Position Description

Position title / Workplace Health & Safety Manager
Reports to / GM - Organisational Development
Team Function / People & Culture
Location / The position is located in Melbourne
Hours per week / Full time or Part-Time

Our Vision

All people affordably housed in neighbourhoods that support life opportunities.

Our Mission

To be a leading provider of affordable homes across Australia, working with partners to create resilient and inclusive neighbourhoods.

We provide long term solutions for people who:

·  Are disadvantaged by housing markets

·  Have a disability and/or mental health risk

·  Are homeless or at risk of homelessness

·  Are ageing and/or frail

Our Guiding Principles

Our guiding principles are at the core of how we work in our day to day roles:

·  We put our customers first

·  We work together

·  We trust and are trusted

·  We learn and adapt

Organisational Overview

Housing Choices Australia (HCA) creates safe, quality, affordable and long-term housing for our tenants. As a growing housing provider, our goal is to ensure that people are housed in inclusive communities and to create homes that encourage a sense of belonging. We now own or manage more than 5,050 homes across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia and are currently establishing services in New South Wales. We have ambitious plans for greater impact including increasing our reach and helping more people find quality, affordable housing across the country.


Our organisation is set to achieve this by growing, developing and effectively managing affordable housing to build on HCA’s strengths and presence in Australia. We aim to become an innovative leader of housing for people with disabilities receiving supports funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

HCA has four main service delivery and team function areas across the business:

·  Housing

·  Commercial

·  Finance

·  People and Culture

Overview and Purpose of Role
The Workplace Health and Safety Manager (WHSM) will work across all areas of HCA overseeing health and safety and will be an integral member of the people and culture team supporting the business by leading, promoting and developing a safety culture.
This role will be responsible for the implementation, assessment and review of a comprehensive Workplace, Health and Safety Management Plan whilst applying an integrated WHS system across the organisation. Working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, the role will foster and promote a safety culture that is focused on prevention, continuous improvement and a holistic approach to staff well-being.
The WHSM will work in collaboration with Executive Management and staff to promote and increase knowledge, understanding, commitment to and compliance with relevant legislation and best practice in workplace health and safety.
The WHSM will work closely with management and staff to ensure a coordinated approach to the management of health and safety risks. The position will provide expert guidance, support and advice to managers that enables them to:
·  Identify and address health and safety issues
·  Identify, plan and implement health and safety initiatives
·  Achieve the key performance indicators set by the organisation
With responsibility for workplace health and safety (WHS) policies and systems, the position will develop and undertake organisation wide initiatives to continuously improve WHS standards.
Key Accountabilities
Workplace Health and Safety Management
·  Development, implementation, maintenance and continuous improvement of WHS management systems to ensure compliance with relevant WHS legislations.
·  Monitor WHS performance including compliance with external regulations/standards/industry guidelines and internal policy and procedures.
·  Coordinating the implementation, assessment and review of the Workplace Health and Safety Management plan, monitoring compliance and reporting progress.
·  Lead the consultation on WHS reviews annually.
·  Recommend and implement enhancements to WHS policies and procedures that ensures policies and practices remain relevant and contemporary.
·  Developing and delivering, where appropriate, training programs on WHS matters with teams across the organisation.
·  Management and coordination of HCA’s WHS Committee to ensure high engagement, involvement and impact.
·  Collaborate with the Executive Management to foster and support a WHS culture across the organisation.
·  Provide advice and guidance to teams across the organisation to assist in the maintenance of safe work practices.
·  Monitor and provide recommendations and/or reports to management on emerging industry trends relating to the improvement of WHS practices and staff well-being programs.
·  Gather, maintain and analyse WHS statistical data, including reporting to the Board on WHS matters and report trends and recommend any required actions.
·  Monitor and communicate to relevant stakeholders any changes to WHS legislations, regulations and codes of practice.
·  Consult and communicate with internal and external stakeholders to support compliance with WHS across the organisation.
WHS Audits
·  Coordinating and conducting WHS audits and reporting of outcomes to the WHS Committee and Executive Management.
·  Conducting WHS system audits to ensure compliance to WHS policies.
·  Maintenance of audit documentations and records.
·  Provision of audit reports to WHS Committee and Executive Management.
·  Review audit/non-audit actions and determine trends and corrective actions.
·  Undertake internal WHS audits and monitor the completion of WHS assessments, including workplace inspections and risk assessments.
WHS Strategic Plan
·  Ensure appropriate support is provided to Executive Management in the development and implementation of the WHS strategic plan.
·  Report progress of the WHS strategic plan to the Executive management team and the WHS Committee.
·  Maintain awareness of current OHS legislation, regulations, codes of practice and guidelines to ensure that HCA comply.
Hazard Identification and Management
·  Review activities to ensure hazards and unsafe workplace conditions and work practices have been identified, reported and are being acted on.
·  Monitor corrective activities to ensure risks are eliminated, isolated or minimised and maintains the various registers and reporting requirements of the WHS Management System.
·  Supervise the investigation of accidents, incidents, near misses and unsafe working conditions to ensure remedial action is being undertaken, reporting of identified hazards and appropriate risk control measures to the WHS Committee and Executive Management.
·  Review the circumstances of any work injury, illness and dangerous events, identify any corrective action and request any additional resources or assistance required to undertake corrective action.
·  Collaborate with the HR Manager and Executive Management to ensure incidents that need reporting to State authorities are done so and subsequently liaise with and comply with associated audits and investigations. Advise on the potential requirement for legal support.
Return to Work Coordination
·  In collaboration with the HR Manager:
-  Coordinate and proactively manage the injury claims process with involved persons, the business, external insurers and medical professionals.
-  Negotiate with all affected stakeholders to identify suitable alternative work placements for injured employees with permanent work restrictions.
-  Support the Return to Work process and assist in the safe return to work of injured employees.
General Requirements

