Head Of Health And Safety

Company: Vital Human Resources
Apply for the Head Of Health And Safety
Location: Manchester
Job Description:

Head of Health & Safety

Location: Manchester and North WestSector: Rail Infrastructure / Major ProjectsPosition: 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.

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Posted: October 24th, 2026