Work Health & Safety (WHS) Coordinator

Work Health & Safety (WHS) Coordinator

About Cowra & Council

Cowra is located within beautiful Central NSW on the banks of the Lachlan River. It is approximately one hour from the regional hubs of Bathurst and Orange, two hours from Canberra and four hours from Sydney. The town is situated at the intersection of three state highways; the Mid-Western Highway, the Olympic Highway and the Lachlan Valley Way, making it a central hub for travel, freight and logistics.

Covering 2810 square kilometres, the shire includes a number of small villages which feed into the Cowra township and contribute to the shires’ agricultural and cultural growth. These villages include Billimari, Darbys Falls, Gooloogong, Morongla, Noonbinna, Wattamondara, Woodstock and Wyangala. Cowra is a town with deep historical ties to Japan and is regarded as a centre for peace. Its public identity became a part of World War II history with the Cowra Breakout of 1944. This tragic event in the town’s history led Cowra to focus on promoting the values of friendship and reconciliation, something which the town still projects today.

Not only is Cowra a historical town, it is a town with a love for food and wine. It is surrounded by vineyards and grazing rich farmlands with quality restaurants and cafes, and also includes endless water and camping opportunities with Wyangala Dam only a short drive away. Cowra is a growing community with a number of primary and high school education options, health centres, sporting clubs, community groups and limitless weekend activities. It is the perfect place to raise a family, study, work or retire.

Cowra Council employs over 200 full time equivalent staff, our vision is to be a leading, innovative and creative community, proud of our place in history and offering opportunity with the best of country living. The region enjoys a range of economic, social, educational and health services with a welcoming community that embraces new members from all backgrounds. We strive to provide, maintain and extend Council services to improve the quality of life for residents throughout the Shire. We aim to actively lead, facilitate and foster sustainable development and wealth generating opportunities through agricultural, industrial, commercial and tourism growth.

About the Opportunity 

Council is seeking a Work Health & Safety (WHS) professional who will play an integral role in advancing Council Work Health & Safety objectives.  

Reporting directly to the Manager - Human Resources, the focus of this position is to provide both operational and strategic management of WHS at Council to ensure our community, staff, stakeholders (including volunteers and contractors), and our operations are safe, efficient and embedded.

While leading the co-ordination of all WHS activities, a portion of this role will be on site with our crews and contractors conducting audits, improvement coaching and risk management. The role will also assist the Human Resources team in the coordination of Worker's Compensation claims including return to work, as well as the coordination of WHS compliance training and inductions. 

The successful candidate will have extensive knowledge of relevant WHS legislation and standards, ensuring Council remains informed of changes in legislation and best practice and implementing these in accordance with policy.  

Essential

• Tertiary qualifications in WHS / Safety Management or a related discipline (i.e. Cert IV WHS);
• Cert IV Training and Assessment (or ability to undertake);
• 3 years experience in a WHS role:
• Experience in safety audits and improvement practice (on worksites);
• Comprehensive knowledge of the Workplace Health and Safety Act, Regulations and Codes of Practice;
• Demonstrated experience in implementing health and safety management systems, and providing advice to managers and staff with regard to best practice WHS matters;
• WHS Online system design, development and management;
• Demonstrated high level written, oral communication and computer skills, specifically in policy development and training.
• Experience dealing with government regulatory bodies (e.g. SafeWork; Insurers);
• Demonstrated project management skills including the capacity to work to deadlines and set priorities, along with experience in change management principles and implementation of WHS change initiatives;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment, contributing positively to build strong partnerships with varied stakeholders;
• WHS Construction Induction (White) card;
• Current First Aid Certificate;
• Current Class C Driver Licence.

The Benefits

The appointment will be in accordance with the Local Government (State) Award and Cowra Shire Council's policies and conditions of employment. 

The role has been evaluated as being Grade 42 of Council's salary structure and offers a competitive salary circa $91,743 to $103,258 (depending on skills and experience) plus superannuation.

If you're ready to make a meaningful impact and join our team that values safety, innovation, and community, we'd love for you to apply!

Benefits of working at Council include:

• Fortnightly Rostered Day Off (RDO)
• Four weeks of Annual Leave per year
• Access to Long Service Leave after five years
• Three weeks sick leave per year
• Wellness Programs and Health and Wellbeing initiatives including two (2) Health and Wellbeing days per year.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance (2/3 the cost of removal expenses for successful candidate, subject to conditions) 

In addition, we value work-life balance and offer opportunities for training and professional development. 

Position Description

Please click on the link for a full copy of the Position Description.

For further enquiries please contact Manager - Human Resources, Leanne Hughes 02 6340 2101. 

How to Apply

Before you apply for this position, please read the position description carefully to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position. You will be required to answer questions relating to the selection criteria on the online application below, your answers will be accessed and rated, so please ensure you take time in providing your answers and give examples of demonstrated experience when requested.

You will also be asked to attach your current resume which should include two employment related referees. Please note that you cannot submit your application without attaching your resume. A cover letter is not mandatory, but may be added if so desired.

Candidates must have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for this position.

If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise at time of application. 

Applications Close: 5.00pm Sunday 28 April 2024