Job Description
Interim Health and Safety Lead
Westminster
Contract
£550 per day limited paid via umbrella company inside IR35
Our client is looking for an experienced Interim Health and Safety Lead
Contract: 3 6 months
Location: Hybrid (2 days in the London office, 3 days remote)
Reporting to: Head of Corporate Health & Safety
MOST IMPORTANT BIT: CV NEEDS TO EVIDENCE WORKING IN A LOCAL AUTHORITY AND SOME EXPEREINCE WITH STRATEGIC HEALTH AND SAFETY - SETTING UP SYSTEMS AND AUDITING CURRENT SYSTEMS AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES- ITS COPORATE PROPERTY.
Top 5 Most Important Criteria (Updated)
1. Senior Health & Safety Leadership in Large, Complex Organisations Including Local Authority Experience
Proven experience operating at a senior level within complex environments, with specific local government or wider public-sector experience to understand governance, political context, and service-delivery structures.
2. ISO 45001 System Design and Implementation Expertise
Strong background designing, reviewing or implementing ISO 45001-aligned Health & Safety management systems, with the ability to create proportionate, practical frameworks suited to a council setting.
3. Ability to Deliver Rapidly in Short, High-Impact Interim Assignments
Clear evidence of quickly assessing maturity, identifying gaps and producing policies, standards, risk assessment templates and assurance frameworks at pace.
4. Strong Engagement, Communication and Stakeholder Management Skills
Ability to reset and strengthen the Health & Safety engagement approach across Directorates, communicate clearly and consistently, and influence senior leaders without formal authority.
5. Strategic, Pragmatic and Documentation-Focused Approach with Excellent Handover Skills
A structured thinker who can produce a maturity baseline, priority roadmap, refreshed standards and a comprehensive handover for incoming permanent staff.
We have a number of opportunities we are recruiting for visit our website for more details colbernlimited co uk
1. Health & Safety Standards & Systems
• Review and update existing Health & Safety policies, procedures and management systems
• Identify key risks, gaps and areas of duplication
• Define a proportionate ISO 45001-aligned framework suited to WCC
• Refresh or produce priority corporate standards and model risk assessments
• Design a pragmatic audit and assurance framework (design only, no rollout)
2. Engagement, Communications & Culture
• Review and reset the Health & Safety engagement and communications approach
• Develop a simple, deliverable engagement strategy tailored to Directorates
• Increase visibility of Health & Safety through clearer and more consistent messaging
• Support managers to embed Health & Safety into day-to-day operations
• Design leading and lagging indicators for performance and engagement
3. Training & Capability (Design Phase)
• Conduct a high-level training needs analysis
• Create a Health & Safety training and competency matrix
• Identify priority gaps and quick wins
• Produce a clear roadmap for training and capability development
4. Leadership & Handover
• Act as a senior advisor to Directors and senior managers
• Provide concise and accurate reporting to governance and leadership forums
• Coach and support existing Health & Safety team members
• Produce a comprehensive handover including:
Baseline and maturity assessment
Work completed
Key risks and dependencies
Clear next steps and recommendations
Out of Scope
• Delivery of full ISO 45001 accreditation
• Long-term cultural change initiatives
• Full delivery of training programmes
This assignment is focused on structure, momentum and organisational readiness.
Personal Attributes
• Strategic thinker with a highly pragmatic, delivery-focused approach
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong stakeholder management and facilitation skills
• Ability to prioritise effectively within a short, high-impact assignment
• Methodical approach to documentation and handover
By the end of the contract, Westminster City Council will have:
• A clear baseline of Health & Safety maturity and priority risks
• Defined and documented standards aligned to an ISO 45001-style framework
• An engagement and training approach ready for implementation
• Increased organisational confidence in Health & Safety leadership
• A structured, practical handover for incoming permanent staff
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES colbernlimited co uk
The first part of our recruitment process is to send your CV. Should you be short listed Colbern Limited will contact you within 5 days or we may contact you about other job opportunities. Colbern Limited along with our clients are an equal opportunities employer
