Vacancy: Health & Safety Co-ordinator at the University of Birmingham

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university.  We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential.  With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate.  We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working.  In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site.  On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham 

Background 

The College of Medical Dental Sciences comprises of Academic Institutes conducting biomedical research across a range of disciplines and delivering education on our Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and other programmes. The work of the College is diverse with a variety of laboratories at category 2 and 3 containment and other specialist facilities alongside our office and teaching spaces. This post is part of the Colleges Infrastructure and Facilities team which provides technical support across the College and works with academic colleagues to manage facilities that support both research and education.

Role Summary

The post holder will provide H&S coordination and support to the College. The role of the College Health and Safety Coordinator is to connect the College to relevant advice, support and guidance for all health and safety issues and to ensure there are effective and appropriate policies/procedures and systems in place in order to comply with all statutory / legislative and university requirements in relation the management of health and safety/environmental matters. The post holder will also work alongside the Chair of the College Health and Safety Management committee to support the establishment and maintenance of a positive and proactive safety culture. The post holder will also be the main contact for Safety Services for the dissemination of policy and best practice within the College and also be the main contact for reporting and feedback to Safety Services. The post holder will be required to work in an orderly and efficient manner to the standards set by legislation / College and University policies and guidelines. 

Main duties

• Support the College and School Health and Safety Representatives and specialist H&S role holders e.g. biological safety officers, to ensure that there is consistency/continuity of support/procedures etc. across the College.
• Assist in identifying training requirements for Health and Safety Representatives and liaise with the Technical Academy, line managers, POD and Safety Services to identify, monitor, record and organise appropriate training.
• Work closely with College Health and Safety Representatives and Safety Services to ensure that risk assessments are actively reviewed on an appropriate frequency, to ensure that risk assessment trackers are maintained, to ensure that risk assessments in the College reflect University policies and requirements and to implement initiatives to enhance compliance.
• Support local safety groups and to promote communication between staff and students and senior management.
• Disseminate College Health and Safety information through the intranet and other appropriate electronic channels.
• Undertake specific H&S roles on behalf of the College, including but not limited to acting as First Aid Co-ordinator for the College as described in the University’s First Aid Policy.
• Coordinate and support the process for proactive inspections/audits across the College. Effectively manage reactive accident/incident/ill health investigations / monitoring and ensure appropriate reports with necessary recommendation are delivered in good time.
• Support engagement with outside agencies that regulate the Colleges activities such as the Health and Safety Executive, the Environment Agency, the Counter Terrorism and Security Agency and the Fire Service.
• Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Educated to Degree level (or equivalent qualifications) – where no equivalent qualification is held, significant practical relevant experience and expertise in a similar role will be required.
• NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety or agreement to work towards.
• Understanding and experience of legislation and regulations governing health and safety within the Biomedical sector
• Undertake continued professional development as required by Professional Bodies (IOSH, IIRSM etc.) and participate in relevant professional networks
• Effective communicator with a proven ability to persuade, negotiate and influence others.
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy, with the ability to write clearly, and to analyse information and data.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Role context

Roles at this level will require expertise and a detailed understanding of methods, systems and procedures in an administrative or professional area. You will either use specialist knowledge or have more of a planning/co-ordination/project role or a role which is supervisory in nature where you may manage a team doing similar kinds of work. You will have the opportunity to exercise a high degree of personal responsibility and initiative which you will use to resolve queries; you will use your judgement to deal with unforeseen problems and circumstances, all with limited guidance/supervision.

Core competencies/ transferable skills

Working at this level you will be able to develop and successfully use the core competencies/transferable skills outlined in each of the areas shown below. As appropriate for the level, our Birmingham Professionals will take ownership for getting things done. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and wider University.

Planning and organising

• prioritise and schedule work and resources to ensure on time and (where applicable) on budget delivery;
• set priorities and quality standards for a wide range of tasks and duties;
• Contribute to written documents, for example guidelines internal to the area, taking account of audience;
• operate with limited supervision as they will have considerable scope for initiative, within established work procedures. Problem solving and decision making
• anticipate and identify issues in own area based on experience; o make appropriate suggestions for improvements and implement these when agreed in own area;
• facilitate change, and articulate the implications and benefits of change to others;
• Focus on determining short-term priorities of work area, and how to maximise quality, efficiency and continuity.

Organisational understanding

• quickly develop an understanding of their working area and how it contributes to the success of the University;
• display an interest in how the University operates beyond own working area; develop and share this knowledge with others.

Relationships and communication

• develop and maintain excellent working relationships in own area, and more widely as required for collaborative working opportunities;
• communicate clearly and openly with others both within and external to the University, and use a range of communication skills and strategies to gain commitment to a course of action;
• demonstrate collaborative working at all times, including with others outside the immediate work area.

Further particulars can be found here

Informal enquires to Karen Willis, email: k.d.willis@bham.ac.uk

View our staff values and behaviours here