Kardex VCA Pty Ltd is seeking a motivated self-starter to join our Australia and New Zealand Team in the role of WHSE Officer (Work, Health, Safety and Environment), which will be based in Sydney or Melbourne. This is a Full Time Position, which reports to the Director of Operations, Australia.
Your tasks
The WHSE Officer provides leadership and operational oversight for health, safety, and environmental performance across all sites. The role ensures compliance with legislation, company standards, and international best practices, while driving a strong WHSE culture at all levels of the organisation.
This role goes beyond site-level HSE management & delegation by taking accountability for governance, risk management, training, and continuous improvement. The WHSE Officer is a trusted advisor to senior management, a coach to local teams, and a champion for the well-being of employees, contractors, and stakeholders
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
WHSE operations and on-site involvement in ANZ
- Develop, implement, and monitor the WHSE strategy and align it with global corporate objectives and local legal requirements.
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Provide guidance to ANZ and APAC senior management on WHSE risks, opportunities, and improvement initiatives.
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Actively support contractor management adhering to standards, WHS audits collaborating with customers to find workable solutions, and safe design principles.
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Ensure effective governance by establishing policies, standards, and procedures applicable across the region.
Risk Management & Compliance
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Emergency & Crisis Management: Take the lead in regional crisis response, business continuity, and disaster preparedness
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Oversee regional risk assessments, audits, and inspections, ensuring that hazards are identified and mitigated.
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Ensure compliance with occupational health & safety, environmental regulations, and sustainability requirements.
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Lead or support incident investigations to ensure root causes are addressed and preventive measures implemented.
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Monitor, analyse, and report on leading and lagging WHSE KPIs (e.g., TRIFR, LTIFR, near misses, audit compliance, training completion) and aim to meet industry standard benchmarks.
Training & Culture Development
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Develop and implement WHSE training programs tailored to operational and legal needs.
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Build capability and awareness across the workforce, from frontline employees to leadership teams.
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Foster a culture of safety ownership and environmental responsibility, driving continuous improvement in behaviours and practices.
Environmental Stewardship
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Lead initiatives to reduce environmental footprint, including waste, emissions, and resource use.
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Ensure compliance with environmental permits, reporting, and sustainability targets.
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Support implementation of company-wide sustainability programs at the regional level.
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Systems & Tools (Quentic Power User)
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Act as the APAC regional safety system owner, ensuring effective use for incident reporting, audits, risk management, and compliance tracking.
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Provide training, technical support, and data insights to site-level WHSE representatives.
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Use system data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
People & Stakeholder Engagement
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Collaborate with HR, Operations, and external authorities to align strategies and ensure compliance.
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Pro-actively lead workplace wellbeing initiatives aligned with local governmental awareness programs.
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Represent the region in global WHSE forums, sharing best practices and contributing to company-wide standards.
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Attend and represent Kardex at safety briefings, conferences, industry breakfasts, lunch & learns, safety forums and exhibitions related to WHSE matters.
REQUIREMENTS
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Professional WHSE certifications (e.g. Cert IV in WHS, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, OSHA, or equivalent).
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Minimum 5–7 years’ experience in WHSE.
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Strong knowledge of ANZ WHSE laws, acts and global standards.
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Experience in using Quentic or similar WHSE management systems.
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Languages: English, other languages an asset.
Other competencies required to perform this role:
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Hands-on approach and operational experience in managing multiple sites.
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Ability to guide diverse teams across multiple sites.
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Industry-specific experience: Experience/knowledge in automation, warehousing, or intralogistics.an advantage
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Analytical Skills: Ability to interpret complex WHSE data and provide actionable insights.
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Communication: Strong ability to engage stakeholders at all levels, including executives, regulators, and frontline workers.
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Problem-Solving: Proactive in identifying risks and implementing sustainable solutions.
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Change Management: Skilled in embedding new processes, systems, and cultural improvements.
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