Head Of HSEQ

Bennett and Game Recruitment LTD; Funtley; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction contractor in the UK is seeking a Head of HSEQ to lead its health, safety, environmental, and quality strategy across major façade remediation projects. This role requires significant experience in a senior HSEQ position and entails developing HSEQ processes, producing performance reports, and ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation. The position offers a salary of £70,000 to £90,000, along with comprehensive benefits and a hybrid working model.

Benefits

25 to 30 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

Pension scheme

Project bonus scheme

Team social events

Comprehensive training and development

Modern office facilities

Qualifications

• Proven track record of setting HSEQ strategy and improving systems.
• Significant experience in a senior health and safety leadership role.
• Full UK driving licence required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the overall HSEQ strategy across the business.
• Take a proactive approach to identifying risk areas.
• Produce regular HSEQ performance reports and insights.
• Develop a HSEQ training and competency plan.

Skills

Senior HSEQ leadership experience

Health and Safety legislation knowledge

Analytical mindset

Strong communication skills

Education

NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent

Chartered status with IOSH

Tools

ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 management systems

Job description

A progressive and people focused principal contractor is looking to appoint a Head of HSEQ to lead its health, safety, environmental and quality strategy across major façade remediation projects. This is a senior, strategic role for a proactive individual who focuses on preventing incidents before they occur through robust processes, effective documentation and continual improvement. With confirmed work secured into 2028, it is an opportunity to join a stable, cash‑rich business that continues to invest in its people, its systems, its technology and the future of safer, better built environments.

Head office is in Portsmouth, and for at least the next two years projects will be concentrated around Nottingham, Leeds and Sheffield, with travel required nationwide to support the wider portfolio. Projects range in value up to £22 million and include complex schemes across residential towers, stadiums, commercial buildings and public sector assets.

The company has built strong, long‑term partnerships with blue‑chip clients and is widely recognised for technical delivery on challenging and sensitive sites. Now targeting further growth, the business is scaling with purpose, aiming to exceed £50 million turnover this year. Backed by a listed parent group with significant financial strength, they operate with a modern, entrepreneurial approach while maintaining strong family values and a culture of trust, development and continuous improvement. The Head of HSEQ will play a central role in shaping and safeguarding this next phase of growth.

Head of HSEQ Salary & Benefits

• Salary: £70,000 to £90,000 per annum, dependent on experience
• 25 to 30 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Hybrid working available
• Pension scheme
• Project bonus scheme
• Company bonus scheme
• 4 years death in service cover
• Critical illness cover
• Team social events
• Company events and supportive social environment
• Comprehensive in‑house and external training and development
• Access to Udemy and other training platforms
• Charity fundraising days
• Modern office facilities including stocked kitchen and shower

Head of HSEQ Job Overview

• Lead the overall HSEQ strategy across the business, ensuring it aligns with company objectives and supports safe, high quality project delivery
• Take a proactive, preventative approach, using data, trend analysis and site feedback to identify risk areas and address them before incidents occur
• Review, develop and streamline HSEQ processes, policies and documentation, ensuring they are clear, practical, up to date and consistently applied across all projects
• Own and further develop the company HSEQ management systems, including ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001, and lead accreditation and audit activity
• Provide visible leadership across all sites, carrying out regular nationwide visits to coach, challenge and support project teams
• Lead serious incident and accident investigations where required, ensuring root causes are understood and meaningful corrective actions are implemented and shared
• Produce regular HSEQ performance reports and insight for the Board and senior leadership, including KPIs, trends and recommendations for improvement
• Work closely with Pre Construction and Design teams to ensure HSEQ considerations are fully embedded at early project stages, not just during delivery
• Develop and deliver a HSEQ training and competency plan for the business, including inductions, toolbox talks, specialist training and leadership coaching
• Build strong relationships with clients, Principal Designers, supply chain partners and regulators, representing the business as a trusted and professional HSEQ leader
• Champion a positive safety culture, behavioural safety initiatives and wellbeing, ensuring HSEQ is seen as a core part of how the company operates, not just a compliance function

Head of HSEQ Requirements

• Significant experience in a senior HSEQ, SHEQ or Health and Safety leadership role within construction, ideally with exposure to complex envelope, remediation or multi‑storey projects
• Proven track record of setting HSEQ strategy, improving systems and influencing senior stakeholders, not only managing day to day compliance
• NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent is strongly preferred, as well as NEBOSH Construction Certificate or similar
• Chartered or working towards Chartered status with IOSH or a similar professional body
• Strong working knowledge of UK health and safety legislation, CDM regulations and best practice site management, including high risk activities and working at height
• Experience of leading and maintaining ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 management systems, including internal and external audits
• Confident communicator who can challenge constructively, gain buy in and coach teams at all levels, from site operatives to Board members
• Analytical mindset, comfortable using data and trend analysis to drive decisions and target improvement activity
• Clear, pragmatic approach that balances legal compliance with practical, buildable solutions and commercial realities
• Full UK driving licence