Health and Safety Advisor

Job Title: Health and Safety Advisor  

Location: Highbury Campus, Portsmouth with cross campus travel required

Salary: £32,661.63 - £34,636.80 Full Time Equivalent per annum

Hours of work: 37 Hours per week, 52 Weeks per year, Full-Time, Permanent

About us:
At City of Portsmouth College, we aspire to be the employer of choice in the Portsmouth area, with a progressive, supportive, and rewarding workplace culture and one that offers competitive benefits for its staff. By joining us, you will personally be part of the change we are driving and will play a pivotal role in supporting the growth and development of our brilliant students, turning them into future leaders and innovators. Everyone at the College is part of the bigger picture and together, each role makes an impact and in turn a difference to our students learning journey.

We have an unrivalled curriculum of courses on offer for students of all ages and stages covering A-levels, Apprenticeships, Vocational & Technical courses. We also offer Higher Education, Online learning and Community courses that appeal to the needs of the local community.

What We Offer:

• Annual Leave: 25 days total and closure for winter shutdown period in line with Hampshire County Council school holidays & statutory bank holidays
• Pension: Generous Local Government pension. Further information can be found at www.hants.gov.uk/hampshire-services/pensions/local-government
• Learning & Development: Programmes by The Community Adult Education Department
• Staff Development: Access to the College staff development programmes and CPD
• Onsite Discounts: City of Portsmouth College Hair Salon & 50% off at the City of Portsmouth College Sports Centre
• Online Discounts: Unidays, Student Beans, and Totum with a City of Portsmouth College email address
• Parking: Free car parking across all campus sites (apart from Arundel)
• Blue Light Card: providing several discounts for clothing, electrical goods, food and days out, even concert tickets!

About the role:
As the Health & Safety Advisor at City of Portsmouth College (COPC) you will be ensuring that the arrangements onsite serve to adequately protect people and the environment whilst meeting legislative obligations and departmental requirements.  

You will continually develop and strengthen the site Safety & Environmental Management Systems whilst leading, motivating and managing relevant staff with H&S responsibilities.  

You will provide timely, professional, and effective safety advice and assurance on all site activities and initiatives to COPC staff members as required, including but not limited to material(s) storage, processing, vehicle and plant movements, risk assessment and COSHH.  

You will be located at the Highbury campus however, this role will involve travel to other locations across the city including North Harbour, Sixth Form and Arundel campuses.  

Key Responsibilities:

• Promote a strong safety culture and embed health, safety, and wellbeing into College operations, while supporting ISO 45001 improvements and staff/student engagement.
• Ensure legislative compliance through risk assessments, statutory inspections, and reporting, contributing to assurance reports and KPIs.
• Support safe contractor management and collaborate with Estates to maintain statutory compliance aligned with IWFM best practice.
• Deliver or coordinate safety training and campaigns, acting as a key contact for staff queries and promoting safe behaviours.
• Assist with incident investigations, emergency planning, and regulatory inspections, ensuring thorough documentation and follow-up.
• Promote safe learning environments for all learners, encourage student involvement in safety initiatives, and support environmental policy and compliance.

To be successful in this role, below is what we would need from you:

Qualifications & Experience:

• Ability to travel across all City of Portsmouth College campuses.
• NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (or equivalent).
• IOSH membership (minimum TechIOSH).
• At least 3 years’ experience in health and safety within construction, engineering, estates, or facilities management.
• Confidence in designing and delivering inductions and safety training for staff, contractors, and (where appropriate) learners.
• Solid understanding of UK health and safety legislation, including HASAWA, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, WAH, and Fire Safety.
• Experience in environmental management.
• Strong IT skills, with experience in Microsoft Office/365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Strong written and oral English communication skills.
• Full, clean UK driving licence. 

Skills & Attributes

• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Confident communicator with the ability to engage effectively at all levels.
• Practical, solutions-focused, and adaptable across varied educational and workshop settings.
• Calm under pressure, able to prioritise and work to deadlines.
• Collaborative team player, able to work effectively with estates, curriculum staff, contractors, and senior leaders.
• Willingness to learn, adapt, and undertake training and CPD as required.

Diversity and Inclusion:
Equality, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are central to the work of City of Portsmouth College. This underpins the vision of the College to transform lives through providing exceptional education and training.

The College’s commitment to Equality, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is reflected in the continued successful promotion of these strands through the curriculum, enrichment activities, and the range of direct and indirect student support services.

Pre-Employment Checks:
The City of Portsmouth College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in our college. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and two references.

We reserve the right to close the job advert when we have had successful applications, and it may not run for the full duration of the advert. We do not accept CVs from agencies for these roles.