Health & Safety Advisor

Honing a safe place. Smooth operations. Delivering at a fast pace.

Health & Safety Advisor

£28,000 - £33,000 (+ Benefits)

Reports to: Senior Health & Safety Manager

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week

Location: Home-based (UK)

• This role will involve occasional travel to Cancer Research UK sites across the UK and will be eligible for travel expenses.
  
  
  

Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

Closing date: 02 May 2025 23:55

This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. If you require more time to apply as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk as soon as possible.

Recruitment process: One competency-based interview

Interview date: From the week commencing 12 May 2025

How do I apply? We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won’t be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly, and objectively.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you.

The Chief Operating Office is at the heart of engaging and inspiring Cancer Research UK’s people by delivering operational transformation and an employee experience that enables us to be an inclusive and agile organisation. We aim to become the hub for operational management ensuring we govern, prioritise, and are effective and efficient in all we do.

Our Health & Safety team is crucial to this mission by creating a safe and healthy environment for our staff and volunteers. With a presence spanning over 600 stores, 40 superstores, 4 distribution hubs, online marketplaces, 4 scientific research institutes (laboratories), and 2 head offices across the UK, the team provides expert health, safety, and wellbeing support. This involves responding to c. 1,000 accidents and c.3.000 incidents reported per annum while ensuring compliance with regulations and best practices and collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders.

We are searching for a Health & Safety Advisor to play a vital role in supporting our Health & Safety Managers by providing expert advice on activities across the charity and hybrid environments. In this role, you'll be the go-to expert for health and safety matters across our organisation, providing advice and practical support to ensure we meet our statutory obligations and control any health and safety risks to our people, and anyone else affected by the charity’s activities. From investigating incidents to developing operational procedures, you’ll have the opportunity to create a safe and supportive environment across a diverse range of areas (e.g., Trading, Fundraising, Research, and many more), meaning no day will be the same.

If you are a NEBOSH-qualified Health & Safety Advisor who has operated within large, complex, and hybrid organisations (both onsite and remote-based) and can travel across the UK, we would love for you to join our mission.

What will I be doing?

• Providing first-line health and safety (H&S) advice and support across Cancer Research UK via phone and email.
• Leading the investigation of specified accidents and H&S incidents, making recommendations for changes, and ensuring that records are updated accurately.
• Providing advice and support to staff on workstation set up, ensuring that training records are maintained, and appropriate risk assessments are in place.
• Undertaking active monitoring activities to show compliance across a diverse range of health and safety issues.
• Helping to develop and implement safe operational procedures which identify and account for all relevant hazards.
• Supporting the risk assessment process, ensuring accurate records are maintained.
• Playing an active role in developing H&S information and training, ensuring to share and communicate with relevant stakeholders.
• Undertaking other tasks, as necessary, to contribute to the team objectives and those of Cancer Research UK.
  
  
  

What skills will I need?

• NEBOSH General Certificate level+ qualified (or equivalent) Health & Safety professional who has advised on health and safety matters in large, complex, and hybrid organisations (both onsite and remote-based).
• Demonstrable understanding of UK Health & Safety legislation and good practice.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and management with demonstrable interpersonal, influencing, and negotiating skills with a proven ability to communicate effectively in writing, face-to-face, and by telephone with a wide-ranging audience.
• Proficient in using accident & compliance management systems and databases.
• Ability to work as part of a team and contribute towards the team’s collective success
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify creative solutions to a diverse range of problems.
• Able to travel across the UK to Cancer Research UK stores and offices (ideally has a driver’s license, but we’re open to candidates who can travel via public transport).
  
  
  

Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do.

Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination

Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism

Human: Act to have a positive impact on people

Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively

We’re looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.

If you’re interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience we’d still love to hear from you.

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.

You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.

Additional Information

For more information about working with us please visit our website or contact us at recruitment@cancer.org.uk.

For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.