Safety Manager
Merriwa Industries | Make a real impact on safety culture
Are you an experienced Safety Leader who is passionate about building safe and supportive
workplaces?
Merriwa Industries is seeking a proactive Safety Manager to lead our organisation’s safety strategy, compliance and culture across multiple operational areas.
This is an opportunity to make a real difference in a values-driven not-for-profit organisation.
About Merriwa
Merriwa Industries is a well-respected not-for-profit organisation based in North East Victoria, providing employment and support services for people with disability while delivering a range of commercial services to the local community.
Our organisation is built on strong values of respect, inclusion, opportunity and safety, and we are committed to providing workplaces where every person feels valued and supported.
About the role
Reporting to the Senior Manager Compliance, the Safety Manager will provide strategic leadership in the development, implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement of Occupational Health and Safety systems and strategies, ensuring full compliance with Victorian Legislation and WorkSafe
Victoria guidelines.
Key responsibilities include:
* Provide critical safety support to the Senior Manager Compliance, ensuring effective workflows, clear delegation and timely delivery of targets across the safety team.
* Provide regular and adhoc reporting for stakeholders to demonstrate safety performance across the organisation.·
* Develop, implement and monitor the annual OHS Operational Plan.
* Strengthen the OHS management framework to ensure consistent application across divisions.
* Conduct and oversee incident investigations ensuring corrective and preventative actions are implemented and their effectiveness verified.
* Support leaders with risk assessments, safety planning and hazard management.
* Maintain emergency preparedness across Merriwa.
* Manage risk analysis processes and collaborate on practical solutions for improvements
in methods of work, traffic management, material handling, plant and equipment and ergonomic design.
* Deliver safety training and promoting a strong safety culture.
* Use data to drive decisions, leveraging Merriwa’s safety management system and digital reporting tools to monitor, lead and lag indicators, conduct audits/inspections, analyse trends, and report on performance.
* Manage contractor and supplier safety, including prequalification’s, inductions, permits to work, audits and assurance activities.
About You
We are looking for someone who can influence leaders, build capability and drive continuous improvement in safety.
You will bring:
* Qualifications in Occupational Health & Safety or related discipline.
* Comprehensive knowledge of relevant Victorian Health and Safety legislation.
* Experience in a safety management role, ideally within manufacturing or the disability/ not for
profit sector.
* RTW coordinator accreditations
* Proven ability to work in a collaborative team environment and demonstrated capacity to act
independently within established guidelines, exercising discretion and sound judgment.
* The ability to build a positive safety culture across diverse teams
Why Join Merriwa?
* Make a real impact in a community-focused organisation
* Work with a supportive and collaborative team
* Contribute to safer workplaces and employee wellbeing
* Competitive salary based on experience
Please note: The base location for this role can either be at our Wodonga or Wangaratta site. If base site will be Wodonga, there is an expectation of travel to Wangaratta 3 days per week. A pool car is available for this use.
Apply Now
If you are passionate about creating safer workplaces and supporting people to thrive at
work, we would love to hear from you!
Please submit your resume and cover letter outlining why you are the best candidate
for the role.
For further information, please contact HR at Merriwa Industries on 0419 656 426 or via
email: hr@merriwa.org.au
Applications close 12 April 2026 or sooner if we find the right fit!
The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) has been providing outstanding care for Victoria's children and their families for over 147 years.
We are the major specialist paediatric hospital in Victoria and our care extends to children from Tasmania, southern New South Wales and other states around Australia and overseas.
With a passionate, highly skilled and committed staff campus wide of over 5,000, we provide a full range of clinical services, tertiary care and health promotion and prevention programs for children and young people.
We are the designated state-wide major trauma centre for paediatrics in Victoria and a Nationally Funded Centre for cardiac and liver transplantation.
When it comes to training and research we partner with the very best. Our campus partners, the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) and The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, along with the RCH Foundation, are on site with the hospital in Parkville. Together, we are committed to improving the health outcomes for children today and in the future.
In 2016–17, more than 85,654 children attended our Emergency Department, 322,291 specialist clinic appointments were held which was almost 70,000 more than the previous year, more than 17,000 surgeries were performed and more than 48,552 children were admitted to our wards.
