International Safety Director Manager

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

The International Safety Director Manager is here to set the safety vision and strategy for a major business unit, making sure we're not just compliant but truly building a culture where everyone goes home safe. You'll lead a diverse team of safety professionals across various countries, translating global objectives into practical, local programmes. This role sits right at the intersection of operational reality and strategic intent, turning high-level goals into actionable plans that actually reduce risk and prevent incidents. When you do this well, our incident rates drop, our people feel safer, and our business avoids costly disruptions and reputational damage. If it's not done right, well, the consequences can be severe – from serious injuries to significant fines and a damaged brand. The tricky part is balancing global standards with local nuances, often with tight budgets and competing operational priorities. The reward, though, is seeing your team thrive, knowing you've built a robust safety culture, and genuinely protecting our colleagues around the world.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Director/VP of Compliance_Quality_Health_Safety
• Direct reports: Roughly 10-25 safety professionals, including other managers and specialists.
• Matrix relationships: Head of Safety, Business Unit, Divisional Safety Manager, Regional EHS Lead, Principal Safety Lead,

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• Business Unit Leadership Team (MDs, Operations Directors)
• Regional HR Heads
• Legal and Compliance Teams
• Finance Business Partners
• Global Engineering and Facilities Teams

External:

• Regulatory bodies (e.g., HSE, OSHA, local equivalents)
• External auditors (e.g., ISO 45001 certification bodies)
• Industry associations and peer groups
• Key vendors and contractors

Organisational Impact

Scope: This role directly impacts the safety performance, regulatory compliance, and reputational standing of a significant business unit. You'll drive operational excellence by embedding safety into daily processes, influencing capital expenditure decisions for risk reduction, and protecting our most valuable asset: our people. Getting it wrong means higher insurance premiums, potential legal action, and, most importantly, preventable harm to our workforce.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Business Unit LTIFR & TRIFR
2. Desc: Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate and Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate for your entire business unit.
3. Target: <0.5 LTIFR, <2.0 TRIFR (year-over-year reduction of 10%)
4. Freq: Monthly, reported quarterly to BU leadership.
5. Example: If your BU's LTIFR was 0.6 last year, you'll aim for 0.54 or better this year. This means fewer serious incidents that stop people from working.
6. Metric: Leading Indicator Engagement
7. Desc: The number and quality of proactive safety activities, like near-miss reports, safety observations, and hazard identifications, submitted by frontline teams.
8. Target: 25% year-over-year increase in submissions and 15% increase in closure rate of identified actions.
9. Freq: Monthly, reviewed in team meetings.
10. Example: If we had 1,000 safety observations last year, you'll push for 1,250 this year, making sure at least 80% of the issues raised get fixed promptly.
11. Metric: Critical Risk Control Effectiveness
12. Desc: The percentage of critical safety controls (e.g., machine guarding, lockout/tagout procedures) that are regularly audited and found to be effective.
13. Target: 95% effectiveness rating across all critical controls.
14. Freq: Quarterly audits, reported annually.
15. Example: You'll ensure that our high-risk areas, like confined spaces or working at height, have their controls checked and verified as working correctly 95% of the time, not just on paper.
16. Metric: Safety Budget Management
17. Desc: Managing the allocated safety budget for your business unit, ensuring resources are used efficiently and effectively for maximum impact.
18. Target: Within 5% variance of approved annual budget for operational expenditure, securing £500K-£2M capital investment for critical risk reduction projects.
19. Freq: Monthly review with Finance, quarterly with BU leadership.
20. Example: You'll need to justify a £1.5M spend on a new ventilation system for a manufacturing plant, showing the ROI in terms of reduced health risks and improved productivity, and then manage that project to stay on track financially.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Leadership Engagement & Support
2. Desc: How well you engage and influence the business unit leadership team to prioritise safety, allocate resources, and champion safety initiatives.
3. Evidence: BU leadership actively participating in safety walk-arounds; safety being a standing agenda item in BU leadership meetings; positive feedback from BU MDs on your strategic input; safety considerations integrated into new project planning from the outset.
4. Metric: Team Development & Mentorship
5. Desc: The growth and effectiveness of your direct reports and the wider safety team within your business unit.
6. Evidence: High retention rates within your team; successful promotions of your direct reports; positive feedback in 360-degree reviews regarding your coaching and support; your team consistently delivering high-quality work and meeting objectives.
7. Metric: Regulatory Audit Outcomes
8. Desc: The results of external regulatory inspections and internal/external management system audits (e.g., ISO 45001).
9. Evidence: Zero major non-conformances in ISO 45001 audits; minimal enforcement actions or fines from regulatory bodies; timely and effective closure of all audit findings; positive feedback from auditors on our safety management systems.
10. Metric: Safety Culture Maturity
11. Desc: The perceived strength and proactiveness of the safety culture within your business unit.
12. Evidence: Improved scores in annual safety culture surveys (specifically around management commitment and reporting culture); unsolicited positive feedback from frontline workers about safety improvements; increased willingness of employees to use 'Stop Work Authority' when needed; visible safety leadership from all levels of management.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Influential Leader
• Manifestation: You're the kind of person who can get a sceptical Operations Director to invest £500K in a new safety system by showing them the long-term gains in efficiency, not just compliance. You build trust with your managers, so they come to you for advice before issues escalate. You can present a compelling argument for a new safety policy to a room full of senior executives, making them feel like it was their idea all along.
• Benefit: Honestly, as a Safety Manager, you rarely have direct authority over the operational teams who actually do the work. Your success hinges entirely on your ability to persuade, coach, and build strong relationships across the business unit. If you can't influence, you can't lead change, and safety performance won't improve.
• Trait: Calm Under Fire
• Manifestation: When a serious incident happens in a remote location, you're the one who can methodically secure the scene, manage the initial communications with local authorities and senior leadership, and direct the investigation team, all while emergency services are on site. You can speak clearly and reassuringly to the MD of the business unit when giving updates on a crisis, even if your stomach is doing somersaults.
• Benefit: In a crisis, everyone looks to the safety leader for stability and a clear process. Panic or indecision from you can quickly make a bad situation worse, compromise the investigation, and completely erode trust. You need to be the steady hand that guides the response, even when things are chaotic.
• Trait: Decisive Strategist
• Manifestation: You're not afraid to make the call to issue a 'Stop Work Authority' on a multi-million-pound project if there's a credible, even if unconfirmed, safety risk. You can sift through conflicting information during an investigation and confidently determine the most likely root cause, even when there are competing theories. You can make strategic calls on where to allocate your safety budget for the biggest impact, rather than trying to fix everything at once.
• Benefit: Safety decisions often require making tough judgment calls with incomplete information under immense time pressure. Waffling or analysis paralysis can lead to prolonged risk exposure, missed opportunities, and a significant loss of confidence from your team and the business unit leadership. You need to be able to weigh the risks and make a reasoned decision.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Empathetic Listener
• Desc: You genuinely connect with the human impact of safety failures, understanding the concerns of frontline workers and the pressures on managers. This helps you build rapport and tailor your safety messages effectively.
• Trait: Process Architect
• Desc: You believe in the power of structured, repeatable systems to prevent incidents. You're good at designing and implementing robust processes (like Management of Change) that actually work in practice, not just on paper.
• Trait: Healthy Skepticism
• Desc: You're always asking 'why' and challenging the 'we've always done it this way' mentality. You don't just accept data at face value; you dig deeper to understand the real story behind the numbers.
• Trait: Resilient Problem-Solver
• Desc: You can bounce back from setbacks, budget cuts, and the emotional toll of dealing with serious incidents. You see challenges as opportunities to learn and improve, rather than reasons to give up.

