Head of Health and Safety

The opportunity

Please note, as of 21/05/2026 the closing date has been amended to 22/05/2026.

University of the Arts London (UAL) is looking for an experienced, confident and forward‑thinking health and safety leader to join us as Head of Health and Safety. This is a high‑profile opportunity to shape and influence a positive, inclusive and enabling safety culture across one of the world’s leading creative universities.

In this senior leadership role, you will provide operational leadership for the Health and Safety team, drawing on your professional expertise to guide, develop and inspire a team of Health and Safety Advisers working across UAL’s Colleges and University Services. You will play a central role in ensuring that health and safety practice supports — rather than restricts — creativity, innovation and learning.

You will lead the development and delivery of Health and Safety Operational Improvement Plans across Colleges and departments, driving continuous improvement through insight, collaboration and proportionate risk management. A core part of the role will be producing clear, high‑quality and impactful reports on operational health and safety performance for the Director of Health and Safety, helping senior leaders understand risk, performance and opportunity.

Building strong, trusted relationships will be key to your success. You will work closely with senior leaders, operational managers and trade union representatives to embed inclusive and effective emergency arrangements and to foster a proactive, engaged health and safety culture across the University.

You will also lead the design and implementation of a risk‑based audit and assurance programme, ensuring that UAL’s health and safety management systems are robust, effective and continuously improving. Through overseeing audit delivery, evaluating outcomes and monitoring assurance activity, you will ensure risks are effectively managed in line with regulatory and sector expectations.

Above all, this role offers the opportunity to make a visible and meaningful impact on the health, safety and well-being of a diverse university community. Your work will help create environments where creativity can flourish safely, inclusively and sustainably.

About you

We are looking for a highly experienced health and safety professional with a NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent qualification, and a strong track record of developing and delivering comprehensive health and safety performance reporting. You will demonstrate a commitment to advancing professional practice in health and safety through ongoing development and active engagement with IOSH requirements, alongside experience of RIDDOR investigations and the ability to develop innovative, organisation-wide solutions.

You will bring excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous learning and professional growth.

What we offer

To recognise the hard work of our staff and their contributions, we provide a wide range of benefits – please check our careers site/Canvas for further information as conditions and exclusions apply:

▪ 34 days of annual leave and 2 days off to volunteer plus bank holidays
▪ Flexible and Dynamic working options available from the first day
▪ Discounted Medical Insurance including Digital GP service, therapies, in-patient and day-case treatment
▪ Free counselling and advice via our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
▪ Sector-leading Equal Parental Leave policy (6 months full pay for both parents) 
▪ Defined-benefit LGPS pension scheme
▪ In-house training and development including apprenticeships and free places on creative courses
▪ Interest free loans on travel and tech, discounts on gym memberships, nursery fees, eye care and much more
▪ Various opportunities to attend student shows and exhibitions

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) generates and inspires the creativity the world needs for a better future. Since 1842, our colleges have been defining creative education. With curiosity, imagination and intent we make work which creates lasting change for people and our planet. London is core to who we are, a place where we meet and share ideas with people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Our creative network influences learning, culture, industry and society on a global scale. Our academics and practitioners deliver creative education and inspire new ways of thinking through research and innovation. We work with students at every level from pre-degree and short courses to postgraduate and online learning, enabling them to build the careers they want. Together, we are a community of makers, thinkers, pioneers and storytellers redesigning the future.

As a University, we are ranked second in the world for Art and Design. We are formed of 6 Colleges with unique histories and identities: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts. UAL also has 4 Institutes, 5 Research Centres, 1 Pre-Degree School and 2 subsidiary companies delivering specialist activities.

We are a global University, welcoming over 22,000 students and 6,000 staff from 130 countries. We aim to be a university where people can be themselves and feel supported to reach their full potential. That's why we are proud to hold a Bronze Award from the Race Equality Charter (REC), are members of the Business Disability Forum and Employers for Carers, and maintain our status as a Disability Confident Scheme and Living Wage employer.