Head Of Health And Safety

Head of Health & Safety

Location: Manchester and North West
Sector: Rail Infrastructure / Major Projects
Position: Permanent

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Head of Safety to provide strategic leadership and oversight of health, safety and assurance activities across a major rail infrastructure alliance programme.

This is a senior leadership position responsible for driving safety excellence across a complex, high-risk operational environment, ensuring assurance activities are intelligence-led, risk-based and aligned with programme delivery priorities including major works, possessions and blockades.

Key Responsibilities

* Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of the Alliance Assurance Framework.

* Ensure assurance activities remain aligned to principal programme risks and operational priorities.

* Drive the implementation and monitoring of the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Improvement Plan.

* Provide strategic oversight and challenge of Principal Contractor safety assurance arrangements.

* Lead Integrated Assurance Reviews and ensure findings drive meaningful improvements.

* Analyse safety performance trends and identify areas requiring intervention or escalation.

* Deliver assurance intelligence and reporting to senior governance forums.

* Promote organisational learning, continuous improvement and best practice sharing.

* Lead and support assurance teams and wider safety professionals.

* Act as deputy to the Health, Safety & Environment Director when required. [Head of H&S | Word]

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

* Significant Health & Safety leadership experience within a high-risk operational environment.

* Experience leading assurance, governance or safety improvement frameworks on major projects or programmes.

* Strong understanding of health and safety legislation, management systems and risk-based assurance principles.

* Proven ability to challenge and influence senior leadership teams.

* Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

* Strong report writing and presentation capabilities.

* Experience working collaboratively across client, contractor and supply chain organisations.

* The ability to interpret complex assurance data and provide clear, actionable intelligence. [Head of H&S | Word]

Why Apply?

* Opportunity to influence safety performance on a nationally significant infrastructure programme.

* Senior leadership role with broad strategic responsibility.

* Work alongside industry-leading professionals in a collaborative alliance environment.

* Play a key role in driving continuous improvement and shaping safety culture across the programme