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.

As our HSE Advisor, you’ll support the delivery and development of high-quality, legally compliant and customer-focused health, safety and environment services. Your work will directly impact the wellbeing of our colleagues and contribute to AQA’s mission of advancing education for learners of all abilities.

This role offers you:

• The opportunity to influence impactful HSE practices across AQA’s estate

• Professional development and training in a supportive environment, we can assist with your IOSH subscription fees to support 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 fantastic pension (up to 11.5% employer contributions), a 35 hour working week, 25 days annual leave with additional office closure in December and bank holidays on top, the opportunity to join lots of network groups (LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, disAbility, empowering women, wellbeing, ethnic minority and more) an extensive online learning platform, days for volunteering and more.

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone—regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background—is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

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 already, we need you to be able to 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 being a virtual interview, the second will be in the Manchester office (so that you will be able to see where you will be working) towards the end of November.

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Full Job Description

Summary

Purpose: Our 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 times, at all AQA sites.Landscape: The HSE Advisor is part of the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) team who lead the Group HSE compliance activities. This role will be responsible for supporting the HSE function in gathering and maintaining its data and providing organisational and planning support to help it deliver its workstreams. 
 
Working directly with the national, site based HSE team but with daily interactions with wider Workplace and Operational colleagues. The role directly reports to the Group HSE & Business Continuity Manager but will work closely with the Head of Workplace Experience and Sustainability. The role forms part of a well-respected wider Workplace team which boasts one of the highest departments score within AQA in our latest engagement survey.  
 
Key stakeholder relationships with the Operational Leaders, People Services, and other Senior Managers, whilst ensuring delivery of customer satisfaction for our colleagues who use the office spaces. 
 
Activities: 
To play a key, pivotal role in implementing the HSE management system, working practices and SLA’s to ensure we can deliver an exceptional experience to all users of the AQA Group estate and smart (hybrid) workers. 

Providing a customer centric experience, whilst representing AQA in a positive, professional manner. 

Provide a comprehensive Health, Safety and Environment advisory service to AQA 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, reducing the potential of risk to the organisation to minimise any financial impact. 

Implements and promotes the effective operation of the Group’s Health, Safety and Environment policies and procedures, including the monitoring and measuring of systems where appropriate. 

Pro-actively carry out the internal HSE auditing programme with efficiency and effectiveness to ensure legal and best practice compliance. 

Undertake specialist risk assessments, investigations and auditing to defined procedures and protocols to ensure legal and best practice compliance. 

To investigate accident reports and near miss incidents to minimise reoccurrence, and where required, conduct root cause analysis. 

Gather and collate HSE performance data to prepare and produce required reports, including annual compliance and statutory reports. 

Undertake monitoring of action plans arising from internal and external audits and providing reports to the Group HSE & Business Continuity Manager. 

Provide liaison and HSE supportive services to AQA Group subsidiaries to ensure a standardised approach across AQA. 

Develop and deliver high quality and impact training courses and initiatives (where necessary). 

Apply specialist knowledge of high-risk activities undertaken by employees and advise on appropriateness of health and safety arrangements to ensure alignment with risk management. 

Support the Group HSE & Business Continuity Manager in the development of a business response and necessary plans of action to new and amended health and safety legislation. 

Assist with the management the departmental mailbox and departmental shared drives. 

Attend internal/external meetings and health and safety committees when required. 

Support the sustainability function and wider Workplace Team with key activities and project work as required. 

 
To be successful in this role, you will need: 
Proven experience in a Senior HSE role. 

Work independently and as part of a team and be able to travel to each AQA office. 

Extensive knowledge of Health, Safety and Environment management systems and the necessary recording, auditing and measuring systems to ensure compliance. 

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 in multiple formats. 

Excellent programme and time management skills with the ability to thrive in pressurised situations across multiple workstreams. 

Have a “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 such as 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.