Health and Safety Officer (Immediate Start)

GEMS Cambridge International School, Abu Dhabi is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Health & Safety Officer to join our team and play a key role in fostering a safe, secure, and compliant workplace environment. In this position, you will be responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring health and safety policies, conducting risk assessments, and ensuring adherence to legal and organizational standards. The ideal candidate will be passionate about promoting a positive safety culture, reducing workplace risks, and supporting the wellbeing of all employees.

Key Responsibilities:

•    To ensure the security and efficient operation of the School site, buildings and grounds at all times, in accordance with current Health & Safety guidance.
•    To ensure all repairs and maintenance at the School, including the inspection of required repairs and, where necessary, the appointment of external service providers in line with the Corporate Estates team.
•    Monitor the performance of external contracts to ensure high standards of service and value for money are maintained throughout the School at all times.
•    To devise, plan and deliver the business strategy for the School, including the development of policies, systems, processes and safeguarding.
•    To ensure the School complies with current Health & Safety legislation and/or guidelines as issued by GEMS Corporate Office advising the School Leadership team accordingly.
•    Ensure compliance to local Government health and safety regulations, particularly issues specific to the school and how they relate to students, staff, visitors, contractors and other users of school premises and facilities.
•    Ensure effective health and safety risk management within the school, as well as closely monitoring compliance of third-party service contractors.  
•    Be aware of the importance of a disaster recovery plan and its place within the management procedures of the school.
•    Implementing risk assessment and loss-prevention strategies.
•    Manage all aspects of school business management in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner.
•    Formulate, monitor and implement the school’s safety policy to comply with the requirements of Health and Safety guidelines, and other local legislation.
•    Act as the school’s health and safety coordinator and GEMS Incident Commander.
•    Oversee the management the security of the school site.
•    To ensure the site, buildings and grounds meet health and safety requirements in line with current legislation at all times and reporting any trends or weaknesses to the Principal/Corporate Safety team.
•    To ensure all records are kept in line with legislation of the servicing of fire fighting equipment, legionella, emergency lighting and servicing of fixed safety systems and identifying faulty items
•    To ensure fire warning systems are maintained in line with current legislation and that regular fire evacuation procedures are undertaken with all users of the School site 
•    Ensure relevant training is provided to all staff and training records kept
•    Implement and develop first aid provision across the academy ensuring cover is available at all operational times and that users receive a fast, quality treatment
•    To promote and monitor a safe working environment to the school and provide regular reports to the Principal identifying weaknesses or improvements to provision.

Required Qualifications, Experience & Skills:

•    Bachelor’s degree with NEBOSH certification.
•    Valid First Aid and Firefighting certificate (preferred).
•    Incident investigation and reporting skills.
•    Knowledge of the ADPHC reporting system.
•    At least 5 years’ experience in a similar role within a service oriented industry.
•    Attention to detail with diligent follow up, and able to execute in a timely manner. Skilled in multi-tasking and handling pressure.
•    Organizational ability, of self and others.
•    Forethought and forward planning (particularly as this relates to local Government compliance matters).

GEMS Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all of its students and staff. A UK-enhanced DBS or equivalent police check is a pre-requisite for all appointments.