Global HSE Director

Global HSE Director Salary £110,000–£120,000 | Hybrid working (Croydon) We’re supporting a global manufacturing organisation in the appointment of a Global HSE Director, based at its UK Head Office in Croydon. This is a senior leadership role, responsible for defining and delivering the organisation’s global Health & Safety strategy across international manufacturing operations. The role is focused on driving consistent standards, strengthening safety culture, and ensuring robust regulatory compliance across multiple sites and regions. Working closely with the Executive team and regional leadership, you will lead the delivery of HSE initiatives globally, ensuring that safety performance is embedded operationally and supported by clear governance, accountability, and measurable outcomes. Role responsibilities Strategic leadership Define and implement a global HSE strategy aligned to operational priorities Drive consistent standards and accountability across international manufacturing sites Lead continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen safety culture and performance Governance & compliance Oversee compliance with local and international HSE regulations and standards, including ISO 45001 Establish and maintain global governance frameworks, reporting, and incident management processes Develop and implement policies, audits, and performance metrics across all regions Operational delivery Lead the implementation of HSE strategy across multiple international sites Drive measurable improvements in safety performance (e.g. TRIR, LTIR reduction) Partner with site and regional leadership to embed HSE into day-to-day operations Ensure consistent application of risk management and safety systems across all locations People & leadership Lead and develop a small central team, providing strategic direction and support Provide leadership and oversight to regional HSE teams Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement Supporting sustainability Support sustainability and environmental initiatives where relevant Contribute to energy efficiency and environmental performance programmes Work collaboratively with wider teams to align HSE with broader business objectives Candidate requirements Strong background in senior HSE leadership within global manufacturing or industrial environments Proven experience delivering HSE strategy across multiple international sites Track record of improving safety performance and embedding safety culture NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent) and CMIOSH (or equivalent) Strong knowledge of ISO management systems, particularly ISO 45001 Experience influencing senior stakeholders and Executive-level leadership Skills & attributes Hands-on, delivery-focused leader with strong operational credibility Clear communicator able to influence across regions and cultures Pragmatic and results-driven approach Strong leadership capability with experience driving change across complex organisations This role offers the opportunity to lead and shape global HSE performance within a growing international manufacturing group, with direct impact at Executive level. Hybrid working is supported, with regular presence at the Croydon Head Office. If you’re an experienced HSE leader with a strong track record of delivery in international manufacturing environments, we’d welcome your application. Smartsearch take your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information to administer your application. To effectively process your application, we may share your details with the company for whom we are collecting job applications and Smartsearch or the company may contact you by email, telephone or SMS. A copy of our privacy policy will be emailed to you upon receipt of your application