Health & Safety Manager

Starting Salary: £50,000 – £55,000 per annum

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday | 8:30am – 5:00pm | Site-based | Kent

A growing food manufacturing business is looking to appoint an experienced Health & Safety Manager to play a key role in strengthening its health and safety standards during an exciting period of growth and investment.

With significant investment in new manufacturing facilities, production equipment and operational capabilities, this is a fantastic opportunity for a hands-on Health & Safety professional who enjoys building strong systems, improving standards and making a real difference across a busy manufacturing environment.

Reporting directly to the Head of SHEQ, you'll take responsibility for driving health and safety improvements across Manufacturing, Engineering, Warehousing and wider operational departments, ensuring that safety remains a priority as the business continues to expand.

What You'll Be Doing

Lead the development and implementation of health and safety improvement plans, working closely with the Head of SHEQ to strengthen standards across the business
Maintain and continuously improve health and safety policies, procedures, risk assessments and safe systems of work, ensuring compliance with UK legislation
Take ownership of COSHH and DSEAR assessments, ensuring appropriate controls are in place for hazardous substances, combustible dusts, ignition sources and fire and explosion risks
Work closely with Engineering and Production teams to ensure machinery safety, including PUWER assessments, guarding, isolation procedures and safe operating practices
Provide health and safety input into the installation, modification and commissioning of new manufacturing equipment and processes
Play a key role in supporting site development and operational expansion projects, ensuring health and safety requirements are considered throughout planning and implementation
Manage contractor safety arrangements, including risk assessments, method statements, inductions, permits to work and compliance checks
Conduct regular site inspections, audits and risk assessments, identifying opportunities for improvement and ensuring corrective actions are completed
Lead accident, incident and near-miss investigations, identifying root causes and implementing effective preventative measures
Monitor health and safety performance, reporting key risks, trends and improvement priorities to the Head of SHEQ
Develop and coordinate health and safety training programmes, ensuring employees and managers understand their responsibilities
Support managers and supervisors in building a proactive safety culture, encouraging employee engagement and ownership of health and safety standards
Review emergency procedures, fire safety arrangements and occupational health requirements, ensuring appropriate systems and controls are maintained
Support environmental compliance and improvement activities relating to chemicals, waste management and wider manufacturing operations 

What's In It for You

Join a growing food manufacturing business investing significantly in its facilities, equipment and manufacturing capabilities
The opportunity to play a key role in shaping and improving health and safety standards during an exciting period of business growth
A varied position combining operational health and safety management with strategic improvement and development projects
Work closely with the Head of SHEQ and senior operational leaders, with the opportunity to influence safety standards across the business
Be involved in new equipment installations, manufacturing developments and operational improvement projects
The opportunity to introduce improvements, strengthen existing systems and make a visible impact on the business's health and safety culture 

Your Background

Proven experience as a Health & Safety Manager, HSE Manager or within a similar position in food manufacturing
A NEBOSH qualification is essential
Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation and its practical application within a manufacturing environment
Demonstrable experience of DSEAR assessments, including managing combustible dusts, fire and explosion risks
Strong understanding of COSHH requirements, hazardous substances, chemical handling and associated risk assessments
Practical experience of machinery safety, including PUWER, machine guarding, safe isolation procedures and safe systems of work
Experience managing contractor safety, including RAMS, permits to work and contractor compliance
Experience supporting equipment installations, site development or manufacturing expansion projects would be advantageous
Knowledge of ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 management systems would be beneficial 

Join a Business That Invests in You

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Health & Safety Manager to join an ambitious food manufacturing business at an important stage of its development.

With continued investment in manufacturing facilities, equipment and operational capabilities, you'll have the opportunity to play a central role in strengthening health and safety systems, supporting new projects and helping to shape a positive safety culture across the business.

If you're a confident, hands-on Health & Safety professional with strong food manufacturing experience, particularly within DSEAR, COSHH and machinery safety, and you're looking for a role where you can make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed