Head of Health and Safety

Head of Health & Safety / Senior Health & Safety Lead

Contract Type: Fixed-term (2 years) with potential for permanency

Role Overview

An experienced, strategic, and dynamic Health & Safety leader is sought to lead the continued development and implementation of best‑in‑class safety culture practices across a large, complex, and fast‑paced operational environment, including a multi‑stakeholder safety initiative.

This is a pivotal leadership role requiring a forward‑thinking professional who can inspire and guide a Health & Safety function while engaging a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping a culture of behavioural safety, ensuring regulatory compliance, and driving continuous improvement at every level of the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Champion social psychology of risk programmes and culture‑change initiatives that support long‑term organisational safety maturity.
• Provide expert health & safety advice, coaching, and training, ensuring effective knowledge transfer and capability building across teams.
• Lead the development, implementation, and continual improvement of the Safety Management System (SMS), progressing towards ISO 45001 accreditation while balancing legislative compliance with cultural development.
• Chair and drive a multi‑stakeholder safety working group, fostering collaboration, alignment, and shared ownership of safety outcomes.
• Promote the sharing of safety practices, lessons learned, and innovation across a diverse operational community.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams, operational partners, regulators, and third‑party stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable health & safety legislation, codes of practice, and recognised standards.
• Prepare for and manage audits, oversee incident investigations, and ensure robust corrective and preventative actions.
• Embed continuous improvement through data‑driven insights, performance monitoring, and proactive risk management.

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Engineering, Science, or a related discipline.
• Chartered or professional membership of a recognised body (e.g. IOSH, NEBOSH, or equivalent).
• Significant senior leadership experience in health & safety, ideally within industrial, logistics, transportation, infrastructure, or similarly complex environments.
• Proven experience developing and embedding Safety Management Systems, ideally achieving or working towards ISO 45001 certification.
• Demonstrated track record of leading safety culture transformation, including the application of social psychology of risk principles in large or complex organisations.
• Full, clean driving licence (valid in Ireland).

Key Competencies

• Leadership: Inspires and motivates teams; confident, credible decision‑maker.
• Communication & Influence: Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills; able to communicate complex safety concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long‑term safety strategies aligned with organisational objectives.
• Energy & Resilience: High levels of personal drive; thrives in dynamic, operational environments.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to build strong, collaborative relationships across internal and external stakeholders.
• Rewards: this role will offer a negotiable salary and there is an opportunity to become permanent.

To discuss in more detail please apply to Nicola