Health and Safety Officer
Releasing Potential is a charity dedicated to transforming the lives of children and young people through innovative education, alternative provision, and community-based programmes.
We're looking for a proactive and practical Health & Safety Officer to take the lead in creating safe, compliant, and well-maintained environments across our sites. This is a varied role that combines health and safety leadership with transport compliance, estates management, and hands-on maintenance, ensuring our staff and learners have safe places to work, learn, and grow.
If you're someone who enjoys solving problems, improving systems, and making a visible difference every day, we'd love to hear from you.
The Role
As the Health & Safety Officer, you will be responsible for leading health and safety, fleet management, and estates maintenance across the organisation.
Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, you'll ensure our buildings, vehicles, outdoor spaces, and operational practices meet legal requirements, support safeguarding, and provide high-quality environments for education and learning.
Key Responsibilities
Health, Safety Compliance
- Develop, implement, and maintain health and safety policies and procedures.
- Carry out, review, and monitor risk assessments across all sites and activities.
- Ensure compliance with UK health and safety legislation and recognised best practice.
- Advise managers on health, safety, and support continuous improvement.
Transport & Fleet Management
- Manage the safe operation of the organisation's vehicle fleet.
- Ensure all vehicles remain compliant with servicing, MOT, insurance, maintenance, and licensing requirements.
- Maintain driver checks and transport compliance records.
- Develop and monitor safe procedures for transporting children and young people.
Estates & Facilities
- Carry out or coordinate routine maintenance, repairs, and site improvements.
- Manage external contractors and monitor the quality of specialist works.
- Ensure buildings, classrooms, workshops, outdoor learning spaces, and grounds remain safe, compliant, and fit for purpose.
- Support effective budget management for estates and maintenance activities.
Training, Auditing & Reporting
- Deliver or coordinate health and safety training for staff.
- Conduct regular inspections and compliance audits across sites and vehicles.
- Maintain accurate records and compliance documentation.
- Produce reports and recommendations for the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees.
Safeguarding & Duty of Care
- Promote safe environments that support the wellbeing of children and young people.
- Work alongside safeguarding leads to identify and reduce operational risks.
- Ensure all operational practices reflect the charity's safeguarding responsibilities and duty of care.
About You
You'll be an organised and practical professional who enjoys balancing compliance with a hands-on approach. Comfortable working independently, you'll take pride in creating safe, efficient environments while building positive relationships with colleagues and external contractors.
You'll bring:
- Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation and compliance requirements.
- Excellent organisational, planning, and risk management skills.
- Experience carrying out risk assessments, audits, and inspections.
- The ability to develop clear systems, procedures, and documentation.
- Practical maintenance and facilities management experience.
- Strong communication skills and the confidence to advise and support colleagues.
- A proactive, solution-focused approach with excellent attention to detail.
- A genuine commitment to safeguarding children and young people.
Qualifications
We welcome applicants who have:
- A NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent recognised health and safety qualification).
- Evidence of continuing professional development in health and safety, compliance, environmental management, or estates management.
Experience
We're looking for someone with experience of:
- Health and safety management within education, charity, local authority, facilities, or similar operational environments.
- Estates, facilities, or property maintenance management.
- Managing organisational vehicles or fleet compliance.
- Working with external contractors and service providers.
- Conducting audits, inspections, and implementing compliance improvements.
- Producing reports and maintaining accurate compliance records.
- Working within safeguarding and regulatory frameworks, ideally within education or services for children and young people.
Why Join Us?
At Releasing Potential, you'll play a vital role in ensuring our staff and young people have safe, welcoming environments in which to learn and develop.
You'll join a passionate, supportive team where your expertise will have a direct impact on the quality of our services and the lives of the young people we support.
Benefits
- Opportunity to support life-changing work with young people
- Varied and hands-on role combining office, site, and outdoor work
- Supportive and mission-driven team
- Ongoing professional development opportunities
Safeguarding
Releasing Potential is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check, and appropriate safeguarding procedures.
Pay: £32,141.00-£36,177.00 per year
Work Location: In person
