Group Health and Safety Manager

Zest; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent food manufacturer is seeking a Group Head of Health & Safety to lead the health and safety agenda across its UK manufacturing sites. This strategic role requires extensive experience in safety within food manufacturing, alongside strong leadership skills and the ability to foster a safety-focused culture. You will develop KPIs, support Site H&S Managers, and ensure compliance and governance. This is an opportunity to shape the company's safety standards and drive cultural change across multiple sites.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in health and safety within food manufacturing.
• Ability to lead teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of safety compliance and governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the health and safety agenda across UK manufacturing sites.
• Develop and maintain safety performance KPIs.
• Champion behavioral safety and create a safety-focused culture.
• Coach Site H&S Managers for consistent performance.

Skills

Leadership

Safety management

Risk management

Stakeholder influence

Cultural change

Education

NEBOSH Diploma

IOSH membership

Job description

Imagine stepping into a business at a moment when everything is moving forward – new investments, expanding capability, ambitious plans and a senior team genuinely committed to doing things the right way. A business proud of its heritage in food manufacturing, but even more excited about its future.

Now imagine that you’re the person they’re looking for to help shape that future – by elevating safety to something more than a requirement.

If you’re a seasoned Health & Safety leader within the food manufacturing sector – someone who thrives on both shaping strategy and delivering real operational impact – this could be the role where you genuinely make your mark.

I’m partnering with a highly respected, rapidly growing food manufacturer that is investing heavily in its people, sites and future capability. As part of this growth, they’re looking to appoint a Group Head of Health & Safety to lead the H&S agenda across their UK‑wide manufacturing network.

Where you’ll make a difference

Strategy & Culture

• Positioning Health & Safety as a core business value – brought to life at every level.
• Championing behavioural safety and building a culture where people genuinely think and act safely.

Operational Leadership

• Supporting and coaching Site H&S Managers to deliver strong, consistent performance.
• Ensuring robust risk management frameworks are in place across all sites.
• Guiding interactions with regulatory bodies, insurers, and auditors.

Governance & Performance

• Maintaining KPI performance across multiple manufacturing sites.
• Ensuring statutory compliance and managing group‑wide safety plans and documentation.

People & Capability

• Developing organisational H&S capability, from site teams to future leaders.
• Setting bold goals that inspire, motivate and shape team development.

Continuous Improvement

• Regularly reviewing Group H&S and Emergency Preparedness frameworks.
• Leading and auditing improvement projects that genuinely enhance safety.

What you’ll bring

• Ingrained experience in safety within food manufacturing.
• Understanding of what great looks like – and what it takes to create it.
• NEBOSH Diploma, IOSH membership and credibility that earns trust.
• Beyond qualifications: the ability to bring people with you, even when change is difficult. Proven track record of leading teams, influencing senior stakeholders and turning safety from a procedure into a shared belief.

Why this role matters

This is more than policy writing or compliance management. It’s about driving culture, shaping behaviours, elevating standards and helping a high‑performing business become even better.

You’ll be the go‑to expert for the Group Board, Factory GMs and H&S Leads – setting the tone, the pace and the direction for safety across all sites. Your work will influence both day‑to‑day safety performance and long‑term strategic planning.

If you want a role where you can genuinely shape culture, elevate standards and leave a legacy – this is a brilliant time to join.

If you’d like to know more details about the business, the scope of the role and long‑term objectives – please do get in touch.