Role: Health and Safety Advisor
Contract: Full-Time, Permanent
Location: Havant, Hampshire, PO9 1QJ
Working Arrangements: Hybrid Working (3 days per week office based)
Who are we?
For over 30 years, we’ve travelled, we’ve laughed, we’ve grown. We believe life is for living and more fun with those we love. We are Made for Life.
Our mission statement:
Crafting clothes for life’s everyday adventures. Today, tomorrow and always.
Our Product formula:
Considered style. Trusted Quality. B Corp certified.
Equality and inclusion isn’t an aspiration but the standard. We promote and drive equality within our workforce to ignite an inclusive foundation for us all to build from and truly connect with our customers, colleagues, and communities alike. You play a key part in creating an environment free from prejudice, racism, sexism, harassment, bullying and any other form of marginalisation in our workplaces.
Role Summary
As the Health and Safety Advisor at FatFace, you will be the subject matter expert for all health and safety matters across the business. You’ll lead on compliance, training, and risk management, embedding a proactive safety culture across our business. Working collaboratively with teams, you’ll ensure that all our spaces are safe, and compliant.
Role Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
1. Policy Development and Compliance
* Develop and maintain FatFace’s health and safety policies, ensuring they reflect relevant legislation and best practices.
* Conduct regular reviews of risk assessments, method statements, and emergency response plan globally.
* Advise and deliver compliance with statutory requirements, such as fire safety, COSHH, DSE, manual handling, and PPE.
1. Monitoring and Reporting
* Conduct regular audits and inspections across stores, and head office, ensuring compliance and identifying areas for improvement.
* Maintain and report on health and safety performance metrics, including accidents, near misses, and trends.
* Submit RIDDOR reports to the HSE where required and provide detailed investigations for significant incidents utilising peninsular resources and systems.
* Maintain the group of responsible individuals, at head office with regards to training, building cover and community.
1. Training and Engagement
* Design, deliver and facilitate engaging health and safety training sessions for teams, including head office colleagues.
* Ensure all staff receive comprehensive inductions and maintain up-to-date training records.
1. Incident and Risk Management
* Lead investigations into accidents, near misses, and safety concerns, identifying root causes and implementing preventative measures.
* Work with teams to identify and mitigate risks, ensuring a proactive approach to safety.
1. Cultural Leadership
* Champion health and safety as a value of FatFace, embedding it into the business’s operational DNA.
Act as a trusted advisor to managers and teams, empowering them to take ownership of safety within their areas.
Align self to companies social and environmental mission and champion any actions that you can directly impact at all times’
Skills and Experience
Essential Skills:
* Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation, with practical experience in retail, logistics, or office settings.
* Proven ability to identify, assess, and mitigate risks effectively.
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage teams at all levels.
* Strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in audits, reporting, and documentation.
* Proficient in using safety management tools and Microsoft Office applications.
Desirable Skills:
* Leadership and influencing skills to embed a proactive safety culture.
* Experience developing and implementing long-term safety strategies.
* Project management skills with the ability to handle multiple priorities.
Experience:
* 2+ years in a health and safety role within a multi-site organisation, ideally in retail or logistics.
* Demonstrated success in audits, risk assessments, and compliance initiatives.
* Experience fostering a culture of safety aligned with brand values and sustainability goals.
Qualifications:
* NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (essential).
* IOSH membership (desirable).
* Additional certifications in Fire Risk Assessment, First Aid, or Manual Handling (desirable).
Role Competencies
Collaboration: Build strong relationships across the business to embed a culture of safety.
Accountability: Takes full accountability of the area and works alongside a RACI matrix
Attention to Detail: Maintain high standards of accuracy in audits, reporting, and training materials.
Communication: Clearly convey complex information to diverse teams, ensuring understanding and engagement.
Proactivity: Anticipate risks and act before they escalate, driving continuous improvement.
Resilience: Stay calm under pressure, particularly when managing incidents or compliance challenges.
Key Contacts and Relationships:
Internal: Store Managers, Head Office Teams, People Team, Operations, and Facilities.
External: Health and Safety Executive (HSE), external auditors, training providers, and equipment suppliers.
Accountable for Resources:
Accountability for compliance documentation, risk assessments, and incident investigation reports.
Oversight of safety equipment procurement, ensuring all stores and sites have what they need to remain compliant.
Responsible for maintaining the company’s health and safety budget, including training, equipment, and external audits.
Accountable for the Peninsular relationship and all systems connected to them.
FatFace Benefits:
* 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
* Perkbox our online platform to use from day one (this includes amazing online discounts, home workouts, wellbeing content, popular brand discounts etc.)
* THRIVE – Our learning management system- access from day one with 1000’s of pieces of learning
* Dental Insurance (employee funded)
* Pension scheme
* EAP support around the clock- UNUM/Retail Trust/ Fashion Textiles Support
* Income Protection/Death in service for Salaried staff
* Sick pay allowances
* O2 phone discount
* Eye Tests/contributions to glasses
* Sabbatical leave in line with service
* Enhanced Family Friendly policies i.e. Maternity Leave
* Refer a friend scheme