Lead Safety Adviser

Permanent

Grade D - £45,091 – £53,460

Consultation grade - subject to formal evaluation under the Pay Equity Review

Working 36.5 hours per week

Step into a senior leadership role where your expertise shapes the safety culture of one of the UK’s largest local authorities. As a Lead Safety Adviser, you will drive the strategic direction of health and safety across Birmingham City Council, ensuring the wellbeing of employees, residents and partners. This is a high‑impact position for a confident, forward‑thinking professional who can lead people, influence senior stakeholders and deliver meaningful organisational change.

You will develop and deliver a strategic approach to health and safety, manage a team of professional advisors, and act as the key client lead for major directorates. Your work will span policy development, risk management, major‑incident support, training, audits and performance improvement. This is a role for someone who thrives on responsibility, collaboration and shaping long‑term outcomes.

What you will do

Set strategic direction — define key outcomes, priorities and objectives for your lead area
Lead and manage a professional team — allocate work, develop staff, manage performance and drive continuous improvement
Act as client lead for major directorates, ensuring needs are understood and services delivered to a high standard
Provide expert advice on legislation, safe systems of work and organisational compliance
Support senior leaders in identifying risks, prioritising actions and developing safety plans
Shape policy and guidance including toolkits, procedures and best‑practice frameworks
Lead audits, inspections and investigations to identify trends and root causes
Deliver and oversee training across all levels of the organisation
Engage with unions and external bodies including HSE, emergency services and legal teams
Promote pragmatic, proportionate and cost‑effective risk management across the Council

What you will bring

Proven leadership capability — able to manage staff, drive change and deliver strategic improvements
Deep technical expertise in legislation, ACOPs and best‑practice safety management
Strong advisory experience in a complex, multi‑disciplinary organisation
Training design and delivery skills that engage and motivate diverse audiences
Excellent communication with the ability to influence at all levels, including senior leadership
Political awareness and the ability to operate effectively in a local‑authority environment
Analytical and organisational strength — able to manage competing priorities under pressure
Behavioural‑safety leadership — able to inspire safe behaviours and embed a positive safety culture
IT competence including Microsoft Office, SAP and other relevant systems
A proactive, flexible and solutions‑focused approach to all aspects of safety management
Trained to at least NEBOSH Diploma standard or equivalent

Please upload your up-to-date CV via the attachments part of your application, this is required for shortlisting. Unfortunately, we cannot consider any applications without a CV attached

Birmingham City Council is an accredited Disability Confident Leader employer, and we are committed to employing, retaining and developing all of our people.

We want to ensure your recruitment journey with us is a positive and equitable one, so please let us know if there are any reasonable adjustments, additional support, accessibility needs, or if there is any way in which we can support you through your application.

For any informal enquires please contact the Resourcing Team <Resourcing@birmingham.gov.uk>

Proof of Right to work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Birmingham City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our citizens and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. You can view our Corporate Safeguarding Policy | Birmingham City Council here.

Job Description and Person Specification