Health and safety officer

YOUR SAFETY MATTERS. SO DOES THEIRS. COME HELP US MAKE BURY SAFER FOR EVERYONE.

Are you a passionate Health & Safety professional ready to make a real difference on the ground?

Bury Council is excited to announce a brand-new opportunity to join our dedicated Health & Safety Team and we're looking for someone who thrives in a dynamic, hands‑on environment where no two days are the same.

This isn't a desk-bound compliance role. This is a chance to get out there, build relationships, and genuinely shape safety culture across some of the most operationally diverse and essential services our borough depends on every day.

Why This Role?

Supporting our Place Directorate, you'll work alongside the teams that keep Bury running: waste collection crews, street cleaners, grounds maintenance teams, pest control operatives, vehicle workshop engineers, and more.

You’ll have the autonomy to develop real solutions to real challenges, championing a positive, proactive safety culture where people feel supported, informed, and protected. As a newly created role, you’ll have the exciting opportunity to shape what this position looks like and leave a legacy within the organisation.

About the Role:

Based at: Bradley Fold, Bury Town Hall & operational sites across the Borough

Hours: 37 hours per week (with some flexibility required for early starts, occasional evenings/weekends, and emergency response)

Contract: Permanent

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Advising and supporting managers and frontline teams with practical, timely health & safety guidance.
• Developing and reviewing H&S policies, procedures, and risk assessments that work in the real world.
• Delivering audits and inspections, producing clear action plans, and tracking meaningful improvements.
• Investigating incidents and ill-health cases (including RIDDOR), identifying root causes and preventative measures.
• Planning and delivering training, toolbox talks, and briefings that engage and inspire teams to work safely.
• Monitoring contractors and working partners, ensuring safe practices are upheld at every level.
• Championing best practice and embedding a culture where safety is everyone's responsibility.

Who We’re Looking For:

You’ll be a confident, credible H&S professional who is as comfortable chatting with a waste crew at the depot at 6am as you are presenting to senior managers at the Town Hall.

Essential:

• Level 5 H&S qualification (or working towards it), or strong equivalent practical experience.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills you can influence, persuade, and inspire at all levels.
• Strong organisational skills with confidence using Microsoft 365 and reporting systems.
• A collaborative team player who builds trust quickly and works well across diverse services.

Desirable:

• NEBOSH qualification and/or IOSH membership.
• Knowledge of or experience within local authority or similar public sector operational services.
• A full UK driving licence (given the travel across Borough sites, this is a real advantage).

About Bury Council:

Bury Council is a proud, community-focused organisation committed to improving the lives of everyone in the borough. We believe in equality, inclusion, and doing right by our people including our workforce.

We proudly guarantee interviews for disabled people, care leavers, armed forces personnel (including veterans and reservists), and carers of adults or disabled children who meet the essential criteria.

Working Your Way:

We understand that great work happens in different ways. Hybrid working is supported, though given the hands‑on nature of this role, you’ll regularly be out with teams at operational sites and that's where the magic happens.

You’ll need to be flexible for occasional early starts, evenings, or weekends (our vehicle workshop operates 24/7 and several services begin well before the typical office day), as well as availability for emergency response situations. In return, you’ll be part of a supportive team that values your contribution.

Email: HSS@Bury.gov.uk