IOSH
Job Description
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Job details
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Head of Information and Intelligence
Policy
Executive Director - Policy
Information, Intelligence, Charitable Investments
Leicester
Head
£49,000 - £54,000
TBC
September 2015
Job purpose
The Head of Information and Intelligence is responsible for the management of IOSH’s technical
information, intelligence and charitable investments in order to deliver its Strategic and
Charitable Objectives. The job-holder manages the delivery of the following Policy Division’s
Strategic Objectives to:
 Lead and influence the agenda advancing OSH strategies, standards and professional
practices globally
 Enhance the portfolio of charitable investments delivering sustainable impact
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Key result areas
Information and Intelligence
1. To manage the integration, dissemination and interpretation of IOSH technical information
and intelligence.
2. Oversee the provision of expert knowledge, information and intelligence to IOSH and all its
stakeholders
3. To disseminate quality knowledge and information to the members in a variety of considered
formats increasing the impact of IOSH and the profession to drive the IOSH vision.
4. Enhance IOSH’s understanding of the profession and how the department can support IOSH
functionality, sharing data and intelligence with all IOSH Divisions
5. Showcase IOSH as the leader in OSH information and intelligence; through specific case
study examples of good OSH in business.
6. To ensure high quality, accurate and timely provision of technical support to the business,
members and external stakeholders.
7. Support the Head of Knowledge Management in ensuring knowledge is recognised and
treated as a key strategic asset in its own right across the organisation
8. To oversee the management of the external provider of the technical information service for
members and non-members.
Charitable Investments - Research, development and other activities
1. To oversee the development of IOSHs Research and Development portfolio ensuring it meets
the charitable objects, reflects the strategic direction (including international context) and is
measured and evidenced by impact.
2. To manage our charitable investments, allowing us to deliver sustainable impact within
inclusive business principles
3. To determine, create and own IOSH’s future leaders’ strategy of OSH.
Head of Information and Intelligence, Information and Intelligence Department, Policy Division - September 2015
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4. To oversee the effective and efficient administration of the IOSH research and development
fund, including the monitoring and support of IOSH-funded research and development
projects and supporting the activities of the Research Committee.
5. To ensure members receive adequate support and guidance in developing appropriate
applications for potential development funding.
6. To ensure the dissemination of IOSH research findings, both internally and externally,
working with the appropriate IOSH teams.
7. To oversee and support the research and research-related activities within the Policy
Division, including design of studies and questionnaires, analysis and reporting of data and
overall data management.
8. To oversee and support development fund projects and related activities.
Publications services
1. To manage the publications development process and ensure the maintenance of a rolling
plan for revisions of IOSH guidance.
2. To ensure that appropriate technical input is delivered in a timely and efficient manner in
respect of articles, publications, papers, briefings, speeches and presentations.
3. To provide responses/comments on consultative/discussion documents and HSE Board
papers, within area of competence.
4. To ensure the submission of timely and adequate IOSH responses to other consultative
documents and communication to relevant audiences working with colleagues in the
Marketing and Communications teams.
5. To ensure the maintenance and development of IOSH’s information resources, including
updating templates and provision of technical topic material.
External representation
1. To carry out, as directed by the CEO/Executive Director - Policy, membership of nominated
external committees such as meetings of key stakeholders, business leaders and other
professional organisations.
2. To represent IOSH in support of its technical affairs, policy, campaigns, and media activities,
as required.
3. To support IOSH’s presence globally as the leading body of OSH, by the delivery of keynote
speeches, lectures and written materials internationally.
Occupational safety and health support
1. To provide advice and technical guidance, as required, on the scope and content of IOSH
commercial and professional courses and to assist, as required, with the design/review,
delivery and piloting of appropriate training courses.
2. To carry out working party and conference activities, as may be required.
3. To provide advice and assistance to IOSH departments, as required.
General management
1. To ensure the effective line management of the Head of Information and Intelligence team,
providing positive support, advice and encouragement in their development
2. To ensure the health, safety and welfare of the Information and Intelligence team.
3. To propose, and be responsible for, operating budgets in the region of £500,000 to
£650,000, including overseeing long term research programmes.
