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Head of Health, Safety and Environment
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About The Role
The Head of Health, Safety and Environment position, based in North East England, leads strategy for a prominent British food manufacturer. This full-time role carries a £93,000 salary, a £10,000 car allowance, a 20% bonus, and a matched 7% pension. Although home-based, travel occurs three or four days weekly across Midlands, Yorkshire, and North East sites. Managing eight direct reports and reporting to the Manufacturing Director, you will steer HSE direction across seven locations, balancing senior leadership duties with practical site presence. Candidates need substantial experience setting policy, influencing stakeholders, and driving compliance within manufacturing. The role suits a leader comfortable with frequent travel and cross-site responsibility.
Company: Food Manufacturing Company
Role: Head of Health, Safety and Environment
Location: UK Wide, This is a home based role but with travel expected 3/4 days a week typically. The sites are in the Midlands, into Yorkshire and the North East.
Salary: Base circa £93,000 (depending on experience) + 20% bonus based on business and personal performance, £10,000 car allowance and matched 7% pension.
You will have 8 direct reports and report into the Manufacturing Director.
Overview
HSE Recruitment are working with a household British manufacturing brand seeking a Head of HSE to set the direction across the UK. You will lead Health, Safety and Environmental across 7 UK manufacturing sites, operating confidently at senior leadership level while staying close to site reality. This person will continue the elevation of HSE from a compliance function to a strategic business enabler.
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You will become a trusted adviser to the Executive Team, a steady presence during incidents, and someone sites proactively seek out strengthening culture, capability and performance.
- Leading the business-wide HSE strategy: Creating, deploying and continuously strengthening our HSE Strategy, policy frameworks and management systems (ISO 45001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001), ensuring robust compliance and a proactive, behaviour-based safety culture.
- Influencing and guiding senior leaders: Providing expert insight on emerging risks and regulatory changes, ensuring HSE is embedded in everyday decisions across Manufacturing, Operations and the wider business.
- Building capability and leading your team: Coaching and developing a high performing HSE function, supporting Site HSE Pillar Leads and working with Learning & Development to strengthen capability and succession.
- Driving assurance, risk management and compliance: Owning the HSE Operational Risk Register, overseeing audits, contractor management, CDM governance, crisis response, insurance requirements and business continuity planning.
- Shaping culture and encouraging accountability: Leading programmes that build trust, confidence and engagement, creating a safety culture that is open, honest and continuous-improvement focused.
Requirements:
The ideal candidate has led HSE strategy across multiple locations, built high-performing teams, and knows how to apply consistent standards while recognising local operational differences.
They must be able to turn HSE data into insight, influence Site Directors and operational leaders, and work effectively across Functions such as Engineering, Supply Chain and HR.
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- Extensive senior HSE leadership experience in a fast paced, multi site environment (FMCG experience strongly preferred).
- NEBOSH Diploma, strong knowledge of UK H&S and environmental legislation; Chartered IOSH and environmental diploma desirable.
- Commercially minded, able to balance risk, cost and operational pressures, with a proven track record in driving culture and behaviour change, not just rolling out policies. They should know how to prioritise risk across a complex environment and deliver improved safety outcomes without compromising productivity.
- Candidates must bring calm authority during incidents, challenge unsafe behaviours respectfully, and build trust rather than fear.
- Think systemically while keeping solutions grounded in what works in a real FMCG operation.
- Resilience and emotional intelligence are critical. With multiple sites to support, you must navigate competing priorities, unexpected challenges and regulatory pressure while staying composed and making clear, ethical decisions.
- A visible leadership approach is essential and someone who spends time on site, leads by example and responds with curiosity and not judgement when things go wrong.
- This role demands a leadership style that blends gravitas with warmth.
Interested? For more information, please reach out to Sophia directly at HSE Recruitment Network.
Sophia.darwin@hserecruitment.co.uk or on 0121 454 5000
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