Job Title & Grade: SEO Health & Safety Manager
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary range (depending on location):
National - £42,914-£46,182
London - £49,325-£53,081
Please note that unless you are currently employed by the Civil Service and are earning more than the minimum above, if successful you will be offered the minimum for the grade depending on your location.
Location: National - Any LAA office
Please note that whilst this role is open to all Civil Servants, you can only apply for London, Cambridge and Brighton offices if you are a current LAA staff member based in those offices. This is due to and in line with the LAA's Location Strategy and the Cabinet Office's Places for Growth Strategy.
Minimum Working Pattern:
If you are applying for a part time role, please note that to meet business demands we need cover for a minimum of 29.6 (0.8 full-time equivalent) hours and to cover 4 days of the week
To meet legal requirements, if you are between the ages 16-18 and you are a successful candidate, you will be required to complete an apprenticeship after your initial on the job training.
The Legal Aid Agency
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice, responsible for administering legal aid across England and Wales. Through our work, we help ensure access to justice for those who need it most.
Employing around 1,200 colleagues across England and Wales, we are proud of our collaborative culture, flexible ways of working and commitment to creating an inclusive environment w people can thrive.
About the Team
This role sits within the Corporate Assurance, Risk and Secretariat (CARS) team, reporting to the Head of Assurance.
The team provides strategic advice, assurance and oversight across health and safety, risk management, business continuity, information security and physical security. We work ly with colleagues across the Legal Aid Agency, Ministry of Justice and wider government to support organisational resilience and continuous improvement.
About the Role
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced health and safety professional to influence and shape health, safety and fire arrangements across a national organisation delivering an essential public service.
As the Agency's lead Health, Safety and Fire professional (and Competent Person), you will work ly with senior leaders, operational teams and external partners to ensure that health, safety and wellbeing considerations are embedded into decision-making, workplace design and organisational change.
This role offers a unique blend of strategic leadership, professional expertise and practical delivery. You will have the opportunity to influence organisational culture, shape policy, drive improvement programmes and provide trusted advice to senior stakeholders across the Agency and wider Ministry of Justice.
As the Agency's Competent Person, you will support the organisation in meeting its statutory responsibilities while helping create safe, healthy and inclusive working environments that enable colleagues to perform at their best.
Why Join Us?
This role offers a breadth of experience that is rarely found within a single health and safety position.
You will support colleagues working across:
- A national estate spanning 16 locations across England and Wales.
- Hybrid and flexible working environments.
- Shared government buildings and multi-occupancy sites.
- Court, police station and provider-facing operational environments.
- Warehouse and records management operations.
- Workplace projects, refurbishments and office moves.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Shape health, safety and fire strategy across a national organisation.
- Influence senior leaders and key organisational decisions.
- Lead continuous improvement and culture change initiatives.
- Build professional networks across the Ministry of Justice, Government Property Agency and wider Civil Service.
- Develop your expertise through varied and meaningful work.
- Make a visible difference to the experience, safety and wellbeing of colleagues.
- Undertake professional development and support towards further qualifications and IOSH progression
- Utilise flexible and hybrid working arrangements
- Undertake Civil Service learning and development opportunities
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Lead the development and delivery of the Agency's Health, Safety and Fire Strategy and supporting delivery plans.
- Ensure health, safety and fire arrangements remain proportionate, effective and aligned with organisational priorities.
- Provide professional advice and assurance to senior leaders on health, safety and fire matters.
- Support organisational change, workplace projects and estate developments by ensuring health and safety considerations are embedded from the outset.
Building Capability and Culture
- Work collaboratively with leaders and managers to build capability and confidence in managing health and safety responsibilities.
- Promote a positive and inclusive health and safety culture focused on engagement, learning and continuous improvement.
- Develop effective relationships with colleagues across the Legal Aid Agency, Ministry of Justice, Government Property Agency and external partners.
- Lead and support networks of local health and safety representatives and site leads.
- Line manage and support the development of the Health and Safety Adviser.
Risk, Assurance and Continuous Improvement
- Maintain oversight of health, safety and fire risks and ensure appropriate controls and assurance arrangements are in place.
- Lead investigations, audits, inspections and reviews, using findings to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Use data, insight and professional judgement to inform recommendations and support effective decision-making.
- Produce reports and provide assurance to senior governance forums and committees.
- Lead the Agency's National Health and Safety Committee and associated consultation arrangements.
Partnership Working
Work
- ly with estates, facilities management and project teams to support the effective management of the Agency's estate.
- Collaborate with colleagues across assurance, security, business continuity and risk disciplines to support wider organisational objectives.
- Build productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes.
Essential Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Minimum qualification: a level 3 occupational safety and health qualification (such as NEBOSH National General Certificate or IOSH Certificate), and
- Currently working towards (if not at this level already) and willing to complete within 2 years of appointment, a level 6 health and safety qualification (such as NEBOSH National Diploma, or equivalent degree). and
- A current member of IOSH at Technical level or above and completing ongoing CPD.
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:
- Experience of applying health and safety legislation and good practice within a workplace environment.
