Head of Corporate Health and Safety
£80,172 - £101,685 per annum

This is a unique opportunity to establish and lead a brand-new Corporate Health & Safety function, building a high-performing team from the ground up and setting the standards that will drive excellence across the organisation. As Head of Corporate Health & Safety, you will provide strategic leadership, influence senior decision-making, and create a culture where safety, accountability and continuous improvement are at the heart of everything we do.

You will work closely with senior leaders to develop and implement the Council's Health & Safety strategy, strengthen governance and assurance arrangements, and ensure compliance with an increasingly complex regulatory environment. This is a highly visible leadership role with the opportunity to make a lasting impact on services, staff and residents across Newham.

We're looking for an inspiring leader with significant Health & Safety expertise, a track record of building and developing successful teams, and the drive to challenge, innovate and deliver excellence.

Join us and build something exceptional.

To core objectives of this job is to provide strategic leadership of the Council’s corporate Health and Safety agenda, ensuring robust governance, regulatory compliance, organisational assurance and effective risk management that protects people, supports service delivery and drives continuous improvement:

• Provide corporate assurance that Health and Safety risks are effectively governed, managed and mitigated across the Council.
• Ensure compliance with statutory Health and Safety obligations while reducing organisational, financial and reputational risk.
• Strengthen organisational resilience through proactive risk management and effective assurance frameworks.
• Use intelligence, audit and performance data to drive continuous improvement and evidence-based decision-making.
• Embed a culture of accountability, prevention and safety leadership across all services.
• Translate organisational learning into sustainable improvements to policy, practice and workforce capability.
• Enhance stakeholder and regulatory confidence through effective governance, reporting and strategic influence.

Please view JD here

closing date: 20th September 2026

Additional Information

We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti-racist environment for all. When you apply for a job at Newham, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. If you share our vision and values, and you bring the experience and skills we need, that’s all that matters to us.

The London Borough of Newham has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Please attach your CV and supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn.