Senior Health Safety and Environmental

The opportunity

Our client, a leading Australian organisation, are seeking a Senior Health Safety Environmental (HSE) Business Partner to play a pivotal role in strengthening safety culture and contractor management across their corporate and facilities management portfolio.

Reporting to the Operational Risk Manager this hands-on operational role combines strategic oversight with visible safety leadership. The successful candidate will be the driving force behind their contractor safety framework, working across diverse operational environments including electrical services, waste management, security functions, and unique heritage buildings.

This is not a desk-based role. It requires someone who thrives on being visible, present, and engaged across complex operational sites. The role involves spending four to five days per week on site, coaching teams, partnering with contractors, and ensuring safety excellence becomes embedded in everything they do.

What you will be doing

Champion contractor safety excellence

• Own the end-to-end contractor safety management lifecycle, from pre-qualification and induction through to ongoing assurance and performance management
• Design and deliver training programs that build capability across project and facility management teams
• Establish and facilitate quarterly contractor engagement forums, driving accountability and continuous improvement
• Conduct second party audits to ensure due diligence and compliance standards are consistently met

Drive safety system and programs improvements

• Operationalise the organisation's Health and Safety and Environmental Management Systems across operations
• Lead critical safety programs including hazardous infrastructure materials management
• Roll out digital safety platforms, providing coaching and support to enable adoption
• Conduct regular site inspections and lead safety walks, demonstrating visible safety leadership

Enable data driven decision making

• Ensure safety data integrity to enable accurate reporting and meaningful insights
• Prepare executive briefings and reports that highlight trends, challenges, and improvement opportunities
• Support incident investigations and coordinate evidence collection
• Monitor lead and lag indicators, translating findings into actionable recommendations

Build capability

• Coach and mentor facility and project managers to confidently assess risk documentation and safe work procedures
• Partner with the central health, safety and wellbeing team to embed consistent practices across operations
• Foster collaborative relationships with internal teams, contractors, and external stakeholders
• Lead by example, creating an inclusive, proactive safety culture

About you

The ideal candidate is an experienced safety professional who can balance technical expertise with exceptional interpersonal skills. They will be equally comfortable reviewing complex risk assessments, coaching a project manager, or presenting insights to senior leadership.

Essential requirements:

• Tertiary qualifications in Workplace Health and Safety, Environmental Management, or equivalent experience
• Proven track record managing contractor safety in operational or facilities management environments
• Experience handling serious incidents and high-risk situations with composure and sound judgement
• Strong analytical capabilities – able to evaluate complex data and translate it into clear, actionable insights
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders
• Experience with procurement processes and working effectively with senior stakeholders
• People management experience, including performance management and team development

Highly valued:

• Lead Auditor certification in ISO 45001 OHS Management Systems
• Experience working in complex operational environments with heritage or high-risk infrastructure
• Background in developing and implementing safety and wellbeing programs

What makes this role different

This position offers genuine autonomy and impact. The successful candidate will have two capable direct reports and work alongside peers in assurance, resilience, and risk, but their focus is squarely on operational delivery and building capability. Within 12 months, they will be a trusted adviser across facilities management, known for their practical guidance, visible leadership, and ability to lift safety maturity across the organisation.

Why join them?

Our client values courage and creativity, openness and engagement, inclusion and diversity, and respect and integrity. They are looking for someone who shares these values and wants to make a tangible difference in how they protect their people, contractors, and community.

Ready to lead safety excellence at a leading Australian organisation?

Apply now with your resume and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and approach to building collaborative safety cultures.