4. To carry out any other reasonable duties within the remit of the role.
Head of Information and Intelligence, Information and Intelligence Department, Policy Division - September 2015
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Qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills and training
Qualifications
 Post-graduate qualification in relevant discipline, for example health and safety, science or
other cognate subject - essential
 Chartered Member of IOSH - desirable
Experience
 Significant experience as a practicing safety and health practitioner or senior level OSH
professional - essential
 Experience of managing and developing a team to deliver business objectives - essential
 Research and technical authorship experience - desirable
 Experience of producing budgets and budgetary management - essential
 Experience of managing charitable projects - desirable
 Research management and administration - desirable
 Representation and training experience - desirable
Knowledge
 Up-to-date knowledge and understanding of all aspects of health, safety and risk
management - essential
 A comprehensive knowledge of current health and safety legislation, management and
standards and upcoming developments in these areas - essential
 A good working knowledge of research design and methodology - desirable
 A good working knowledge of environmental and risk issues - desirable
Skills (all essential)
 Ability to interpret and provide advice on health, safety and risk issues
 Excellent presentation, communication and interpersonal skills
 Excellent project management skills
 Ability to effectively represent IOSH at the highest levels and across a range of external
organisations
 Ability to produce and effectively deliver technical papers and presentations to a wide range
of audiences
 Excellent research skills with a scientific, evidence-based approach and an aptitude for
dealing with statistical data
 Ability to read, assimilate and assess large amounts of technical information
 Ability to obtain authoritative subject information from a wide variety of sources, ensuring
information is accurate and up to date, to evaluate it and present reasoned conclusions, as
required
 Ability to produce, proof read, technically check and edit, high-quality reports, minutes of
meetings, technical documents and summaries
 IT literate with experience of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and
PowerPoint
Competencies (all essential)
The job-holder will be expected to demonstrate all IOSH’s STAR competencies relevant to the
senior management level of the role.
Being a Leader
 An inspirational leader and team player, particularly during times of change, engendering trust
and confidence to minimise instability and deliver success
 Demonstrates respect for others, behaves with integrity and engenders trust in colleagues
and stakeholders
 Makes consistent, accountable and informed decisions, that ensure the longer term
sustainable success and development of the organization
Head of Information and Intelligence, Information and Intelligence Department, Policy Division - September 2015
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Looking Ahead
 Demonstrates a broad strategic view of the issues affecting IOSH stakeholders, the
organisations role and the long-term impact of decisions
 Is forward-thinking and insightful, ambitious for transformation and entrepreneurial in
approach
 Provides strategic and entrepreneurial insight and drive as well as engaging across all
operational aspects of the business
 Excels in prioritising and scheduling events, activities and resources. Establishes measures
and procedures for monitoring progress against plans and objectives.
 Financially astute with previous experience of setting, managing and monitoring multiple and
complex budgets
 Creates a culture which encourages the development of new ideas and encourages feedback
Developing Relationships
 Experienced in building alliances and maintaining effective relationships. This should include
high level contact, partnership and alliance building
 Ensuring stakeholders’ needs drive strategy as long as they meet IOSH’s goals of profitability,
influence or global reach
 Listens to operational feedback to trigger strategic improvements
Achieving Excellence
 Sets clear corporate priorities, monitors and delivers against stretching strategic goals
 Considers the financial implications of decisions and assesses the likely return on investment,
ensuring outcomes warrant the effort required
Working Together
 Demonstrable interest in other’s opinions and be sympathetic and tolerant of differing needs
and viewpoints
 Able to provide clear direction to staff and volunteers within the group and proven ability to
motivate and empower people at all levels in a large organisation.
 Proactively demonstrating effective cohesion, team working and where applicable lone
working to achieve the overall strategic vision
Getting the Message Across
 Proven ability to produce written communication that is fluent, clear, concise and tailored to
intended recipients
 Able to speak clearly, fluently and in a compelling manner to both individuals and groups
 Able to communicate effectively both within and outside IOSH in order to build and maintain
relationships and networks of contacts.
