SSHE Lead – Go to Market (General & Security), South Africa

Unilever; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the consumer goods industry seeks a professional for the SSHE Lead role in its Supply Chain sector in South Africa. The position involves overseeing safety and security compliance across operations, ensuring effective risk management, and fostering a culture of safety. The ideal candidate is experienced in Occupational Health & Safety and skilled in stakeholder engagement, ready to contribute to a better business and world.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years in SSHE roles with experience in at least two SSHE functions.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field; certifications advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead SSHE practices across Go to Market operations in South Africa.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements and manage operational risks.
• Develop and enforce SSHE policies aligned with local legislation.

Skills

Communication

Stakeholder Engagement

Leadership

Risk Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety

Environmental Science

Security

Risk Management

Job description

Function: Supply Chain

Work Level:1CU

Reports to: SSHE Lead, METSA

Scope: South Africa

Location: Katherine St./ La Lucia Ridge

Terms & Conditions: Full time

ABOUT UNILEVER

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

JOB PURPOSE

Unilever is the place where you can bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world.

To lead and coordinate the integration of Security, Safety, Health, and Environmental (SSHE) practices across the Go to Market (GTM) segment of the Ice Cream business in South Africa. This includes oversight of manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, refrigerated transport, and office environments. The role ensures compliance with legal and regulatory requirements while proactively managing physical and operational risks, with a strong emphasis on security and business continuity.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

• Act as the primary SSHE representative across GTM operations in South Africa.
• Drive the SSHE agenda aligned with the company’s Zero Harm and environmental goals.
• Develop and enforce SSHE and security policies in line with South African legislation and global standards (e.g., ISO 45001, ISO 31000).
• Lead business continuity planning and maintain risk registers.
• Provide security expertise across manufacturing, logistics, transport, and office environments.
• Manage relationships with private security providers and law enforcement.
• Monitor regional security risks (e.g., crime, civil unrest, load-shedding) and implement mitigation strategies.
• Support office security planning, including new site selection and setup.
• Conduct risk assessments, audits, and incident investigations.
• Ensure compliance with SSHE regulations and internal standards.
• Deliver SSHE training and awareness programs.
• Analyze SSHE data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Implement and monitor transport safety initiatives.
• Ensure safety of refrigeration systems and warehouse operations.
• Conduct safety assessments for events and office environments.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Security, Risk Management, or related field. Military/police academy or international security certifications (e.g., ASIS PSP/CPP) are advantageous.
• Experience: 7–10 years in SSHE roles, with demonstrable experience in at least two SSHE functions including security.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of South African SSHE legislation and risk landscape.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and leadership skills.
• Proficiency in SSHE systems, reporting, and data analysis.

Leadership

• You are energized by delivering fantastic results. You are an example to others – both your results and your resilience. You are constantly on the lookout for better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with others along the way.
• As an individual you are the one responsible for your own wellbeing and delivering high standards of work. You must also focus on the Consumer and what they need. You are humble and have your head up, looking around to interpret evidence and data smartly, spot issues and opportunities to make things better.

• Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors
  • FOCUS ON WHAT COUNTS
  • CARE DEEPLY
  • STAY THREE STEPS AHEAD
  • DELIVER WITH EXCELLENCE

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.