Job Ref: 214122014

Date: 2021-07-05 09:23:15

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Are you an experienced Health and Safety professional with extensive experience in setting policy, procedures and defining best practice? Do you have the ability to be an extremely effective Business Partner and able to promote best practice in safety management across our group? If so, we are looking for a Head of Health and Safety to join our team.

About Us

Paradigm Housing Group is one of the South-East’s leading housing providers, managing around 15,000 homes across 30 local authorities with a turnover of £130m. Headquartered near Beaconsfield and High Wycombe, we are both a charity and a registered provider of social housing, employing over 450 people. We have a clear and ambitious view of where we are as an organisation and where we need to get to: providing more homes for people who need them.

We truly believe that this is a very exciting time to be joining Paradigm. Our objective is that Paradigm should be an exemplar organisation in our sector, and we have ambitious plans for growth based on establishing a sound commercial and financial footing and driving efficiency and best practice across the business.

About the role:

To set, monitor and maintain health and safety strategy and policy throughout the group, acting as health and safety champion and subject matter expert. Co-ordinate health and safety systems and risk management in all aspects of the Group’s activities including providing oversight to the H&S components of compliance. Provide a source of advice and support to all areas of the business including the Board and Executive. Provide assurance to the Board and CEO on matters relating to Paradigm’s management of H&S related risk.

Responsibilities will include:

Ensure that the CEO and Board are alerted to any failures of H&S Policy, practice or reporting which might be a cause for concern or a source of organisational risk and recommend appropriate action including oversight of H&S related compliance issues.
Provide assurance on the effectiveness of overall H&S systems and processes to senior staff and Board members
Promote best practice in safety management, offering practical advice to managers and staff, ensuring and providing assurance on Paradigm’s compliance with all appropriate legislative and other standards
Implement and maintain the Group Health and Safety Strategy and associated action plans, identifying operational accountability for components including compliance (fire, gas, electric, asbestos, legionella etc.) and risk management and including employee and resident safety
Co-ordinate the Group’s Health and Safety Policy Framework with accountability for the overarching H&S Policy and oversight of operational policies
Co-ordination of Health and Safety policy and practice with the Compliance framework
Co-ordinate Risk reporting and maintain oversight of controls and sources of assurance across the risk framework, including ensuring a programme of audit and inspection is in place
Manage and co-ordinate the MI reporting framework to support Risk and Performance reporting
Promote a Group Safety Culture in collaboration with other accountable managers and the Learning and Development team
Manage all Board and Executive reporting including oversight of operational information gathering and reporting, MI production, benchmarking etc.
Manage the processes of Business planning and reporting for Paradigm’s H&S function, setting objectives and reporting against them and leading the H&S team
Oversight of Safety Plans arising out of H&S Policy, increasing operational awareness of the need to include safety in their business plans
Oversee Standard setting across the organisation including for example programmes of risk assessment and the identification and training of competent persons
Build effective working relationships with external enforcement agencies, partners and community representatives that ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents and staff as well as the public who may be affected by our actions

Our Ideal Candidate:

We are looking for a candidate with extensive experience of H&S policy and strategy setting and oversight along with an appropriate qualification such as CIMIOSH or equivalent and 5 years’ experience in an H&S environment.

Other skills and attributes will be:

Ability to think strategically in order to provide assurance on overall systems and processes to senior staff and Board members

Exercise sound professional judgement in decision making employing risk management principles
High level of numeracy and experience of using systems to generate high quality management information
Experience of managing complex risk frameworks including establishing effective controls
Demonstrate commercial awareness and knowledge of H&S issues and how they relate to Paradigm and the wider housing sector
Effective communicator with an appreciation of our diverse customer group
Ability to exercise positive influence at all levels within Paradigm
Positive approach to improving processes
Current knowledge of legislation relating to compliance issues in the context of a repairs and maintenance function including H&S, Building Regulations and CDM
A first degree plus a management qualification or equivalent experience
Ability to think creatively and laterally about a range of H&S issues
Demonstrable alignment with PHG corporate objectives, our values and our required attitudes and behaviours

Your Package and Benefits:

At Paradigm, we work hard and strive for excellence. In return for your continued commitment, we offer the following range of benefits:

Market Leading Salary of circa £70,000 per annum depending on skills and experience
30 days holiday as well as an additional 3 days’ closure at Christmas
Fantastic working environment
Health Cash Plan
Bonus potential
Competitive pension options
Employee Assistance Programme
Life Assurance
Flexible working

This is a great opportunity to join us at a time when you can have a real and personal impact on the future success of our business.

You will be office based in Wooburn Green, High Wycombe, located less than five minutes’ drive from junction 3 of the M40, with free parking onsite. We are currently accessing the office on a rota basis during the COVID-19 restrictions and are considering hybrid working in the future with a mix of office and home working.

If you think you have what it takes to become our next Business Partner leading our Health and Safety team, then register your interest by clicking Apply Now. We look forward to hearing from you.

Shortlisting will be conducted in line with the essential and desirable criteria set out in the person specification.

We reserve the right to close this role earlier than the published date should a suitable candidate be identified

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