NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society. Head of Occupational Health and Safety - NHS Ayrshire and Arran Location: Office based at Ailsa Hospital, Ayr but post will be required to routinely travel to sites throughout NHS Ayrshire & Arran This post offers an exciting opportunity to join NHS Ayrshire & Arran as Head of Occupational Health & Safety. Reporting directly to the Director of Human Resources you will be the lead officer and accountable for the health and safety performance across a broad range of programmes. As Board’s principal Occupational Health & Safety Adviser, you will provide specialist professional advice to governance forums and committees within the Board – ensuring that legislative requirements are anticipated and met, to ensure improved staff wellbeing, welfare, working environments and patient services delivery. You will lead on the development and implementation of all aspects of strategy, policy and plans relating to health and safety ensuring delivery of professional standards and performance management across the breadth of the portfolio. You will also proactively engage with the external Regulatory Bodies (Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Environmental Health Officers (EHO) and Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)) to ensure that statutory duties and best practice standards are maintained, and risk is minimized within the Board With full delegated authority from the Director of Human Resources, you will provide senior leadership, strategic and operational resource management for the creation, development, implementation, review and continuous refinement of highly complex systems, processes and standards to underpin Occupational Health and Safety and Human Factors across all aspects of the organisation. In addition to a strong background in Health & Safety, extensive senior management experience working at a strategic level within a large, complex organisation is required, preferably within the NHS or other public sector organisation. You will be educated to Masters level and have advanced theoretical and practical knowledge through advanced level training and experience in at least one of the following disciplines: Occupational Health and Safety; Ergonomics/Human Factors and Risk Management. Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills are required, as well as a creative and innovative approach to problem solving. To arrange an informal discussion with Sarah Leslie, Director of Human Resources please contact Kirsty Symington, Executive Assistant, via email kirsty.symingtonaapct.scot.nhs.uk Interviews are scheduled to take place week commencing 27th January 2025