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Protecting People
2. Daily: The thought of preventing an injury or saving a life genuinely drives you. You'll spend late nights reviewing risk assessments or coaching a manager because you know the potential impact of getting it wrong.
3. Motivator: Strategic Impact & Leadership
4. Daily: You thrive on shaping the direction of a large organisation, building high-performing teams, and seeing your strategic safety plans come to fruition. You enjoy the challenge of influencing senior leaders and driving cultural change.
5. Motivator: Solving Complex Global Challenges
6. Daily: The complexity of managing safety across different cultures, languages, and regulatory environments excites you. You enjoy figuring out how to implement a consistent safety standard while respecting local contexts.

Potential Demotivators

Let's be real, this job isn't always glamorous. You'll constantly be fighting for budget and headcount, often feeling like safety is seen as a 'cost centre' rather than a value driver—until a serious incident proves you right, which is a terrible way to be right. You'll battle cultural inertia, especially the 'we've done it this way for 30 years and never been hurt' mindset from experienced operators and supervisors who resist change. There's also a persistent disconnect between the boardroom's glowing safety reports and the messy reality on the shop floor, where systems are often held together by the heroic efforts of a few dedicated individuals. You'll likely experience 'investigation fatigue,' leading the fifth investigation in a quarter on the same type of incident, knowing full well the systemic root cause is a capital investment the business is unwilling to make. Expect to feel like the 'safety cop' sometimes, constantly struggling to be seen as a supportive partner rather than an internal affairs officer looking to place blame. And honestly, dealing with 'pencil-whipped' data—where safety checklists are falsified—is a major source of frustration, making your trend analysis unreliable. Finally, navigating the post-incident politics, balancing legal, HR, and Operations' competing interests, can be incredibly draining. If you need constant appreciation, unlimited budget, or a perfectly compliant world, you'll struggle here.

