Manager Occupational Health & Safety and Emergency Management

Background: 

The Manager Occupational Health & Safety and Emergency Management is responsible for providing strategic leadership, governance, professional advice and University-wide oversight of Occupational Health and Safety, workplace risk, emergency preparedness, incident management and disaster risk management at Fiji National University.

The position is responsible for developing, implementing, maintaining and continuously improving the University's Occupational Health and Safety Management System and Emergency Management Framework to ensure that FNU provides, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe and healthy environment for staff, students, contractors, visitors and other persons who may be affected by University activities.

The Manager provides leadership and assurance to the Director Estates & Facilities, Vice Chancellor, Senior Leadership Team, Colleges and Divisions on compliance with applicable occupational health and safety legislation, regulations, codes, standards, University policies and recognised good practice.

The position leads a risk-based approach to OHS management across FNU's diverse operating environment, including teaching and learning facilities, laboratories, engineering and trade workshops, maritime facilities, health and medical facilities, student accommodation, offices, construction projects, maintenance activities, fleet operations, contractors, public areas and other University operations.

The Manager also serves as the University's principal adviser and coordinator for disaster and emergency management and, when emergency arrangements are activated, provides direct functional advice to the Vice Chancellor and coordinates the University's emergency and incident management arrangements in accordance with approved University procedures.

The role is primarily one of leadership, governance, assurance, oversight and escalation. Routine inspections, monitoring, training and other operational activities are to be appropriately delegated to OHS staff and designated campus representatives while the Manager retains overall responsibility for the effectiveness of the University's OHS and emergency management systems.

Person Specification: 

Essential 

• Applicants must possess a recognised Bachelor's degree in one of the following areas; Occupational Health and Safety, Workplace Health and Safety; Safety Management; Risk Management; Environmental Health; Occupational or Environmental Health; Civil Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Building Services Engineering; other recognised Engineering discipline relevant to University operations; or another closely related technical or professional discipline acceptable to the University. Where the applicant's primary degree is not specifically in Occupational Health and Safety or Workplace Health and Safety, the applicant must demonstrate a recognised postgraduate, professional, competency-based or equivalent qualification/certification in Occupational Health and Safety, together with substantial relevant OHS management experience. A qualification solely in Disaster Risk Management or Emergency Management without sufficient OHS qualification and professional experience would not, by itself, satisfy the full professional requirements of the position.
• Applicants must possess at least ten years of progressively responsible professional experience in Occupational Health and Safety, workplace risk, compliance and/or emergency management within a complex organisation with at least three years of experience in a managerial, senior supervisory or equivalent leadership capacity.          
• Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing or managing an organisation wide OHS Management System,   undertaking or overseeing OHS audits, workplace risk assessments, inspections and compliance programmes, investigating serious workplace incidents and implementing corrective actions, managing organisational OHS risk and advising senior management, developing policies, procedures, standards and management reports, in emergency preparedness, emergency response or disaster-management arrangements, managing contractor, construction, engineering, maintenance or other operational OHS risks, leading cultural or behavioural improvement in workplace health and safety with ability to influence managers and senior stakeholders in circumstances where the position may not have direct line authority.
• Applicants must demonstrate competence in workplace risk assessment, incident investigation, corrective-action management,   OHS auditing and assurance, emergency preparedness and response, contractor safety, policy development, OHS performance reporting, workplace inspections, stakeholder engagement, training and awareness, interpretation and application of OHS legislation and standards.