Training
The post holder should be willing to undertake any relevant training/qualifications necessary to
fulfil the role.
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Job context
The job holder will lead the Information and Intelligence department responsible for managing
the technical health and safety expertise within the organisation, technical publications and
support and the charitable investment programme including research and charitable
developments. The department supports the whole organisation (all Divisions), members and
the general public with the provision of technical information, advice and guidance.
The areas of responsibility within the role are impacted by changes in health and safety
legislation and standards, the information needs of the profession and the public and the
funding environment for research in Higher Education.
Head of Information and Intelligence, Information and Intelligence Department, Policy Division - September 2015
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The role is partly responsible for delivering a number of strategic objectives including:
IOSH’s Strategic Objectives:
 International Impact
 Influential Leadership
 Health and wellbeing
Divisional Objectives:
1. Lead and influence the agenda advancing OSH strategies, standards and professional
practices globally
2. Strengthen IOSH as a collaborative global leader in making the business case for OSH and
promoting OSH beyond legal minimums
3. Optimise organisational knowledge to leverage expertise, facilitate knowledge sharing and
drive innovation
4. Enhance the portfolio of charitable investments delivering sustainable impact
The job-holder will need to be prepared to travel in the UK and occasionally abroad, including
overnight stays. Flexibility and a willingness to occasionally work outside of normal working
hours will be required.
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Job dimensions
The role is a member of IOSH’s management team.
The role has direct line management responsibility for five employees and overall responsibility
for an additional four employees and has a total budget in the region of £500000 to £650,000.
Additionally, the role has responsibility for the effective and efficient management and
administration of the Research and Development (R&D) fund projects commissioned by the
Research Committee and the Board of Trustees, respectively. The fund value is in the region of
£4,000,000, including commitments to existing projects and the annual R&D spend in the region
of £600,000
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Complexity and creativity
The job-holder will be required to maintain sufficient breadth of knowledge of the
functions/activities within the remit of responsibility to ensure they are efficiently and effectively
managed.
The job-holder will be required to provide timely technical input to a wide range of IOSH outputs
- press releases, editorial, training material, presentations, promotional campaigns - ensuring it
is accurate and in line with IOSH policies and positions. Sometimes requests for such input will
have short timescales.
The job-holder will need to maintain good practice research management and administration
processes. Additionally, they will need to ensure that the scope of calls for research proposals
aligns with IOSH strategic aims taking account of the wider context of OSH research.
The job-holder will need to harness new and innovative ideas in delivering the objectives
particularly in relation to the charitable investments portfolio.
The job-holder will need to represent IOSH’s policies and positions to a range of stakeholders.
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Decision making
The job-holder will need to decide how to deliver team/department objectives within budget,
cascading to team members, as appropriate. The job-holder will be responsible for day to day
Head of Information and Intelligence, Information and Intelligence Department, Policy Division - September 2015
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operational decisions for the research and information services function, including allocating and
prioritising work.
The job-holder will have to decide on how to maintain and develop information services, taking
account of developments in health and safety legislation and standards and information needs of
members (content and channels).
The job-holder will have to decide how to deliver efficient and effective processes and
procedures for research management, referring to the Research Committee, where approval is
required.
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Key internal and external contacts
Internal contacts
The job-holder will have regular contact with all parts of the business, particularly Head of
Knowledge Management, head of External Affairs, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Executive
Director Commercial and Executive Director Membership.
The job-holder will have contact with the Research Committee through line management of the
committee administrator. They will also be required to liaise with relevant Member Advisory
Panels (MAPs) in relation to the document development process.
External contacts
The job-holder will also have contact with a range of external agencies, including but not limited
to:
 OSH stakeholders
 Researchers and academics
 Suppliers (enquiry line, web sites, information providers)
 Professional bodies and interest groups.
 Schools and colleges
 Other charities
Head of Information and Intelligence, Information and Intelligence Department, Policy Division - September 2015
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