Head of Systems Safety

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail; Dublin; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail, Dublin, invites applications for Head of Systems Safety to oversee safety assurance across Capital Investments projects, ensuring compliance with regulations and alignment with the IÉ Rail 2050 strategy and All-Island Strategic Rail Review.

The role leads Safety Engineers and Authorisation managers, coordinates with regulators, and drives continuous safety improvement while balancing programme delivery and cost constraints.

Qualifications

• Typically 15+ years of railway safety experience.
• Experience leading safety assurance on major rail projects.
• Knowledge of Common Safety Method, European Railways Authorisation and related standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead safety engineering principles throughout the project lifecycle.
• Oversee hazard identification, risk assessment and safety assurance activities.
• Develop safety acceptance strategies and regulatory submissions.
• Lead and develop safety professionals and promote safety culture.

Skills

Independent judgement

Safety leadership

Risk management

Analytical skills

Regulatory communication

Organisational discipline

Engineering risk

Hazard identification

Regulatory submissions

Education

Engineering degree

Chartered engineer (CEng) preferred

Job description

The Head of Systems Safety will be responsible in relation to new projects and programmes of work undertaken by Capital Investments for ensuring that that the railway is acceptably safe and compliant, prior to authorisation and leading the process for industry acceptance. They will also be responsible for strict adherence to performance, cost, programme and maintainability associated with the implementation of the IÉ Rail 2050 strategy and with the recently published All-Island Strategic Rail Review

The Role will include Establishing and managing teams, across the whole of Capital Investments portfolio:

• Safety assurance.
• CSM-RA.
• Safety case production.
• Safety acceptance.

Reporting Relationships:

Reports to:

• Railway Systems Director, Capital Investments

Manages as Direct Reports:

• Systems Assurance Managers, Safety Engineers and Authorisation managers

Working Relationship with:

• Chief Mechanical Engineer
• Head of Operations
• Head of System Engineering
• Head of Test & Commissioning
• Head of System Integration
• Development and Design Director, CI
• Delivery Director, CI
• Commercial Director, CI
• Chief Civil Engineer
• Chief Engineer, Signal Electrical & Telecommunications
• Programme and Project Managers
• Relevant Safety Managers
• External Agencies as necessary, including NTA, DoT etc.

Key Qualities:

• Independent and objective judgement.
• Strong safety leadership and risk management capability.
• Excellent analytical and investigative skills.
• Ability to challenge decisions where safety concerns exist.
• Strong communication skills with regulators and executive stakeholders.
• Highly organised and evidence driven.
• Strong understanding of operational and engineering risk.
• Ability to balance safety requirements with programme delivery objectives.
• Credibility across engineering, operations and regulatory communities.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and safety culture development.
• Knowledge and experience of Common Safety Method, Commission for Railways Regulations and European Railways Authorisation.
• Degree in Engineering, Safety Engineering or related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) or equivalent preferred.
• Typically 15+ years of railway safety experience.
• Significant experience leading safety assurance on major rail projects.
• Detailed knowledge of:
• CSM-RA.
• EN 50126.
• EN 50128.
• EN 50129.
• Railway interoperability requirements.
• Experience developing safety cases and regulatory submissions.
• Experience leading hazard identification and risk management activities.
• Experience working with national safety authorities and assessment bodies.

General Management Responsibilities:

• Safety: Provide leadership in the application of safety management principles, ensuring hazards and risks are identified, assessed and managed throughout the project lifecycle. Support the development of a safe railway and foster a strong organisational safety culture.
• Engineering: Lead the application of system safety engineering and assurance activities, ensuring safety requirements are embedded within programme delivery and regulatory obligations are satisfied.
• Business: Support programme objectives through effective management of safety risks, regulatory interfaces and assurance activities, ensuring safety requirements are delivered efficiently and proportionately.
• People: Lead and develop safety professionals, promoting a strong safety culture, continuous learning and professional development across the organisation..

Specific Responsibilities:

• Lead the application of safety engineering principles throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure safety requirements are identified, allocated and verified.
• Oversee hazard identification, risk assessment and safety assurance activities.
• Support development of safety acceptance strategies and regulatory submissions.

Safety

• Act as the organisational lead for system safety and safety assurance activities.
• Ensure hazards and risks are effectively identified, assessed and managed.
• Maintain compliance with applicable legislation, standards and regulatory requirements.
• Promote continuous improvement in safety performance and organisational learning

People

Lead and develop safety engineering and assurance professionals.

• Promote a strong safety culture and professional standards across the organisation.
• Support competence development and knowledge sharing within safety teams.
• Encourage open reporting, learning and continuous improvement.