HSE Advisor

At AQA, we're committed to advancing education and we're committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it's our people who make this happen.

HSE Advisor

Permanent Manchester

£40,000 - £45,000

Hybrid Working - 3 days in office per week

If you have proven experience in creating safe, inclusive and sustainable workplaces, this could be your next career move. Join AQA as our Health, Safety and Environment Advisor. You will be based in the Manchester office and play a pivotal role in shaping the HSE experience across our multi site business - other office locations are Milton Keynes, London and Guildford.

What this role offers you

• The opportunity to influence impactful HSE practices across AQA's estate
• Professional development and training in a supportive environment, with IOSH subscription fee support for your CPD
• Flexible working arrangements to support work life balance
• A collaborative culture with high engagement scores
• Involvement in sustainability and business continuity projects
• Other benefits include private medical insurance, a generous pension (up to 11.5% employer contributions), a 35 hour working week, 25 days annual leave plus office closure in December and bank holidays, network group access (LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, disAbility, empowering women, wellbeing, ethnic minority and more), a comprehensive online learning platform, paid volunteering days and more.

In this role you will be responsible for

• Delivering a comprehensive HSE advisory service that meets legal obligations and promotes best practice
• Implementing and auditing HSE policies, procedures and risk assessments to ensure compliance and continuous improvement
• Supporting sustainability initiatives and collaborating with workplace and operational teams to enhance the colleague experience
• Executing Gap Analysis while onboarding subsidiary businesses into HSE Management Systems.

You'll thrive in this role if you

• Have extensive knowledge of HSE management systems and hold a NEBOSH Diploma or National General Certificate
• Have experience as an HSE Advisor and can hit the ground running
• Are highly organised with excellent data and programme management skills
• Communicate clearly and confidently, with a continuous improvement mindset
• Can manage multiple workstreams and resolve issues using sound judgement
• Are proficient in Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.

To apply

Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role. Application deadline: 23:59 on Monday 17 November 2025.

Interviews will be over two stages - the first will be a virtual interview, the second will take place in the Manchester office towards the end of November.

Full Job Description

Purpose: The HSE Advisor will assist the Group HSE & Business Continuity Manager with the delivery and on going development of health, safety and environment provision, ensuring a high quality, legally compliant, customer focused, professional service at all AQA sites.

Landscape: The HSE Advisor is part of the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) team that leads the Group HSE compliance activities. The role supports the HSE function in gathering and maintaining data and providing organisational and planning support to deliver workstreams.

Working directly with the national, site based HSE team and interacting daily with wider Workplace and Operational colleagues, the role reports to the Group HSE & Business Continuity Manager and works closely with the Head of Workplace Experience and Sustainability.

Key Stakeholders: Operational Leaders, People Services and other Senior Managers, ensuring delivery of customer satisfaction for our colleagues who use the office spaces.

Activities

• Implement the HSE management system, working practices and SLAs to deliver an exceptional experience for all AQA Group estate users and hybrid workers.
• Provide a customer centric experience and represent AQA professionally.
• Provide comprehensive HSE advisory service to managers and employees to meet all legal obligations and implement best practice standards.
• Identify and report areas for continuous improvement of the HSE function.
• Ensure all practices, systems and processes are meticulously documented and compliant, mitigating risk and financial impact.
• Implement and promote effective operation of Group HSE policies and procedures, monitoring and measuring systems where appropriate.
• Conduct internal HSE audit programme efficiently to ensure legal and best practice compliance.
• Undertake specialist risk assessments, investigations and auditing to defined procedures and protocols for compliance.
• Investigate accident reports and near miss incidents, conduct root cause analysis to minimize recurrence.
• Gather and collate HSE performance data and prepare required reports, including annual compliance and statutory reports.
• Monitor action plans from internal and external audits and report to the Group HSE & Business Continuity Manager.
• Provide liaison and HSE supportive services to AQA Group subsidiaries for a standardised approach.
• Develop and deliver high quality training courses and initiatives as needed.
• Apply specialist knowledge of high risk activities to advise on suitable health and safety arrangements.
• Support business response and action plans for new and amended health and safety legislation.
• Assist with management of departmental mailbox and shared drives.
• Attend internal/external meetings and health and safety committees as required.
• Support the sustainability function and wider Workplace Team with key activities and projects.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior HSE role.
• Work independently and as part of a team; able to travel to each AQA office.
• Extensive knowledge of HSE management systems and necessary recording, auditing and measuring systems.
• Hold NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health or NEBOSH General Certificate with relevant extensive H&S experience.
• Excellent data management skills to organise and maintain data from multiple sources and formats.
• Excellent programme and time management skills with ability to thrive in pressured situations across multiple workstreams.
• "Step up" mindset: use sound judgement and initiative to deliver.
• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail, accuracy and ownership of processes and service delivery.
• Base competencies: Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook (essential).
• Ability to resolve issues and problems by gathering information, pertinent facts and situational analysis to arrive at sound conclusions and take appropriate actions.
• Accomplished communication skills - written and oral.
• Continuous improvement ethos to develop and enhance processes to build efficiencies.