Free Position Description (Work Health and Safety Manager) Template

Purpose of the Free Position Description (Work Health and Safety Manager) Template

Hiring a dedicated safety professional is a significant step for any organisation committed to protecting its people. This free Position Description (Work Health and Safety Manager) template provides a comprehensive framework to help you attract and appoint the right candidate.

A well-drafted Position Description (PD) is more than a recruitment tool; it clarifies expectations, defines reporting lines, and establishes the authority necessary for the role to be effective. It forms a critical component of your overall safety management system, ensuring there is a clear owner for driving safety initiatives and compliance activities.

Using a structured template ensures all key aspects of the role are considered, from strategic planning and system development to incident investigation and worker wellbeing. A clear PD helps integrate the WHS Manager’s functions with other business operations, fostering a holistic approach to safety.

It also supports performance management and professional development by setting clear benchmarks for success. Ultimately, this document helps articulate how the WHS Manager will champion and implement effective WHS management systems throughout the organisation.

How to use the Free Position Description (Work Health and Safety Manager) Template

This template is provided in both DOCX and PDF formats for your convenience. The DOCX version is fully editable, allowing for extensive customisation.

To use it effectively, download the document and methodically work through each section, adapting the content to align with your organisation's specific context, industry, and strategic goals. Pay close attention to sections covering key responsibilities, skills, qualifications, and key performance indicators (KPIs), as these will define the success of the role.

Remember, this template is a starting point. It is crucial that you customise it to reflect your organisation's specific risks, legal obligations, and culture.

We cannot be held liable for any incidents that may occur. You must ensure the final document is tailored to your unique operational environment and that it reflects the true scope and authority of the position.

A WHS Manager's effectiveness is directly tied to visible WHS leadership commitment, which this document should clearly support.

When to use this Position Description

A formal Position Description for a Work Health and Safety Manager is essential in several business scenarios. The most obvious is when you are creating a new WHS management role within your organisation to formalise your approach to safety.

It is also invaluable when recruiting a replacement for an existing WHS Manager, as it provides an opportunity to review and update the role’s scope to meet current business needs and regulatory changes.

Organisations undergoing significant growth or restructuring should also use this opportunity to define or redefine safety leadership roles. Furthermore, as part of a continuous improvement cycle, PDs should be reviewed periodically (e.g., annually or biennially) to ensure they remain current and relevant.

If your business is seeking to improve its safety performance but is unsure how to structure the leadership required, engaging with WHS consulting services can provide expert guidance in defining this critical role.

Who should use it

This template is designed for use by various stakeholders within an organisation who are involved in recruitment, management, and safety governance. Primarily, Human Resources (HR) managers and internal recruitment teams will use this document to lead the hiring process, from advertising the role to screening candidates.

It ensures they are searching for candidates with the right mix of technical skills and leadership attributes.

Senior leaders, directors, and business owners also benefit from using this template to clarify their expectations and ensure the role has the necessary authority to be effective. For any Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), defining this role is a practical step towards fulfilling the primary duty of care under WHS law.

Understanding these duties is fundamental, and our guide to Work Health and Safety Definitions can help clarify key legal terms. The process of defining the role should also involve a degree of employee input, aligning with the principles of effective WHS consultation services.