Senior Health and Safety Business Partner

Job summary This is a key and demanding leadership role within the People Safety Team, providing strategic and operational leadership across the Health & Safety function. As a Senior Health & Safety Business Partner (SHSBP), you will lead a team of Health & Safety Business Partners (HEO) and jointly lead the wider Operational Health & Safety Team, ensuring the department continues to meet its statutory, regulatory and corporate obligations while placing the health, safety and wellbeing of our people, customers and partners at the centre of decision-making.

You will play a pivotal role in shaping, implementing and continually improving the department's Health & Safety Management System (SMS), ensuring that policies, procedures and controls remain effective, proportionate and aligned to organisational priorities. Through your leadership, you will promote a positive safety culture where health and safety is understood as a shared responsibility and embedded into everyday business activities.

Working across a complex and diverse operational environment, you will provide expert professional advice and assurance to senior leaders, helping them understand risk, make informed decisions and deliver safe business outcomes. You will support the department's ambition to continuously improve its health and safety maturity by driving consistency, sharing best practice and identifying opportunities to strengthen capability across the organisation.

A key element of the role is leading and developing a high-performing team. You will provide clear direction, coaching and support, creating an inclusive environment where colleagues are empowered to contribute, develop and perform at their best. You will be responsible for setting priorities, overseeing delivery and ensuring that work is aligned to departmental objectives and delivered to a consistently high standard.

The role requires excellent stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to influence at all levels. You will work collaboratively with senior leaders, operational teams, specialist functions and Trade Union representatives to identify emerging risks, agree practical solutions and drive continuous improvement. You will also lead a specialist area of Health & Safety expertise, ensuring lessons learned, good practice and professional knowledge are shared effectively across the team and wider business.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Health & Safety professional who is passionate about making a difference, leading others and helping create a safe, healthy and resilient working environment across the Department for Work and Pensions. Occasional travel and overnight stays will be required. Job description As a Senior Health & Safety Business Partner, you will: Lead and develop a team of Health & Safety Business Partners (HEO), providing inclusive leadership, professional guidance and effective performance management.

Develop, implement and continuously improve the Health & Safety Management System, ensuring compliance with legislative requirements and recognised best practice. Promote a positive health and safety culture by embedding effective systems, processes and behaviours throughout the organisation. Provide expert, evidence-based advice to senior leaders and stakeholders on health and safety risks, controls and legal requirements.

Support the development and implementation of strategies that improve organisational understanding of health and safety risks and proportionate risk management. Monitor and interpret Health & Safety performance data, identifying trends and opportunities for learning, improvement and informed decision-making. Lead or support investigations, audits and reviews, ensuring lessons learned are captured and shared effectively.

Work collaboratively across business areas to identify emerging risks, understand operational change and implement effective mitigations. Drive continuous improvement by promo