Health & Safety Manager

The Opportunity

Health and safety on a standard commercial site is one thing. Managing it across MOD and MOJ estates, live NHS facilities, occupied schools and public transport infrastructure is another entirely, and that is the portfolio this role covers. Our client, a specialist M&E contractor with a North-West base in Wigan, is looking for a Health & Safety Manager to take ownership of H&S across exactly that range of environments.

The sector mix is what makes this role genuinely interesting. Defence and custodial sites carry their own security and access protocols. Live healthcare and education environments mean working safely around patients, pupils and staff who are still using the building. Public sector transport work brings its own constraints again. Projects range from £10,000 to £3 million, so you are dealing with real variety in scale as well as setting.

This is a permanent role offering £45,000 to £55,000 depending on experience, plus a full benefits package. It carries genuine ownership: you would be the person the business looks to on health and safety, not one voice among many.

About the Business

Our client is a well-established M&E engineering specialist with national reach and a strong North-West presence. Their capability spans electrical engineering, mechanical services, HVAC, in-house design and planned and reactive maintenance, all delivered under one roof.

The Wigan office handles a broad portfolio of public and private sector work spanning schools, colleges, healthcare facilities, MOD and MOJ sites, office fit-outs and Transport for Greater Manchester schemes. The business holds places on public sector procurement frameworks and has built a strong track record of repeat and referral-based work, which reflects the standard they consistently deliver to.

Accreditations include ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Health and safety is treated as a core operational function rather than a compliance exercise, and the business is looking for someone who will hold that standard and improve on it.

What You'll Be Doing

• Taking ownership of health and safety across the business’s live project portfolio

• Carrying out site inspections and audits, identifying risks and driving corrective action through to close-out

• Managing health and safety compliance on secure and restricted sites, including MOD and MOJ environments

• Overseeing safe systems of work within live, operational settings such as schools, healthcare facilities and public buildings

• Preparing, reviewing and approving risk assessments and method statements (RAMS)

• Supporting CDM 2015 compliance across projects, working with clients, principal contractors and design teams

• Maintaining and developing the business’s health and safety management system in line with ISO 45001

• Investigating incidents and near misses, identifying root causes and implementing preventative measures

• Delivering toolbox talks, briefings and training to keep standards visible and understood on site

• Reporting on health and safety performance to senior management and supporting continuous improvement

What We're Looking For

• A solid health and safety background within construction, M&E or building services

• NEBOSH Diploma or Certificate (or equivalent), with IOSH membership

• Sound working knowledge of CDM 2015 and current health and safety legislation

• Experience managing health and safety within live, operational environments is advantageous

• Experience on secure or restricted sites (MOD, MOJ or similar) is welcomed, though not essential

• Familiarity with ISO 45001 and safety management systems

• The confidence and credibility to hold site teams and subcontractors to the required standard

• Strong communication skills across all levels, from operatives to senior management and clients

• Full UK driving licence

What's on Offer

• £45,000 - £55,000 depending on experience

• Full company benefits package

• Genuine ownership of the health and safety function, with the authority to match

• A varied portfolio across education, healthcare, defence, custodial and public sector transport

• A business with a serious, well-supported approach to health and safety, backed by ISO 45001