Our growing team is on a mission to change thousands of lives through volunteering in Africa, and we’re looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Health & Safety Officer to lead on the on-going review of company-wide health and safety policies and practices.
About Us
African Adventures organises life-changing trips for groups of schools, colleges and charities to volunteer at the 25 schools we work with in developing areas of Ghana, Kenya and Zanzibar.
We’re a unique organisation that’s both tour operator and development agency. We provide a comprehensive travel service to our volunteer groups, organising everything from their flights and accommodation to their pre-departure support and fundraising ideas, whilst working closely with our partner schools in Africa to ensure we improve school facilities and educational opportunities for their students.
It’s an extremely exciting time to join our expanding team as we continue to grow our company.
About You
This is an exciting opportunity to take on an interesting and challenging role at a unique company. It would suit a friendly, hard-working, and highly organised person, driven by an interest in health & safety on both UK and international levels. The role offers the opportunity for the successful candidate to gain experience in a variety of areas in a growing company.
Due to the requirements of this role, you must have had previous experience working within health and safety. Whilst a H&S qualification is not essential, it would be advantageous.
Responsibilities Overview
- Maintain and manage H&S policies, safety training and document control systems inline with statutory requirements for health, safety and welfare at work
- Create and maintain company standard operating procedures to help ensure continuous safety
- Communicate H&S policy updates and responsibilities with our team ensuring compliance to policies and completion of mandatory compliance training
- Conduct safety inspections, fire drills, fire alarm and emergency lighting tests, maintaining records demonstrating these
- Support the Business Operations Manager to ensure compliance with our relevant accreditor standards
- Conduct regular reviews of risk assessments on UK and African programme operations
- Work with the African programmes teams to manage the timely renewal of transportation, accommodation and adventurous activity audits as required
- Review staff H&S training programmes to identify any areas of improvement and l lead on the tracking of completion of these programmes across the company
- Conduct on-going reviews on Company practices to ensure they are inline with our Environmental and Sustainability policy
- Ensure all accidents and incidents are documented, investigated and learnt from, helping to identify on-going areas of improvement across our operations.
What We’re Looking For:
Essential:
- Minimum three years’ experience in a similar role
- Working knowledge of relevant H&S legal requirements and environmental legislation
- Experience of completing risk assessments
- Highly organised
- Friendly, team-orientated attitude
- Highly motivated and a team player
- Strong written and communication skills
- Positive, proactive attitude to problem solving
- Excellent IT skills
- Strong administrative skills
Desirable:
- Qualification in H&S
- Experience of reviewing international H&S practices
- Experience of auditing and monitoring compliance
- Experience of incident reporting and lessons learned analysis
Additional benefits
- 25 days’ holiday (plus bank holidays) increasing to 30 days after five years’ service
- Enhanced pension contributions
- Enrolment onto annual company bonus scheme
- Benenden cash plan
- Benenden private healthcare
Job Types: 25 hours per week, Permanent
Additional pay:
- Performance based bonus scheme
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Work from home
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Flexitime
- No weekends
Application question(s):
- Will you be able to reliably commute to Whiteley?
- Do you have the right to work in the UK?
Job Type: 25 hours per week
Pay: £20,423 (actual)/ £30,634.50 (FTE)
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Free on-site parking
Think You’ll Be a Good Fit?
Please send your CV and a covering letter, clearing stating which position you are applying for, and outlining why you are suitable for the role, to Michelle Simmonds (recruitment@africanadventures.co.uk) by 29th October 2025.
Interviews will take place week commencing 3rd November 2025.
Please note that if the number of applications for the position is high, then we may decide to close the position early, so please apply as soon as possible.