- Experience of influencing stakeholders and building effective working relationships across organisational boundaries.
- Experience of providing advice, guidance or assurance that supports effective decision-making.
- Strong communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly to a range of audiences.
- Experience of developing policies, guidance, reports or other written products.
- Experience of using data, insight and evidence to identify trends and support continuous improvement.
- The ability to manage competing priorities and make sound, risk-based decisions.
- A proactive approach to problem solving and organisational improvement.
Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience
We welcome applications from candidates who already hold a Level 6 qualification or who can demonstrate a commitment to achieving one. Support will be provided to enable the successful candidate to complete an appropriate qualification within two years of appointment w
- required.
- Experience of working within a large, complex or multi-site organisation.
- Knowledge or experience of fire safety, water hygiene, asbestos management or other property-related compliance areas.
- Experience of supporting workplace projects, estate management or organisational change programmes.
- Knowledge of wellbeing and workplace health initiatives.
- An understanding of the criminal justice system or wider public sector environment.
- Experience of using digital tools and technology to improve collaboration, analysis or productivity.
Person Specification
You will be a credible and collaborative professional who enjoys working with people, influencing decisions and helping organisations improve.
You will be comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels, balancing longer-term planning with day-to-day delivery. You will bring sound judgement, curiosity and a continuous improvement mindset, using your expertise to support safe, healthy and inclusive workplaces.
Most importantly, you will be motivated by the opportunity to make a positive difference across a national organisation and to help colleagues work safely, confidently and effectively.
Additional Information
This role requires Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) clearance, this will form part of the onboarding process if the candidate is successful.
The role includes occasional travel across our office network in England and Wales. This provides opportunities to build relationships with colleagues across the organisation and understand the diverse environments in which they work. Occasional overnight stays may be required.
Application Process
To apply complete an application based of the following:
1. Explaining how you meet the essential qualifications for the role.
2. How you meet each of the following behaviours:
a. Changing and Improving
b. Working together
c. Making Effective Decisions
Each behaviour should be no more than 250 words. When submitting an example of a behaviour remember to include the situation, what you did and why, and what was the outcome / result.
We will assess all applications against the required essential qualifications of the role. Any application not meeting those will not be progressed. You must demonstrate that these are met.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be undertaken using the lead Behaviour, Making Effective Decisions.
Candidates who pass the initial sift will progress to a full sift, or progress straight to interview.
Please note that we only require you to explain how you meet the essential qualifications and behaviours for your application. The wording on this advert may suggest that an Experience question is also required, however this is not necessary
Interview / assessment Process
If you are successful through the application stage, you will be invited to an interview / assessment centre in person or via Microsoft Teams w you will be assessed against the following:
- Strengths relevant to the role
- The following Behaviours:
o Communicating and Influencing
o Delivering at Pace
o Making Effective Decisions
Your Experience of implementing, promoting, or understanding diversity and inclusion policy - Diversity is the presence of difference, this can include one or more of the protected characteristics (Gender, Age, Race, Disability etc.) or it can be about working patterns, whether we like to jump into a task or reflect on it before acting. Inclusion is how we welcome, value, and celebrate diversity, giving everyone a voice, tapping into ideas, and enabling everyone to be themselves at work and achieve their potential.
For this grade/ role we would expect the candidate to demonstrate understanding of the terms Diversity and Inclusion and be able to explain why they are important in a work environment. We would also expect examples of action they have taken to embrace diversity (e.g., increasing understanding for self or others) or improve inclusion at a team or wider group level.
Practical Exercise
You will also be asked to review and prioritise a small number of H&S issues and then lead the panel through your decisions and the reasoning behind them.
You will be given the information you need during the interview slot and t is no need to prepare. Your talk through / presentation should take no more than 20 minutes after which, the panel may ask you questions on the exercise.
Shortlisting is planned for week commencing Monday 6th July 2026
Interviews are planned for week commencing Monday 20th July 2026
If you would like more information on this opportunity, please contact – Lorraine Fellows – [email protected] (current post holder) or Gary Winter – [email protected] (Head of Governance).
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain, and invest in talent wver it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
As a Disability Confident organisation, we will offer a guaranteed interview to candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria for this role. Under the Equality Act 2010 a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.
If you are responding to a role within the Legal Aid Agency and would like to be considered under the guaranteed interview, please indicate this in your application and let us know of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the sift or later selection processes.
The LAA’s goal is to build an organisation that is open and inclusive and truly values and celebrates the diversity of its workforce. One that reflects and understands the needs of the diverse society we serve. This is regardless of social background, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, beliefs, disabilities or long-term illness or caring responsibilities.
Reasonable Adjustments
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all. If you have a disability or long-term condition (for example dyslexia, anxiety, autism, a mobility condition or hearing loss) and need us to make any reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process, please let us know by adding the information to the applications system or emailing [email protected] after you have applied so that we can discuss options with you.
If you have any complaints about this recruitment activity, please share your concerns by emailing [email protected] initially. We aim to respond to any complaint within 10 working days.
