School District No. 38 (Richmond)

M****anager, Human Resources - Health & Safety and Emergency Preparedness

The Manager, Human Resources – Health & Safety and Emergency Preparedness provides strategic expertise, leadership, and advisory services on a wide range of employee health, safety, and human resources matters within the school district. This role is responsible for fostering a culture of safety and preparedness by developing, implementing, and maintaining comprehensive occupational health and safety programs, as well as emergency preparedness initiatives.

The Manager leverages strong health and safety knowledge and leadership skills to build effective working relationships with support staff, unions, managers, and administrators, ensuring compliance with legislative requirements and alignment with district priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Health & Safety Leadership

• Develop, implement, and maintain Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) programs, policies, and safety management systems with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with departmental leaders to promote and maintain a safe and healthy working and learning environment for all staff, students, and visitors.
• Provide expert advice, guidance, and support on health and safety matters, including incident prevention, risk assessment, risk mitigation, and compliance.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements, health standards, corporate policies, and collective agreements.
• Manage and lead the District Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee (JOHSC).
• Communicate and provide advice to partner groups regarding health and safety.
• Develop, monitor, evaluate, and report on safety performance metrics and recommend improvements.
• Stay current with evolving legislation, best practices, and emerging trends in occupational health, safety, and emergency management and update internal policies and procedures accordingly
• Ensure the protection of privacy and confidentiality of employee information.

Emergency Preparedness

• Develop, implement, and maintain district-wide emergency preparedness and response plans.
• Coordinate emergency drills, training, and simulations across schools and departments.
• Work closely with local emergency services and external agencies to ensure effective coordination and response readiness.
• Provide leadership during critical incidents and support post-incident reviews and improvements.

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

• Serve as the District's primary liaison with WorkSafe BC and other relevant regulatory agencies.
• Lead and support workplace violence risk assessments (WVRA), including the identification, mitigation, and monitoring of risks related to violent or aggressive behaviour in educational and operational settings.
• Develop and implement proactive responses based on WVRA information in line with legislative requirements, district procedures, and best practices.
• Oversee and advise on investigations of workplace injuries, accidents, and near misses in accordance with WorkSafe legislation.
• Oversee and advise on inspections and ensure recommendations for prevention are implemented and corrective actions are completed.
• Maintain accurate documentation and reporting in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Training and Program Development

• Develop, coordinate, and facilitate health and safety training, tracking, and reporting.
• Ensure new employees and volunteers receive role- and program-specific orientation and training.
• Promote awareness and understanding of health and safety responsibilities among all staff levels.
• Support supervisors and managers in implementing safety programs and addressing workplace concerns.

Labour Relations & Partner Group Engagement

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with unions, support staff, managers, and administrators.
• Oversight of all site specific joint health and safety committees and support collective agreement obligations related to safety.
• Participate and collaborate in team functions on a variety of projects and initiatives.
• Communicate effectively with partner groups on health, safety, and emergency preparedness matters.

Human Resources Integration

• Oversee WorkSafe claims and disability management programs.
• Provide guidance on employee-related matters where health, safety, and HR intersect (e.g., workplace accommodations, return-to-work programs).
• Evaluate and provide adequate resources for ergonomic needs under “Duty to Accommodate” requirements.
• Support disability management and workplace injury processes in collaboration with HR teams.
• Coach, develop, and support employees and volunteers to achieve excellence in service delivery.

Other

• Perform other related duties as required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or diploma in Occupational Health & Safety, Human Resources, or a related field.
• . CRSP or equivalent professional designation preferred; candidates actively working toward certification may be considered.
• Minimum 5–7 years of progressive experience in health and safety, preferably in a public sector or educational environment.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience in emergency preparedness planning and response.
• Strong knowledge of applicable health and safety legislation and regulations.

Skills & Competencies

• Proven leadership and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and conflict resolution abilities.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.
• High level of organization and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.

Reporting Relationships

Reports To: Executive Director, Human Resources

Directly Supervises: HR Coordinator Disability and Leave Management

HR Administrative Assistant