Job Description
Job Title: H&S Adviser (Projects)
Posting Start Date: 21/10/2025
Job Id: 1742
School/Department: Health & Safety
Work Arrangement: Full Time (Hybrid)
Contract Type: Fixed-term
Salary per annum (£): 38,
Closing Date: 02/11/2025
The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.
Overview
The Health and Safety Adviser (Projects) will provide professional advice, guidance and assistance to academic and professional service departments, assisting the Head of Health and Safety and the Health and Safety Managers to provide health and safety (H&S) support to the University in ensuring compliance with all aspects of H&S legislation across the University campus and its residences.
The post holder will be responsible for supporting the delivery of the 3-year H&S plan, specifically those aspects associated with enhancing our H&S culture. This will include dissemination of tools, communications, events and activities.
Main duties and responsibilities
* Provide professional advice and H&S support to all stakeholders within allocated schools/departments on a wide range of health and safety topics.
* Be the main point of contact to staff for an allocated portfolio of departments, for all types of H&S queries, providing timely support, specialist advice and problem resolution.
* Ensure that the University's H&S policies and procedures are implemented effectively within the prevailing legal framework, seeking advice and guidance from H&S Managers where required.
* Plan and undertake project work that contributes more broadly to University-wide initiatives/ objectives, particularly those identified in the University strategy for enhancing H&S culture.
* Carry out internal H&S audits, in line with the team's wider strategic plan, setting recommendations and ensuring action plans are closed out in a timely manner.
* Monitor the accident reporting system, ensuring accidents/incidents and near misses are appropriately investigated at Department/School level.
* Create, develop, maintain and review manuals, bulletins, guidance and webpages as appropriate. This includes the development of general procedures, policies and safety working practices in conjunction with relevant departments to ensure legal compliance and best practice are met.
* When required, independently undertake H&S investigation, prepare timely reports on the findings and recommend remedial actions for consideration.
* Carry out regular H&S inspections to monitor the effective implementation of policies and safe working procedures at departmental level. Recommend remedial actions to achieve compliance, and monitor progress.
* Collaborate with wider University stakeholders to deal with the H&S aspects of emergencies and major incidents, as required.
*
o Deliver H&S training, in line with the agreed central training programme.
* Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post
Person Specification
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.
Criteria
Essential or desirable
Stage(s) assessed at
Certified Membership of IOSH (or equivalent recognised health and safety professional body)
Essential
Application
Experience of working in a health and safety role in a complex and fast moving organisation
Essential
Application/ Interview
Experience of working in the Higher Education Sector
Desirable
Application/ Interview
Experience of delivering health and safety training
Essential
Application/ Interview
Experience in health and safety auditing, inspections and accident investigations
Essential
Application/ Interview
Experience of using analytical ability to identify and implement solutions
Essential
Application/ Interview
Proven ability to deliver excellent outcomes in a health and safety role
Essential
Application/ Interview
Ability to communicate effectively at all levels with confidence and confidentiality
Essential
Application/ Interview
Ability to work with accuracy and attention to detail
Essential
Application/ Interview
Excellent customer service skills with experience of responding efficiently and effectively to queries
Essential
Application/ Interview
A recognised qualification in adult teaching and/or internal auditor certification
Desirable
Application/ Interview
Further Information
Grade
7
Salary
£38,784 - £47,389
Work arrangement
Full-time
Duration
Until June 2026
Line manager
Health & Safety Manager
Direct reports
None
Are you a Health and Safety professional looking for a new challenge? Do you have the expertise to support an ambitious team in a challenging and ever-changing environment? Are you passionate about working collaboratively in a Higher Education environment? Do you have the ability to apply your health and safety knowledge to a wide range of safe working practices? If so, an excellent opportunity has arisen for a fixed-term full-time Health and Safety Adviser to join our successful central team.
As Health and Safety Adviser, you will work closely with the Health and Safety Managers and other members of the team, who are committed to staff and student engagement and making a difference. You would be joining a supportive team environment where you can further develop your skills.
You will be able to provide professional, timely, and practical advice and guidance to a wide range of Faculty and Professional Service staff and students. You will monitor and maintain the accident reporting system, carry out accident investigations, support the development and implementation of effective health and safety systems and policies, develop and deliver health and safety training, perform audits and inspections, undertake risk assessments, report on health and safety matters to relevant personnel and committees and support the continual improvement of the University's health and safety management systems.
We are seeking candidates who hold the NEBOSH National General Certificate (or equivalent), as well as experience in accident investigations, health and safety inspections, risk assessments and auditing. You will also need to have excellent interpersonal (with the ability to deal with a variety of people at all levels), organisational, oral, and written communication skills, including report and policy writing.
We are committed to enabling our employees to work in a hybrid model with flexibility over when, where and how to achieve the required outputs, in discussion with your manager.
We're one of the best not-for-profit organisations to work for in the UK. The University's Total Reward Package includes a competitive salary, a generous Pension Scheme and annual leave entitlement, as well as access to a range of learning and development courses to support your personal and professional development.
We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.
To find out what makes the University of Sheffield a remarkable place to work, watch this short film:, and follow @sheffielduni and @ShefUniJobs on Twitter
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We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.
Closing Date : 02/11/2025
We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.