HSE Director - Aviation Infrastructure

Parsons

Riyadh

On-site

SAR 900,000 - 1,400,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Parsons is seeking an accomplished HSE Director for Aviation Infrastructure in Riyadh to provide strategic governance across a major airport infrastructure programme. You will oversee health, safety, environmental and sustainability performance across construction packages, live operations, and contractor interfaces.

The role requires 25+ years of HSE leadership, deep knowledge of international standards, and the ability to drive safe, compliant delivery with regulators and airport authorities.

Qualifications

25+ years of HSE leadership experience across major infrastructure, aviation, airport, or complex capital development programmes.
Proven experience in airport, airfield, EPC, PMC, delivery partner, or major construction programme environments.
Strong knowledge of ICAO, FAA, OSHA, NFPA, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001.

Responsibilities

Lead the overall HSE strategy, governance framework, procedures, and performance standards for a major aviation infrastructure programme.
Provide strategic direction to HSE teams spanning multiple packages and partners.
Drive a proactive safety culture among contractors, consultants, airport stakeholders, and project leadership.
Ensure compliance with aviation safety requirements, construction safety regulations, environmental obligations, and client standards.
Manage regulatory audits, inspections, permits, approvals, authority engagements, and compliance reviews.
Oversee construction safety across airfield works, terminals, utilities, and live airport interfaces.
Lead investigations into major incidents, near misses, and high-potential events; ensure root cause analysis and corrective actions.

Skills

HSE leadership

Aviation safety

Airport infrastructure

Airfield safety

Construction HSE

Environmental management

Sustainability performance

HSE governance

HSE strategy

Audits & compliance

Regulatory engagement

Multi-contractor environments

Risk assessments

Investigations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Master's degree in Safety/Environmental Management or related

Job description

Job Snapshot

HSE Director – Aviation Infrastructure
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Industry: Airlines/Aviation
Function: Occupational Health and Safety
Experience: 25 years HSE leadership experience
Job Type: Full-time

Overview

HSE Director - Aviation Infrastructure in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is a senior Airlines/Aviation opportunity with Parsons Corporation for an accomplished HSE leader who can provide strategic governance across a major airport infrastructure programme. The role is responsible for health, safety, environmental, and sustainability performance across aviation construction packages, including airfield works, terminals, utilities, live operational interfaces, contractor environments, regulatory compliance, incident response, and programme-wide safety culture.

Context

The HSE Director will lead programme-level health, safety, environmental, and sustainability management across complex airport infrastructure delivery where construction activity, aviation regulations, live operations, environmental controls, and multi-contractor coordination require strong governance. This position supports safe and compliant delivery by setting HSE strategy, leading assurance processes, directing HSE teams, engaging regulators and airport authorities, managing high-risk construction controls, and ensuring that safety and environmental performance remain visible at executive, contractor, and worksite levels.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the overall HSE strategy, governance framework, procedures, policies, assurance model, and performance standards for a major aviation infrastructure programme.
Provide strategic direction to HSE teams working across multiple project packages, contractor environments, consultants, and delivery partners.
Drive a proactive safety culture across contractors, consultants, airport stakeholders, client teams, construction teams, and programme leadership.
Ensure compliance with aviation safety requirements, construction safety regulations, environmental obligations, local authority requirements, and client standards.
Manage regulatory audits, inspections, permits, approvals, authority engagements, compliance reviews, and follow-up actions.
Oversee construction safety across airfield works, terminal buildings, utilities, support infrastructure, enabling works, and live airport interfaces.
Ensure effective controls are implemented for high-risk activities such as lifting operations, excavation, working at height, confined spaces, temporary works, traffic movement, and work near live operations.
Review and challenge contractor risk assessments, method statements, HSE plans, emergency arrangements, inspection programmes, and safety performance records.
Oversee environmental compliance, sustainability performance, environmental management plans, mitigation measures, monitoring programmes, and reporting obligations.
Lead investigations into major incidents, near misses, high-potential events, and serious non-compliances.
Ensure root cause analysis, corrective actions, preventive actions, lessons learned, and effectiveness reviews are completed properly.
Act as the primary HSE interface with airport authorities, regulators, clients, consultants, contractors, senior leadership, and project stakeholders.
Support emergency preparedness, crisis management planning, incident response coordination, drills, exercises, and readiness reviews.
Lead HSE workshops, safety forums, leadership briefings, coordination meetings, and contractor performance review sessions.
Establish HSE KPIs, dashboards, audit schedules, inspection plans, reporting systems, trend analysis, and assurance processes.
Monitor programme-wide HSE performance and provide executive-level updates covering risks, trends, compliance status, serious incidents, and improvement actions.
Promote workforce engagement, behavioral safety, induction programmes, leadership safety walks, observation systems, and continuous improvement in safety culture.
Guide contractors and delivery partners on practical improvements to field safety, environmental controls, reporting quality, and risk management.
Ensure HSE considerations are embedded in planning, design coordination, construction sequencing, procurement decisions, and operational readiness activities.
Lead, mentor, and develop senior HSE managers, advisors, inspectors, environmental specialists, and contractor HSE representatives.
Promote disciplined documentation, transparent escalation, strong governance, and consistent implementation of programme HSE requirements.

Ideal Profile

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Safety Engineering, Occupational Health and Safety, or a related discipline.
Minimum 25 years of experience in HSE leadership roles across major infrastructure, aviation, airport, airfield, or complex capital development programmes.
Proven experience in airport, airfield, EPC, PMC, delivery partner, or major construction programme environments.
Strong background in construction safety management across complex multidisciplinary projects.
Deep knowledge of international HSE standards and aviation-related requirements, including ICAO, FAA, OSHA, NFPA, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001.
Experience managing large HSE teams and multi-contractor project environments.
Strong capability in audits, compliance management, performance reporting, incident investigation, corrective action management, and assurance systems.
Practical knowledge of airport construction risks, airfield interfaces, terminal works, utilities, live operational constraints, construction logistics, and emergency planning.
Master's degree in Safety, Environmental Management, Engineering, or a related discipline is preferred.
Chartered status or recognized HSE certification such as NEBOSH IGC, NEBOSH IDIP, CSP, CIH, CMIOSH, or equivalent is desirable.
Experience on GCC airport megaprojects or complex aviation infrastructure programmes is preferred.
Background in ESG, sustainability reporting, carbon management, FIDIC-based contracts, or digital HSE systems is an advantage.
Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder management, presentation, negotiation, and crisis management skills.
Able to influence senior leaders, contractors, regulators, and project teams while maintaining clear standards and practical solutions.
Strong analytical ability with the capacity to interpret HSE data, identify trends, prioritize risks, and drive measurable improvement.
Confident working under pressure in complex programme environments involving live operations, multiple stakeholders, and high public visibility.

Skills Set