UK & Ireland Health and Safety Manager

Smurfit Westrock; West Kirby; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Company car or allowance

Pension

Cycle to Work scheme

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Job summary

Smurfit Westrock in the UK & Ireland is seeking an experienced Health & Safety Manager to lead our regional strategy across multiple sites. You will partner with senior leaders to strengthen our safety culture, ensure compliance with UK and Irish legislation, and drive continuous improvement in risk reduction.

Reporting to the UK & Ireland Technical Director, you will build and mentor the regional H&S team, develop robust management systems, and respond effectively to incidents, audits, and

Qualifications

• Experience leading multi-site H&S in manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of UK & Ireland H&S legislation.
• NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent Level 6 qualification.
• ISO 45001 Lead Auditor qualification.
• CMIOSH/CertIOSH or equivalent membership.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver UK & Ireland Health & Safety strategy across sites.
• Drive risk reduction and continuous improvement through systems and programmes.
• Champion behavioural safety and visible leadership to foster a positive safety culture.
• Monitor performance, analyse trends, and challenge leaders to improve.
• Lead investigations into significant incidents and liaise with regulators.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory knowledge

Behavioural safety

Safety culture

Education

NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent Level 6)

ISO 45001 Lead Auditor

CMIOSH/CertIOSH membership

Job description

Join Our Team at Smurfit Westrock!

Are you searching for a workplace that values you and your growth? At Smurfit Westrock, we're committed to sustainability, employee well-being, and personal development.

About Us

We are a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging. Our focus is on the health and safety of our employees, the well-being of our communities, and delivering exceptional service to our customers. We support our team members to reach their full potential in an inclusive environment that values diversity.

The Role

The role is flexible on base location and will involve travel across UK and Ireland.

At Smurfit Westrock, safety is one of our core values. We are looking for an experienced and forward-thinking UK & Ireland Health & Safety Manager to lead our regional Health & Safety strategy and drive continuous improvement across our multi-site Corrugated business.

Reporting to the UK & Ireland Technical Director, you will play a pivotal role in strengthening our safety culture, reducing risk and ensuring consistently high standards of Health & Safety across our operations in the UK and Ireland.

You will lead and develop our regional Health & Safety team, working closely with senior leaders and site management teams to:

• Develop and deliver our UK & Ireland Health & Safety strategy, ensuring compliance with legislation and Group standards.
• Drive risk reduction and continuous improvement through effective management systems, assurance programmes and improvement plans.
• Champion behavioural safety, visible felt leadership and a positive safety culture.
• Monitor and analyse performance, identifying trends and challenging operational leaders to deliver improvements.
• Provide expert guidance and leadership on significant incidents and investigations.
• Build strong relationships with site teams, employee representatives, regulatory bodies and industry organisations.

About You

You will be an experienced Health & Safety leader with a proven track record in multi-site manufacturing operations. You will combine excellent technical knowledge with the confidence and ability to influence senior stakeholders, engage people at all levels and translate strategy into practical improvements.

You will ideally have:

• Strong knowledge of UK and Irish Health & Safety legislation.
• Experience developing and implementing Health & Safety strategies across multiple sites.
• NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent Level 6 qualification), or demonstrable progress towards completion.
• ISO 45001 Lead Auditor qualification (or equivalent).
• Chartered or Certified IOSH membership (CMIOSH/CertIOSH), or equivalent.
• Excellent leadership, communication and influencing skills.

Experience in paper, packaging or other high-hazard manufacturing environments, together with behavioural safety and culture change initiatives, would be advantageous.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary, company car or allowance & bonus plus 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, pension, and a Cycle to Work scheme
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• 24/7 confidential support for you and your family
• Flexible working options and family-friendly policies
• Guaranteed interview for candidates meeting essential criteria (Disability Confident Employer)

Smurfit Westrock reserve the right to only shortlist candidates who meet both the Essential and Desirable Criteria.

We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their ; religious or similar philosophical belief; political opinion; race; age; sexual orientation; or, whether they are married or are in a civil partnership; or, whether they are disabled; or whether they have undergone, are undergoing or intend to undergo gender reassignment.

We practice equality of opportunity in employment and select the best person for the job.