At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Job title: Group Health and Safety Manager

Contract type: Permanent
Locations available: Manchester and Milton Keynes
Salary: Manchester - £48,000 to £50,000, Milton Keynes - £49,500 to £52,000
Working arrangements: Hybrid working – 3 days a week in office with regular national travel

 

Are you ready to use your health and safety expertise to have a genuine influence on how an organisation operates?

 

At AQA, health and safety is about more than compliance. It’s about building a culture where people take ownership of safety, risks are managed proactively and good practice becomes part of how we work every day. We’re looking for someone who can bring the expertise, judgement and influence to help make that happen.

 

As our Group Health and Safety Manager, you'll have the opportunity to shape how health and safety operates across the AQA Group. As our portfolio of businesses continues to evolve, you'll play a leading role in bringing together health and safety approaches across AQA and its subsidiaries, helping to build a consistent, proportionate and effective framework that supports colleagues, learners and customers.

 

Working closely with senior leaders across the Group, you'll provide the expertise, insight and constructive challenge needed to embed health and safety into decision-making, influence organisational change and drive continuous improvement. Reporting to the Head of Workplace Experience and Sustainability, you'll work directly with the Workplace Senior Leadership Team and lead our Group Senior HSE Coordinator to support our offices and a growing scope of assessment and training facilities.

 

In this role, you'll be responsible for:

• Acting as the Group's health and safety subject matter expert, advising, influencing and constructively challenging leaders and senior stakeholders across AQA and its subsidiaries and helping shape strategic decisions and drive a consistent approach
• Leading the implementation and continuous improvement of AQA Group’s health and safety management systems
• Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements and AQA policies, including developing the controls that support our risk and ISO management systems
• Leading audits, inspections, risk assessments and investigations into accidents, incidents and near misses, making sure improvements and lessons are acted on
• Providing clear performance reporting, compliance metrics and governance updates, alongside leading the HSE Committee across AQA sites
• Building health and safety knowledge and engagement through training, awareness and a culture of proactive risk management
• Supporting workplace projects, emergency preparedness, business continuity, organisational change and acquisitions to make sure appropriate health and safety controls are in place

 

You’ll combine substantial health and safety expertise with the ability to turn complex requirements into practical solutions that work for colleagues and the organisation. You’ll thrive in this role if you have:

• A NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety or equivalent, alongside significant senior-level health and safety management experience in a multi-site organisation
• The ability to build effective relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels, balancing customer needs, operational demands and regulatory requirements
• Substantial knowledge of health and safety legislation, compliance, risk management, auditing and measurement systems
• Experience of undertaking specialist fire risk assessments across environments including offices, warehousing, live construction skills and gas safety training
• Demonstrable experience of developing management systems and driving continuous improvement

 

What’s in it for you?

• This role gives you the opportunity to have a genuine impact across a purpose led organisation, influencing how health and safety develops across AQA Group now and as the organisation evolves.
• A 35-hour working week with hybrid working
• 25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30, plus Christmas closure days
• A benefits package including up to 11.5% pension contribution, BUPA healthcare support, wellbeing programmes and volunteering opportunities
• The opportunity to influence health and safety at senior level and shape systems across AQA Group and its subsidiaries
• An inclusive, values-led culture with employee networks covering LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, empowering women, wellbeing, ethnic diversity and Interfaith

 

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At AQA, we're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision-making and impact. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect, has access to opportunities to grow and contribute, and feels able to be themselves. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

 

Application process

• To apply, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role by 23.59 on Sunday 22 November.
• First stage interviews will take place remotely on the week of 30 November, second stage interviews will take place in our Milton Keynes and Manchester offices on the week of 14 December.

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Recruitment Agencies

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Full Job Description

Summary

The Group Health and Safety Manager is responsible for leading the delivery, assurance and continuous improvement of health and management across AQA Group. The role ensures compliance with statutory requirements, supports organisational resilience, and promotes a positive safety culture that enables colleagues, contractors and visitors to work safely and effectively.

The role will support existing AQA Group subsidiaries and future acquisitions to adopt and maintain aligned health and safety management systems.Landscape: The Group Health and Safety Manager is part of the Workplace team who are responsible for facilitating use of multi-site offices and supporting a hybrid workforce and leading AQA’s sustainability strategy and net zero emissions targets.
 
As an active member of the Workplace Senior Leadership Team (SLT) you will directly manage the Group Senior HSE Coordinator, ensuring the continued development and implementation of the health and safety management systems.
 
Working directly with the Workplace Senior Leadership Team, and their wider teams, with daily interactions with senior operational colleagues and subsidiary stakeholders, the role directly reports to the Head of Workplace Experience and Sustainability.
 
Key responsibilities:
Lead the implementation and continual improvement of AQA Group's health and safety management systems 
Provide competent health and safety advice and support to senior leaders, managers and colleagues across all business areas 
Provide a customer centric workplace experience whilst representing AQA in a positive, professional manner
Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation, regulatory requirements and organisational policies
Develop, review and maintain health and safety policies, procedures, standards and guidance 
Develop and implement internal controls to support AQA’s internal and externally accredited risk and ISO management systems
Lead accident, incident and near-miss investigations, ensuring corrective actions are implemented and lessons learned are shared 
Undertake and manage health and safety audits, inspections and risk assessments to identify and mitigate organisational risks 
Produce performance reports, compliance metrics and governance updates for senior leadership and committees 
Lead the HSE Committee function across all sites, including membership, quarterly meeting schedules and provision of updates ensuring all actions and improvements are effectively managed 
Design and deliver health and safety training, awareness campaigns and initiatives to strengthen organisational competence and engagement 
Support business continuity, emergency preparedness and incident management arrangements across the Group 
Manage external health and safety providers, consultants and specialist contractors to ensure effective and value-for-money service delivery 
Support workplace projects, organisational change and business acquisitions to ensure appropriate health and safety controls are established and maintained.  
Promote a culture of continuous improvement, personal responsibility and proactive risk management across the organisation 
Form part of the onsite emergency team to assist in first aid, incident management in emergencies and business continuity events

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:
Essential criteria
Substantial knowledge of health and safety and the necessary recording, auditing and measuring systems to ensure compliance
Hold NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health or equivilant with significant relevant senior experience in a health and safety management role within a multi-site organisation
Experience in undertaking specialist fire risk assessment in office, warehousing and live construction skills and gas safety training environments
Ability to interpret legislation and translate requirements into practical solutions
Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels
Confident balancing the customers needs and operational demands with flexible aptitude
Have a “step up” mindset: use sound judgement and initiative to deliver
Excellent organisational skills,  attention to detail,  accuracy and ownership of processes and service delivery
Excellent communication, analytical and report-writing skills Ability to resolve issues and problems by gathering information, pertinent facts, and situational analysis to arrive at sound conclusions and take appropriate actions
Experience of developing and implementing management systems and driving continuous improvement programmes

Desireable criteria
Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH) or working towards chartered status.