in the latest H&S advancements using Technology such as Personal Safety Devices.
• Collaborative, solutions-focused and committed to advocating a H&S mindset across the council.
• Able to manage programmes and projects, making sure every milestone is hit and every challenge tackled.
• You’ll enjoy a hybrid working pattern, combining the comfort of home working with 3 days working from various sites across the borough.
• We are unable to offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.

Additional Information

About Southwark

Southwark Council is the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues such as The Shard, The Tate Modern and Borough Market along with many social enterprises and we have a young, diverse, and growing population.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities.?Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities.

Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.Benefits and more information

Working for Southwark Council – SouthwarkSalary Range: £41,580 - £47,628Application Closing Date: 11.59pm on 31st of July 2025

Interview Date: The 13th of August 2025Application Process

If you are interested in applying for this role, please complete the application forms detailing your suitability for the role. The Job Description and Person Specification can also be found at the bottom of this page under attachments. We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian, and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care.
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition. #LI-PC1

Attachments