Health and Safety Lead (Operations)

About the Role

H&S Lead

At Panda, we value waste. That means finding smarter, safer and more sustainable ways to recover value from materials, reduce environmental impact and keep essential operations running efficiently.

We are looking for an experienced H&S Lead to support our Collections, Operations and Processing teams across key specialist safety areas, including machinery safety, fire safety, electrical safety and work at height.

This is a visible, hands on role where you will act as a technical safety lead for the business, working closely with operational teams to improve standards, reduce risk and strengthen our safety culture. The H&S Lead will combine practical site engagement with data led insight, helping Panda stay ahead of regulatory, operational and industry expectations.

What You'll Be Doing

As H&S Lead, you will:

• Act as Panda's technical lead for machinery safety, electrical safety, fire safety and work at height.
• Develop, maintain and improve safety standards, procedures and guidance across specialist risk areas.
• Provide expert advice and practical support to operational, engineering and project teams.
• Lead specialist risk reviews, audits and assurance activity across sites.
• Stay up to date with emerging risks, legislation, technology and best practice within the waste, recycling and industrial sectors.
• Use safety data to identify trends, themes, risks and improvement opportunities.
• Produce clear reports, dashboards and insight papers for senior leadership.
• Lead or support investigations into incidents, near misses and high potential events.
• Share learning across the business and help embed stronger controls and standards.
• Carry out regular site visits to support operational teams and build local safety capability.
• Coach and guide managers and frontline teams in specialist risk areas.
• Work closely with H&S Business Partners, SHEQ teams and operational leaders to drive consistent safety standards.

About You

You will be a confident and credible health and safety professional with strong technical knowledge and the ability to turn complex safety requirements into practical operational solutions.

You will bring:

• Significant experience in a Health and Safety role within industrial, recycling, manufacturing, engineering, logistics or operational environments.
• Strong knowledge of specialist risk areas such as machinery safety, electrical safety, work at height and fire safety.
• Experience leading or supporting incident investigations and identifying root causes.
• The ability to analyse safety data and turn it into clear actions and recommendations.
• Confidence presenting information to senior stakeholders and operational teams.
• NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent, or working towards.
• IOSH membership or equivalent professional membership.
• A practical, visible and collaborative approach to safety leadership.

It would also be beneficial if you have:

• Specialist training or qualifications in machinery safety, electrical safety, work at height or fire safety.
• Experience developing safety standards, technical guidance or assurance frameworks.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership or board level audiences.
• Chartered IOSH status, or working towards it.

What We're Looking For

This H&S Lead role would suit someone who is:

• Visible and approachable across sites.
• Confident challenging standards in a constructive way.
• Practical and solutions focused.
• Comfortable working with both frontline teams and senior leaders.
• Data led, but able to keep recommendations clear and operationally relevant.
• Proactive in identifying risks before they become issues.
• Passionate about helping teams work safely and consistently.

Panda is committed to attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate and the people we serve.

(DE&I Policy Statement)