Head of Health Safety & Wellbeing

Occupational Health & Safety (Human Resources & Recruitment)

Full time

We are seeking an experienced Head of Health, Safety & Wellbeing to lead our commitment to “Synlait Safe”. This national role presents an exciting opportunity to join our senior leadership team and make a meaningful impact on keeping our people safe and well.

Your ability to connect our leaders and teams to a Synlait Safe vision and the ability to lead programmes of work in a complex manufacturing environment will be essential in driving change and enhancing business engagement.

In this multifaceted role, your key responsibilities include:

• Lead the development, delivery and continuous improvement of our “Synlait Safe” safety culture through proactive safety strategies.
• Lead a national team where you will guide and inspire a diverse team of health and safety professionals across multiple manufacturing sites, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Demonstrate deep technical knowledge of safety practices and build the capability of leaders to ensure their teams responsibly and safely deliver against their performance expectations.
• Develop and implement company-wide safety improvement initiatives to improve the overall safety and wellbeing of our people, supporting Synlait to be a great place to work.
• Create and execute innovative health, safety, and wellbeing strategies that align with our organisational goals and best practices.
• Champion a culture of wellbeing, integrating mental health initiatives and wellness programs that enhance employee engagement and productivity.
• Lead incident investigation teams to drive corrective actions and prevent future occurrences.
• Regularly report to senior leadership and the board on health and safety metrics, initiatives, and areas for enhancement.

Skills and Experience

You will be an engaging and collaborative senior leader with extensive experience in Health and Safety programmes. You will be technically sound with previous experience working in complex manufacturing and critical risk facilities. You will work alongside passionate professionals who are committed to excellence and innovation.

The ideal candidate will have the following skills and attributes:

• Ideally 10 years' experience in a senior health, safety, and wellbeing role, preferably within manufacturing or a related industry.
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations, risk management practices, and employee wellbeing frameworks.
• Proven track record of leading teams, with exceptional communication skills to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., NEBOSH, ISO 45001) and a degree in Occupational Health and Safety or a related field are highly desirable.

This role will be based at our Christchurch site in Dunsandel. While Synlait supports flexible working, we will not consider a remote working arrangement. Applicants outside of New Zealand will only be considered if you have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

About Us – The Synlait Way

Synlait is a dynamic, purpose-led milk nutrition company that is Doing Milk Differently for a Healthier World! We pride our organisation as being different and allowing our spirit to drive our success, shifting perceptions and driving value through new thinking and a new attitude.

You’ll be joining down-to-earth, authentic people working together to create the very best in milk nutrition as we combine expert farming with innovative thinking and state-of-the-art processing to produce a range of nutritional milk products for our global customers.

We will challenge you by providing the opportunities you’ve been seeking to expand your career; we believe that everyone brings unique experiences and perspectives to the table so are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and embrace diversity to drive innovation and business success.

What we offer:

• Health insurance cover + Partnered with top brands for great benefits and discounts.
• Excellent parental leave with our Matua policy + Flexible working options available.
• World Class manufacturing facilities and BCORP certified.
• Social Club membership opportunities.

What's next? Apply now!

Include your most recent CV and cover letter summarising your abilities and what you can bring to Synlait. We wish you the best of luck in your application. We encourage you to apply early as we will be reviewing applications regularly and may close the advertisement early.

Together we will continue to create a workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute their best.