Overview

Acorns Children''s Hospice are looking for a Head of Health and Safety to lead, develop, and implement a robust Health and Safety (HandS) strategy across the organisation.

Job specifics

Details

Job locations: Acorns in Birmingham Hospice, 103 Oak Tree Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6HZ; Acorn Childrens Hospice, Walstead Road, Walsall, WS5 4NL; Acorns Childrens Hospice, 350 Bath Road, Worcester, WR5 3EZ

Date posted: 05 September 2025

Salary: £50,000 to £60,000 a year plus car allowance

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 286364

Job responsibilitiesAcorns Children\''s Hospice are looking for a Head of Health and Safety to lead, develop, and implement a robust Health and Safety (HandS) strategy across the organisation.

About the Role

At Acorns Children\''s Hospice we offer specialist palliative care and support for children and their families across the West Midlands from our three hospices. Each hospice has specially decorated bedrooms, therapy rooms, a hydrotherapy room and dining facilities. We also have a network of charity shops across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire, which help to provide the funding that we need to provide this care.

As Head of HandS, you will:

Develop and deliver the organisation-wide Health and Safety strategy aligned with Acorns objectives

Ensure the organisation meets statutory and regulatory requirements, including Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, CQC Fundamental Standards (as a healthcare charity), Healthcare-specific HandS guidance, and ISO 45001 standards where applicable

Create, review, and update HandS policies, procedures, and management systems to maintain compliance and best practice

Provide expert advice and guidance to Trustees, Executive Directors, and Senior Leadership Team

Support managers to complete safety audits, investigations, and root cause analysis for incidents, accidents, and near-misses

Develop and maintain emergency plans, including fire safety, evacuation, pandemic response, and incident escalation

Participate in an on-call rota, being on call 1 in 7 weeks

About You

NEBOSH Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety or equivalent (NCRQ, NVQ Level 6, degree in Safety and Health)

Extensive experience in a senior HandS leadership role, ideally within healthcare or a regulated environment

Strong knowledge of UK HandS legislation, risk management, and governance frameworks

Experience in developing and implementing organisational HandS strategies

What We Offer

£50,000 to £60,000 per annum plus car allowance (additional £3,192 per annum)

37.5 hours per week

Based at your nearest Acorns Hospice (Walsall, Birmingham or Worcester), with travel across the region

Employee discounts from leading retailers

Employee gym discount scheme

Bike-to-Work scheme

Generous contribution to group personal pension plan or continuation of current NHS pension scheme

NHS pension scheme life assurance or Acorns group life assurance scheme

You need to be eligible to work in the UK to be considered for this role. We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and therefore any successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check for children and will be asked to provide two satisfactory references. In addition, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of immunisation against specific diseases or confirm their willingness to receive the necessary vaccinations.

As a UNICEF Gold Rights Respecting organisation, we are committed to ensuring that the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child is embedded into both culture and practice within the organisation. As an employee you will be a Duty Bearer for Children\''s Rights and support all children to be Rights Holders.

If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@acorns.org.uk. Find out about our culture, career development, benefits and more here: Why Work for Acorns?

Additional Job ResponsibilitiesAdditional responsibilities mirror the role details above as published in multiple sections of the original posting.

Qualifications

Essential: NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent qualification in Occupational Health and Safety

Desirable: Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH) or equivalent

Experience

Essential: Extensive experience in a senior HandS leadership role, ideally within healthcare or a regulated environment; knowledge of HandS legislation, risk management, and governance

Desirable: Experience working in a healthcare setting, charity experience

DisclosuresThis post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer detailsEmployer name: Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust

Address: Acorns in Birmingham Hospice, 103 Oak Tree Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6HZ

Employer''s website: Acorns.org.uk

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