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Head of Safety
Posting End Date: 13/10/2026
Location: Any UK Manufacturing or Corporate site, with regular travel required to all UK sites and occasional international travel
Salary: Competitive
At JLR, we're on a continual journey to reimagine the future of modern luxury, and we want you to be part of it. Through our exquisite and timeless house of brands – Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar – we're defining a new approach to sustainability and providing exceptional experiences. As a leader here, you have the opportunity to influence the way we think, providing your unique insight and vision for a better future. It's time to become a proud creator.
What To Expect
The Head of Safety is JLR's senior operational safety leader, responsible for leading the implementation, oversight and continuous improvement of safety across our global operations. Reporting to the Chief Medical Officer (Health, Safety & Wellbeing), you will ensure safety risks are effectively managed across manufacturing, engineering, corporate functions and operational activities, driving the consistent application of safety standards, strengthening risk controls and delivering continuous improvement in safety performance.
As a key member of the Health, Safety & Wellness (HSW) leadership team, you will lead JLR's operational safety function, providing direction, expertise and support to ensure safety management systems, operational standards and critical controls are effectively embedded across the business and aligned with legal and regulatory requirements.
Working closely with HSW colleagues, business leaders across manufacturing, engineering and corporate functions, you will drive the integration of safety into day-to-day operations, influencing decision-making, supporting effective risk management and promoting a culture where safety is a fundamental part of operational excellence.
You will serve as JLR's senior safety subject matter expert and key representative with regulatory bodies, enforcement agencies and external stakeholders, building trusted relationships that support compliance and continuous improvement.
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of safety at JLR, leading a high-performing team and driving the operational excellence required to achieve our Zero Harm ambition.
The Role
Key Responsibilities
Operational Safety Leadership
- Lead the operational implementation of Jaguar Land Rover's Health & Safety Policy, standards and procedures across all global sites.
- Act as the senior operational authority on safety matters, supporting Plant Leadership Teams and business leaders in managing site-specific risks.
- Ensure safety considerations are embedded within daily operations, change activities and production decision-making.
- Provide visible leadership and direction to the global safety community, ensuring consistency of approach and deployment of best practice.
- Ensure operational safety performance aligns with organisational objectives and risk appetite.
Incident Management & Regulatory Interface
- Maintain responsibility for operational incident reporting, investigation and corrective action management, ensuring root cause analysis is robust and organisational learning is embedded.
- Be the primary point of contact with regulators and enforcing authorities (e.g. HSE) for operational matters, inspections, investigations and site interventions.
- Ensure statutory notifications are completed accurately and on time.
- Act as primary operational interface with regulators and enforcing authorities for site-level inspections, investigations and compliance activity.
- Material, enterprise-level, reputational or escalated regulatory matters are managed in conjunction with, and escalated to, the Chief Medical Officer, who retains strategic regulatory responsibility.
- Ensure lessons learned from incidents, enforcement activity and audits are effectively communicated and embedded across the organisation.
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Safety Management Systems & Controls
- Own the effective application of the Safety Management System (SMS) at operational level, ensuring local compliance with ISO45001 and internal standards.
- Ensure site risk assessments, permits, safe systems of work and local procedures remain current, practical and legally compliant.
- Support audits and inspections, address findings and ensure sustainable closure of actions.
- Ensure operational controls remain effective and proportionate to identified risks.
- The role is responsible for the accuracy, timeliness and completeness of operational safety data at source, in line with enterprise data standards.
Operational Risk Control
- Ensure operational risks are managed within defined enterprise risk appetite and standard
- Ensure operational hazards are identified, assessed and controlled through effective local risk management processes.
- Provide hands on technical advice to resolve high risk or complex operational safety issues.
- Support the safe introduction of new processes, equipment and technologies at site level.
- Ensure appropriate safety governance, competence and assurance arrangements are applied to contractors, suppliers and third parties operating within Jaguar Land Rover facilities.
- Ensure safety-by-design principles are embedded within engineering, manufacturing and operational change activities, reducing risks through proactive design review and early intervention.
- Ensure safety risks arising from human factors, workplace design and occupational health hazards are effectively managed.
