Head of Health and Safety

Irwin and Colton; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Company car

Benefits package

Job summary

Irwin & Colton is seeking a Head of Health and Safety to lead strategy across the UK and Ireland manufacturing sites, driving a safety-first culture and high performance across a substantial footprint.

The role requires strategic leadership, regulatory expertise, and the ability to embed safety into business decisions with strong collaboration across senior and operational teams.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading H&S in large manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Strong knowledge of UK Health and Safety legislation and compliance management.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and influencing skills across all levels.
• NEBOSH certification; ISO45001 Lead Auditor preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the Health and Safety strategy across all sites, driving a high-performance safety culture.
• Oversee regulatory compliance, audits, inspections, and risk assessments to identify and mitigate hazards across a complex manufacturing environment.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external agencies to ensure adherence to legislation and best practices.
• Develop, implement, and continually improve H&S policies, procedures, and training frameworks.
• Provide strategic leadership to H&S teams, ensuring ongoing development, competence and engagement.
• Partner with senior leadership to embed health and safety into business strategy and day-to-day operations.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Influencing

Communication

Education

NEBOSH certification

Tools

ISO 45001 Lead Auditor

Job description

Head of Health and Safety UK and Ireland

£80,000 - £90,000 Plus Bonus, Car and Excellent Benefits

Location: Ideally Birmingham with national travel

Are you passionate about driving a safety-first culture across complex manufacturing operations? Do you thrive in a senior leadership role where you can influence, challenge, and embed the highest standards of health and safety performance?

We are seeking a Head of Health and Safety to lead and shape safety strategy across the UK and Ireland operations of a highly established and respected manufacturing organisation. This is a high-profile leadership position, offering the opportunity to make a significant impact across a substantial operational footprint and play a key role in shaping the organisation's long-term safety culture.

Working closely with senior management, operational leaders, cross-functional teams, and external stakeholders, the successful candidate will provide strategic direction and leadership to ensure the highest standards of compliance, operational excellence, and proactive safety performance.

The successful candidate will:

• Lead the development and implementation of the company's Health and Safety strategy across all sites, driving a high-performance safety culture and continually raising standards.
• Oversee regulatory compliance and conduct audits, inspections, and risk assessments to identify and mitigate hazards across a complex manufacturing environment.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external agencies to ensure adherence to legislation, industry standards, and best practices.
• Develop, implement, and continually improve H&S policies, procedures, and training frameworks, ensuring consistency and excellence across the organisation.
• Provide strategic leadership to H&S teams, ensuring ongoing professional development, competence, and strong engagement across the function.
• Partner with senior leadership and operational teams to embed health and safety into business strategy, decision-making, and day-to-day operations.

You will need:

• Proven experience managing health and safety within large manufacturing, engineering, or industrial environments.
• Strong knowledge of UK Health and Safety legislation and compliance management.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and influencing skills at all levels of an organisation.
• Relevant professional certifications such as NEBOSH or equivalent, with additional qualifications like ISO45001 Lead Auditor preferred.
• The ability to operate strategically while remaining closely connected to operational delivery and continuous improvement.

Ready to make a significant impact on safety within a leading manufacturing organisation? This is an excellent opportunity to join a well-established business with a strong operational presence across the UK and Ireland and play a pivotal role in shaping its health and safety strategy for the future.

We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. If there's anything we can do to make the recruitment process more accessible, please let us know.