- Strategic & hands-on role for a collaborative safety leader
- Visible, key role in shaping & leading safety culture
- Flexible work options incl. hybrid work + paid ‘wellbeing day’ every quarter
Drive & support WHS excellence, strategic innovation & a high performance culture. Leading NFP housing provider addressing the housing crisis.
BHC is an independent, not-for-profit developer, owner and manager of affordable and community housing. We provide affordable housing to vulnerable members of the community and have a clear growth mindset – we like to push the envelope and are working to significantly grow the provision of affordable housing to meet the real community need. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join us on that journey, to undertake meaningful work, and contribute to making a big difference!
The opportunity presents for an experienced, emotionally intelligent and collaborative Work Health & Safety professional to take end-to-end responsibility for the organisation’s WHS function in a role that balances strategic input with practical, day-to-day delivery.
Positioned within the HR & WHS team and reporting to the HR Director, this standalone role supports approximately 90 Queensland-based staff and works closely with leaders and teams across the organisation. It offers visibility, autonomy and the opportunity to apply broad WHS experience in a way that is proportionate, pragmatic and aligned to BHC’s purpose and operating context. The role sits within an organisation that is growing and actively evolving its WHS practices, with a focus on embedding practical, people-centred approaches that support safe and sustainable work.
Primarily based in our modern offices at 333 Ann Street in central Brisbane (within easy walking distance of Central Station), the role includes some field-based activity across BHC properties within driving distance. As a contemporary organisation that values the employee experience, we offer flexibility including the option to work from home up to two days per week where practical.
More about the Role and Our Team
You’ll be joining a purpose-driven organisation where work health and safety is recognised as an important enabler of wellbeing and performance, and where leadership is committed to building practical, fit-for-purpose WHS arrangements to support organisational growth. BHC has established WHS policies and frameworks in place and is actively strengthening its systems and reporting capability – including being in the final stages of implementing Riskware – to ensure WHS practices remain proportionate, effective and scalable as the organisation continues to evolve.
This is a senior, standalone Work Health & Safety Manager role that combines strategic contribution with a hands-on operational focus. Partnering closely with the HR Director, senior leaders and teams across the organisation, you will take end-to-end ownership of operationalising and delivering BHC’s WHS approach in alignment with organisational priorities, legislative requirements and recognised best practice.
The role is predominantly office-based and involves regular engagement across the business, with some interface with field-based work and construction sites where BHC staff attend. Day-to-day, you’ll provide trusted, practical WHS advice, oversee systems and reporting, manage risks and incidents, and help ensure WHS controls are practical, embedded and effective in everyday work.
You will also lead workers’ compensation and return to work processes, which are typically low volume, and ensure that wellbeing supports such as the Employee Assistance Program are appropriately managed and reviewed to remain effective and responsive to organisational needs. These elements form part of the broader WHS remit, alongside a clear focus on prevention, safe work design and capability building.
You’ll have genuine scope to shape how safety is delivered at BHC – pragmatically and proportionately, ensuring WHS supports people to do their work safely and well without unnecessary complexity.
Our HR & WHS team has recently been recognised as a finalist in the upcoming Property Council of Australia’s 2026 People in Property Awards, reflecting the organisation’s broader commitment to people-centred practice and continuous improvement.
For a Position Description with more information, please download the attachment below.
Your skills
As an experienced WHS professional with sound technical grounding and judgement, you are comfortable operating in roles that require you to be responsive and adaptable, while also delivering planned, structured initiatives that support effective risk management, capability building and sustainable outcomes across the organisation.
You bring an educational and consultative approach to safety, underpinned by the confidence to step in, take ownership and lead when required. Your well developed emotional intelligence enables you to build trust quickly and influence effectively with leaders, managers and staff at all levels.
You are known for your tact, discretion and impartiality, and you understand when matters require sensitivity, confidentiality and balanced judgement.
Alongside your collaborative, professional and pragmatic approach, and your sound understanding of contemporary WHS practice, you are likely to bring the following to the role:
- Degree‑level qualification in work health and safety or a related discipline (e.g. occupational health and safety, health sciences), or equivalent postgraduate WHS qualifications supported by substantial relevant experience.
- Current Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator qualification, with demonstrated experience leading workers’ compensation and return‑to‑work processes.
- Detailed knowledge of WHS legislation, regulations and Codes of Practice applicable to Queensland, with the ability to anticipate and respond to legislative change and likely operational impacts.
- Sound understanding of psychosocial risk management, alongside physical WHS risk, with experience in environments where both are relevant.
- Highly developed communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence, educate and build capability across diverse audiences.
- Experience operating at a management or senior practitioner level in dynamic, fast‑paced environments, applying a practical, solutions‑focused mindset.
- Well-developed systems and digital capability, with confidence leading or contributing to the implementation and effective use of WHS systems and tools.
- Comfort operating across strategic and hands‑on operational responsibilities, including active engagement in detail where required.
Why join our team?
At BHC there is a clear focus on a good working culture (including work-life balance, flexible work options) with many staff having worked in the organisation long-term. As a mission-based organisation that provides housing for people on lower incomes, values-based people tend to be drawn to working with BHC.
There are plenty of professional development opportunities (formal and informal), and a well-established history of internal promotions and movement across teams. All staff have access to an individual professional development budget of $2,000 every two years. Longevity of tenure is for the same reason staff are attracted to the organisation – because they enjoy making a difference and are given autonomy and ownership.
Staff also have access to generous salary packaging benefits to increase take home pay including $15,900 of your salary tax-free every year, plus $2,650 tax-free that can be put towards holiday accommodation or meals/entertainment; and novated leasing options. Discounts at major retailers on groceries, fuel, technology and phone bills to fashion, restaurants and entertainment is also available through our Flare Benefits program to help you save every day with well-known brands.
Access to pro-rata long service leave is available after 7 years, that is portable within the community services sector.
Your wellbeing matters to us. You will receive access to a paid ‘wellbeing day’ off each quarter to relax, rebalance and focus on your health and wellbeing; an ex-gratia paid day over Christmas, flexible work arrangements, fortnightly massages and reflexology, social events during work hours, proactive mental health support including workshops, a holistic wellbeing program for staff and their families including nutritional and financial support, legal guidance and counselling, and a market-leading gender-neutral parental leave policy offering up to 14 weeks’ full pay in addition to government paid parental leave to support equality and inclusivity. At BHC we have a shared commitment to a work environment where everyone can belong. We are proud to have an employee led committee, BRIDGE (Belonging, Respect, Inclusion, Diversity, Growth and Equity) who actively support the priorities that are important to our staff.
The office environment is modern with a culture that reflects our core values of making a difference, working with integrity, supporting each other, working safely, our differences, being accountable and delivering quality, and celebrating achievements.
We invite you to visit BHC’s website to learn more about BHC.
How to apply
To submit your application, click “Apply Now”.
Please apply including your resume and cover letter (addressed to our Talent Partner, Jessica) detailing how you meet the position requirements (even if you meet most but not all, we still would love to hear from you).
Every application we receive is reviewed by our Talent Acquisition Team, never by AI.
We are a 2026 Circle Back Initiative Employer and commit to respond to every applicant.
A position description is attached.