Claims & Legal Support
- Lead operational fact finding and evidence provision for Employers’ Liability claims and investigations.
- Support Legal and Insurance colleagues with accurate operational information and witness support as required.
- Support litigation, enforcement actions and regulatory investigations through provision of operational evidence and technical expertise.
- Ensure records and documentation relating to incidents and claims are maintained appropriately and available for review when required.
Capability & Engagement
- Build operational safety capability across sites, coaching leaders and safety professionals in effective risk control.
- Maintain effective consultation with Trade Unions and employee safety representatives.
- Promote visible leadership and engagement to strengthen site safety culture.
- Develop safety capability, succession plans and professional development pathways across the safety community to ensure sustainable organisational competence and future leadership capability.
- Support development of a positive safety culture through engagement, behavioural safety initiatives and leadership coaching.
- Champion learning and knowledge sharing across the Safety function and wider business.
Financial
- Responsible for the operational Safety spend, including budget planning, forecasting, resource allocation and delivery within agreed financial parameters.
- Ensure effective utilisation of safety resources, specialist expertise and external support services to maximise value, organisational capability and safety outcomes.
- Develop business cases and investment proposals for safety improvement initiatives, risk reduction programmes, compliance requirements and capability-building activities.
- Monitor expenditure against budget, identifying financial risks, opportunities and corrective actions where required.
- Work closely with the colleagues to support financial planning, forecasting and performance reporting.
- Ensure safety resources are prioritised and deployed in alignment with organisational risk profile, business priorities and regulatory obligations.
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Key Interactions
- Chief Medical Officer
- HSW Leadership and functional leads
- Plant Leadership Teams
- Engineering Leadership Teams
- Trade Unions and Employee Representatives
- Regulatory Authorities (HSE and equivalent)
- Legal & Insurance Teams
- Internal Audit
- Enterprise Risk Team
- Finance Business Partners
- External Safety Consultants and Specialists
What You’ll Need
Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Significant experience leading Health & Safety within a complex operational, engineering or manufacturing environment.
- Strong practical knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation and regulator expectations.
- Demonstrated experience managing serious incidents, regulatory engagement and enforcement activity.
- Ability to influence senior operational leaders and drive sustained improvements in safety performance.
- Strong understanding of safety management systems, risk management and operational assurance.
- Demonstrated ability to develop safety capability and drive behavioural and cultural improvement.
- Strong commercial awareness and experience managing budgets and resources.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, stakeholder management and influencing skills.
- NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent).
- Chartered IOSH membership (or working towards).
Desirable Knowledge, Skills And Experience
- Automotive or heavy manufacturing experience.
- Engineering or technical background.
- Global Health & Safety legislation knowledge and experience.
- Experience of design-for-safety methodologies.
- Experience within highly regulated or safety-critical industries.
Personal Profile
- Demonstrates our Creators' Code behaviours of Customer Love, Unity, Integrity, Growth and Impact.
- A determined individual, highly driven, committed and results-orientated who works with pace, energy and confidence.
- Able to apply analytical rigour to develop and drive operational plans while maintaining strategic vision.
- Resilient, energetic and enthusiastic, responding constructively to challenge and change.
- Able to challenge existing thinking positively whilst building credibility and trust through experience and personal style.
- A sophisticated communicator able to communicate directly, clearly and openly.
- Demonstrates strong leadership and people management capability and can motivate, develop and lead functional and cross-functional teams.
- Comfortable operating in a complex stakeholder environment and influencing at senior leadership level.
- An individual who is comfortable challenging all stakeholders with strong influencing, collaboration and engagement skills.
- Passionate about creating a culture where safety is a core organisational value and operational priority.
Creating Modern Luxury requires a modern approach to work. At JLR, hybrid working is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement providing employees flexibility around how, when and where they work. Some roles require more on-site work, but details of this can be discussed with the hiring manager during the interview stage.
We work hard to nurture a culture that is inclusive and welcoming to all. We understand candidates may require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. Please discuss these with your recruiter so we can accommodate your needs.
JLR is committed to equal opportunity for all.
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