The Role

Do you have a passion for Health and Safety?

Are you highly organised and have a keen eye for detail?

Are you an experienced Business Support or Administration professional looking for a new challenge?

If yes, then we could have the perfect role for you!

The Business Support service’s vision is a simple one: ‘to implement a robust, flexible and resilient business support service across Children’s Services’.

We have a rare and exciting opportunity for a Business Support Officer to join us in providing a single point of contact for Health & Safety across the whole of Children’s Services and schools. This role will support the departments Health and Safety Liaison Officers (HSLO) to ensure that Health and Safety policies and procedures are being adhered to across the department.

Workplace safety is important to all colleagues working in Childrens Services.  Raising awareness and understanding how to keep ourselves and each other safe, while carrying out council activities in the workplace environment, are key to reducing and preventing the risk of harm or injury.

For this role, you will:

• Understand the importance of Health and Safety in public buildings and schools, being able to actively promote health and safety across the directorate.
• Ensure that regular health and safety monitoring is carried out of each area of the department, including satellite buildings and schools and to make the required returns to the corporate Health and Safety team.
• Disseminate health and safety information relevant to the directorate.
• Attend the Health and Safety Joint Consultative Committee and HSLO Working Group meetings along with the department HSLO.
• Work with Heads of Services and Service Managers to ensure that all Childrens Services staff have completed mandatory H&S training and refresher training every three years.
• Ensure sufficient fire marshals and first aiders are appointed across the department.
• Liaise with Directorate Health and Safety Representatives and Representatives of Employee Safety as required.
• Be willing to attend First Aid and Fire Marshall training.

This is a fast-paced role, so it is essential that you good attention to detail as well as having high level organisational and communication skills. This role is pivotal in ensuring a flexible, efficient, and responsive health and safety service is provided across the department. If you thrive on a challenge, then this could be the role for you!

Whilst primarily supporting this service you will also be a team player in the wider Business Support service, as we require all Business Support Officers to have flexible approach in supporting other areas and at times may even be required to work elsewhere across the directorate. This role will report directly into a Service Manager who will ensure that you get all the support, training and development you need to be able to successfully undertake your role. 

Please note that whilst we support some home working, this role will require you to work from the Town Hall offices, 2/3 days per week.

Contact details

If you’d like an informal discussion or to know more about this role, please contact:
Rebecca Fitzgerald, Service Manager – Business Support: rebecca.fitzgerald@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Benefits

Now what else can we offer you that will enhance your work-life balance you ask?

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working including working from home and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you would like to explore. We also offer a generous holiday allowance of 39 paid days (pro rata) including bank holidays and a wide range of learning and development opportunities.

In addition, we offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts with many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline

• Close date: 11:59pm on Sunday 21st August 2022
• Shortlisting date/s: week commencing 22nd August 2022
• Interview date/s: week commencing 29th August 2022

Useful Information: The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please note that the advertised dates for interviews may change due to the current Covid-19 situation. If they do, we will let you know as soon as possible. Your health and wellbeing is our top priority. Should you become unwell due to Covid-19 during the recruitment process we would very much appreciate receiving an update from you as soon as possible.

Equality Statement

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Important Information

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

How to apply?

To be considered for interview your application must highlight your knowledge, skills and experience listed in the Job Profile located at the bottom of the advert.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils