HSE Manager-Renewables

WSP in the Middle East; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 300,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP in the Middle East seeks an experienced HSE Manager to lead health, safety and environmental management for large-scale renewable energy development in the UAE. You will coordinate across head-office and multiple sites, ensuring compliance and robust governance with contractors, OEMs and authorities.

Role requires leadership, strong HSE risk management background, and a track record delivering HSE programs for complex construction projects in utility-scale environments.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to lead HSE standards across multi-contractor, multi-site environments.
• Strong knowledge of risks for utility-scale solar PV, energy storage and HV electrical works.
• Experience with contractor assurance, design risk management and energization controls.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and investigation skills.
• Ability to prioritise critical risks and provide pragmatic, technically sound solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and continuous improvement of the HSE management plan and procedures.
• Provide HSE leadership through development, procurement, construction and handover phases.
• Coordinate HSE matters with contractors, OEMs, utilities and authorities.
• Establish project-wide HSE governance for solar, storage, electrical facilities and grid works.
• Review design and construction plans to mitigate health, safety and environmental risks.
• Approve contractors’ HSE plans, risk assessments and method statements before work begins.
• Lead risk assessments for high-risk activities including electrical, lifting and hot works.
• Mentor HSE personnel across sites, ensuring consistent monitoring and reporting.
• Conduct site inspections, safety walks, audits and joint inspections with project teams.
• Track contractor performance against HSE objectives and close out corrective actions.
• Deliver HSE inductions, trainings and awareness campaigns for employees and contractors.
• Ensure emergency preparedness for construction, electrical, battery, fire and medical events.
• Lead incident investigations and communicate lessons learned across sites.
• Coordinate environmental controls including waste, spill, dust, noise and biodiversity.
• Prepare HSE dashboards and management updates for key stakeholders.
• Support a proactive, intervention-led safety culture throughout the project lifecycle.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

HSE risk assessment

Construction HSE

Coordination across sites

MS Office / HSE reporting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or OHS

NEBOSH International General Certificate

NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

HSE reporting systems

Job description

Job Description

The HSE Manager will lead the health, safety and environmental management arrangements for large-scale utility renewable energy development comprising solar photovoltaic generation, battery energy storage systems, balance-of-plant infrastructure, electrical facilities and grid interconnection works. This role will support both development and delivery activities, ensuring that HSE risks are effectively managed across head-office coordination and multiple project sites. Working closely with project management, construction management, contractors, original equipment manufacturers and other project stakeholders, the HSE Manager will establish consistent HSE governance, provide technical leadership, and promote safe, compliant and environmentally responsible project delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the project HSE management plan and associate procedures in accordance with applicable legal, regulatory, organizational and contractual requirements.
• Provide HSE leadership during the development, design, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover phases of large-scale renewable energy and energy storage assets.
• Act as the primary HSE point of contact for project leadership and coordinate HSE matters with contractors, consultants, original equipment manufacturers, utility and grid-interface stakeholders, and relevant authorities.
• Establish a project-wide HSE governance framework covering solar PV facilities, battery energy storage systems, balance-of-plant works, electrical facilities, substations, transmission or grid interconnection works, temporary facilities and logistics activities.
• Review design deliverables, constructability proposals and project execution plans to identify and eliminate or reduce health, safety and environmental risks through the hierarchy of controls.
• Review and approve contractors’ HSE plans, risk assessments, method statements, lifting plans, emergency arrangements and other task-specific HSE documentation before work begins.
• Lead HSE risk assessments for high-risk activities, including electrical works and energization, battery installation and testing, heavy lifting, work at height, excavation, confined spaces, hot works, interface activities and simultaneous operations.
• Manage and mentor HSE personnel across multiple work fronts, ensuring consistent site monitoring, reporting, escalation and close-out practices.
• Plan and conduct regular site inspections, leadership safety walks, audits and joint inspections with the project team and contractor representatives.
• Monitor contractor performance against agreed HSE objectives, leading and lagging indicators, and corrective-action requirements; ensure findings are tracked to timely closure.
• Develop and deliver project HSE inductions, briefings, awareness campaigns and targeted training for employees and contractor personnel.
• Ensure appropriate emergency preparedness and response arrangements are developed, tested and maintained for construction, electrical, battery, fire, environmental and medical emergencies.
• Lead or oversee incident notification, investigation and root-cause analysis, ensuring lessons learned and corrective or preventive actions are communicated and implemented across all sites.
• Coordinate environmental management controls, including waste management, spill prevention, dust and noise control, hazardous-material handling, biodiversity considerations and regulatory compliance.
• Prepare clear HSE reports, dashboards and management updates, highlighting critical risks, trends, non-conformances and required decisions.
• Facilitate HSE meetings with project leadership, contractors and key stakeholders and support a positive, intervention-led safety culture throughout the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to establish consistent HSE standards across complex, multi-contractor and multi-site environments.
• Demonstrated knowledge of HSE risks associated with utility-scale solar PV, battery energy storage, high-voltage electrical systems, substations and grid interconnection works.
• Sound understanding of construction HSE management, contractor assurance, design risk management, commissioning and energization controls.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, facilitation, investigation and report writing skills.
• Ability to priorities critical risks, challenge unsafe practices, and provide pragmatic, technically sound solutions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and digital HSE reporting or action-tracking systems.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Science or a relevant discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant HSE experience, including substantial experience supporting major power, renewable energy, energy storage, electrical infrastructure or similarly complex construction programmes.
• Relevant professional health and safety qualification, with NEBOSH International General Certificate as a minimum; NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent advanced qualification is preferred.
• Demonstrable experience leading HSE across large-scale, multi-site construction projects involving multiple contractors and interfaces.
• Practical experience with utility-scale solar PV projects and/or battery energy storage systems is strongly preferred.
• Experience with high voltage works substations, electrical facilities, grid interconnection, commissioning and energization activities is highly desirable.
• Professional membership or certification from a recognized HSE body is preferred.
• Previous experience working in the UAE or wider Middle East on major power or infrastructure projects is advantageous.

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