Adviser Health & Safety - Waikato and BOP

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Enhance and advance our health & safety management practices now!
• Business partnering role, be a key adviser to senior leadership
• Permanent Fulltime Position, Hamilton based but could be anywhere in Waikato/Bay of Plenty.

'Kotahi anō te kaupapa, ko te oranga o te iwi' – There is only one purpose to our work:  the wellness and wellbeing of our people.

At Ara Poutama Aotearoa, we run one of the country's most complex and high-risk organisations and we've put health, safety and wellbeing at the heart of what we do.  Our Chief Executive was named ‘Leader of the Year' at the 2022 Safeguard Health & Safety Awards – a reflection of his personal commitment to, and ownership of, health, safety and wellbeing.  Our national 2020-2024 Health, Safety and Wellbeing Plan is focused on improving the way we manage our critical health and safety risks, building leadership and capability, enhancing how we learn from normal work and unwanted events, and designing work and systems so that people are safe and well.

Ara Poutama Aotearoa is a unique, 24/7 business operating from 151 sites across Aotearoa.  We also deliver instructional and rehabilitation programmes in high-risk industries, such as construction, engineering and agriculture.

Ngā kawenga | About the role

The Health & Safety Adviser provides health and safety advice and support to regional / site managers, frontline leaders and frontline staff in our community sites across the Waikato and BoP region to improve management of critical health and safety risks, integration of critical safety systems, proactive learning from work, controls and unexpected events, and continuous improvement.

This opportunity calls for a resilient and passionate health and safety professional who is comfortable handling multiple priorities, dealing with complexities, and can build positive relationships as a trusted advisor to leaders & frontline staff.  Our Safety & Wellbeing group are shifting their, and the organisation's, practices towards a Safety II/Resilience Engineering philosophy and are keen to hear from professionals who are excited about a different way of supporting operational performance and resilience, rather than a focus on simple compliance.

By joining our S&W function at Ara Poutama Aotearoa you will get access to our new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme which we are significantly investing in. We want our people to be at the forefront of new health and safety thinking and become future experts and leaders their field.

He kōrero mōu | About you 

If you are motivated by the opportunity to enhance and advance our health and safety activities, practices and cultures, then we want to hear from you! Submit an online application that clearly outlines evidence or examples of how you meet the following requirements:

• Experience in provision of health and safety advice and guidance, ideally across large and complex organisations
• Good technical experience, ideally with a background in a high-risk industry
• Knowledge of applied best practice in health and safety business partnering, including health and safety assurance and techniques for learning from unexpected events (e.g., Learning Teams)
• Ability to apply analysis and logic to find fresh, innovative ways to solve problems. Takes an objective approach and considers multiple options rather than seeking only information which supports a particular viewpoint
• Experience in delivery of health and safety work programmes, including supporting business teams to implement and apply health and safety policies and procedures
• Strong level of cultural capability and awareness, able to work effectively with diverse groups of people
• A positive and proactive communication style, confidence speaking to a variety of stakeholders

A relevant tertiary qualification and / or relevant experience in providing formal health and safety advice and guidance is also a requirement.

Applicants must be a New Zealand citizen, New Zealand Resident Permit holder, Australian citizen or an Australian resident who holds a current Australian Resident Return Visa. Applicants must also hold a full NZ driver licence. 

Utu ā-tau | Salary

The salary range is $81,606 - $115,209 per annum.  Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Ko wai mātou | About us

Ara Poutama Aotearoa is a name that has been gifted to us and is our commitment to improving the oranga and safety of the people, whānau, and that of the communities we serve across the motu.

As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship) and whānau (relationships) to shape how we work and deliver the outcomes in our strategy - Hōkai Rangi.

We're also bringing in new ways of working to help us deliver Hōkai Rangi, with a range of new roles being formed as part of The Pathway Forward Te Ara Whakamua. 

It is an exciting time to join us, and we continue to seek out talented individuals who are committed to an inclusive, vibrant workplace. We recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of individuals, and that of the collective talent in our whānau. 

If you share the same passion for our work but feel this opportunity may not be the perfect fit for you, we encourage you to click here. We look forward to discovering more about you and exploring potential opportunities that align with your interests and skills.

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

To apply, please submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience. Alignment to our kaupapa is critical to our success - we ask that you provide examples which reflect and demonstrate our organisation values. 

It is an exciting time to join us and we continue to seek out talented individuals who are committed to an inclusive, vibrant workplace. We recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of individuals, and that of the collective talent in our whānau.  All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency. Applications received via email will not be considered. 

Applications will close on Friday 10 May 2024

If you want to find out more about a career with us, visit careers.corrections.govt.nz or email our team at careers@corrections.govt.nz