As a growing provider of social housing, housing and tenant services are subject to on-going development, review and improvement. As such, the range of tasks set out in this job description is not exhaustive, and all employees will be expected to undertake a range of duties associated with their areas of responsibility to ensure a high standard of service delivery to internal and external clients. Any substantial changes in role requirements will be discussed with the incumbent as part of a formal consultation process.

HCA is a values-based organisation and seeks to cultivate a culture founded on quality of service delivery, responsiveness, collaboration and respect for others. It is an environment that requires all team members to be open, flexible and responsive to new ideas and ways of working and actively supportive of each other with respect to achieving the best outcomes for HCA and its clients and stakeholders.

All Housing Choices employees are required to:

ü  comply with all Housing Choices’ policies and procedures

ü  comply with all Commonwealth and State legislation relevant to the organisation, including workplace relations and occupational health and safety legislation and regulation

ü  work in a collaborative fashion with Housing Choices customers, staff and stakeholders

ü  uphold and enhance the reputation of Housing Choices

ü  maintain the highest level of integrity in the conduct of Housing Choices business

ü  undertake identified training and development activities/programmes

Essential Selection Criteria

Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications

·  Demonstrated understanding of and expertise in WHS practice and the associated legislative framework within a services environment.

·  Sound experience in the development and implementation and continuous improvement of WHS management systems.

·  Experience with consulting to an internal customer model that is characterised by developing and implementing cost effective and practical solutions that mitigate workplace risks.

·  Relevant experience in Return to Work and Work Cover.

·  Demonstrated experience in successfully managing projects within tight timeframes which meet internal customer expectations.

·  Demonstrated WHS experience in a similar role and operational service environment.

·  Extensive knowledge of relevant WHS legislations, regulations and standards.

·  A demonstrated ability to analyse, review and improve safe work practices.

·  Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills with an ability to communicate effectively to a diverse audience.

·  Tertiary qualifications in WHS or related disciplines.

Skills

·  High level conceptual and analytical skills including the ability to analyse complex issues.

·  High level interpersonal and communication skills with a proven ability to work with internal and external stakeholders to negotiate and influence successful outcomes.

·  An ability to work independently as well as within a small team with a unified service approach focused on outcomes.

·  Proven ability to align business planning objectives with the WHS function.

·  Exceptional computer literacy skills.

Other Requirements

·  Willingness to undertake relevant Police and Working with Children screening.

·  Sensitivity to and understanding of issues affecting socially disadvantaged groups including homeless people, people with disability and people from a non-English speaking background.

This role description is accepted by:
Job Holder ………………………………………………………. Date ………………………….
Manager ………………………………………………………. Date ………………………….

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