Common Frustrations

1. Being seen as a 'blocker' to production or innovation, rather than an enabler.
2. The constant need to justify safety spend and prove ROI, especially for preventative measures.
3. Dealing with inconsistent application of safety standards across different regions or sites.
4. The emotional toll of managing serious incidents and supporting affected employees and families.
5. Bureaucracy and slow decision-making processes when critical safety improvements are needed.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. A quiet, predictable 9-to-5 desk job with no surprises.
2. A role where you're always popular and never have to deliver unpopular news.
3. Unlimited budget for every safety initiative you propose.
4. A completely blame-free environment (though we strive for a just culture, accountability is key).
5. A role where you don't have to deal with complex human behaviour and resistance to change.

ADHD Positives

1. The fast pace of incident response and crisis management can be highly engaging, allowing for hyperfocus when it matters most.
2. The need to quickly pivot between strategic planning, team management, and urgent operational issues can suit a dynamic, non-linear thinking style.
3. Strong ability to see connections between seemingly disparate safety data points, leading to innovative risk mitigation strategies.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. Managing multiple ongoing projects and ensuring consistent follow-through on long-term initiatives might be challenging; using visual project management tools (like Trello or Asana) and setting clear, short-term milestones can help.
2. Detailed documentation and report writing can be tedious; using AI tools for first drafts or having a dedicated admin support for formatting can reduce friction.
3. Maintaining focus during long, formal meetings; encouraging active participation, regular breaks, and providing agendas in advance can be beneficial.

Dyslexia Positives

1. Often possess strong spatial reasoning, which is excellent for understanding site layouts, emergency routes, and accident reconstruction.
2. Great at 'big picture' strategic thinking, identifying overarching safety trends and systemic issues that others might miss.
3. Strong verbal communication skills, especially in presenting complex safety information clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. Extensive report writing and policy documentation might be time-consuming; using dictation software, grammar checkers (like Grammarly), and having documents proofread by a colleague can be effective.
2. Reading dense regulatory texts can be difficult; using text-to-speech software or relying on concise summaries (perhaps AI-generated) can help.
3. Organising complex written information; visual aids, mind maps, and structured templates can support clarity.

Autism Positives

1. Exceptional ability to identify patterns and anomalies in safety data, leading to precise risk assessments and preventative measures.
2. Strong adherence to rules, procedures, and ethical standards, which is crucial for compliance and building a robust safety culture.
3. Direct and honest communication style, fostering clarity and transparency in safety discussions and incident investigations.

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. Navigating complex social dynamics and 'unwritten rules' in a large, international organisation might be taxing; clear communication of expectations and processes, and a supportive team environment, are key.
2. Unexpected changes to plans or urgent, unplanned meetings can be disruptive; providing as much advance notice as possible and clearly explaining the 'why' behind changes can help manage this.
3. Sensory sensitivities in noisy or visually busy operational environments; access to quiet workspaces or noise-cancelling headphones can be helpful during site visits or intense work periods.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: International Safety Director Manager (Level 005)
2. Responsibilities: Set the safety vision and strategic direction for your assigned business unit, making sure it aligns with the overall global EHS strategy. This means translating high-level goals into concrete, actionable plans for your team.
3. Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 10-25 safety professionals, including regional managers. You'll be responsible for their performance, career growth, and making sure they have the tools and support to succeed.
4. Own the safety budget (typically £500K-£2M P&L responsibility) for your business unit, making smart decisions on where to invest for maximum risk reduction and return. You'll need to justify these spends to BU leadership.
5. Design and implement enterprise-wide safety programmes, such as a new Behaviour-Based Safety (BBS) framework or a revised Management of Change (MOC) process, ensuring consistent application across all international sites in your BU.
6. Act as the primary point of contact for significant regulatory interactions or major incident investigations within your business unit. You'll manage the response, communications, and ensure all legal obligations are met.
7. Represent the organisation externally on safety matters, perhaps speaking at industry conferences or participating in working groups. You'll build our reputation as a leader in safety.
8. Drive continuous improvement in safety performance by analysing global incident data, identifying systemic trends, and championing innovative solutions (sometimes involving new tech or AI) to address root causes.
9. Supervision: You'll operate with a high degree of autonomy, managing your own objectives and team performance. You'll have quarterly strategic alignment meetings with the Director/VP of Compliance_Quality_Health_Safety, but day-to-day, you're running your show.
10. Decision: You'll have full authority for all operational safety decisions within your business unit, including budget allocation up to £2M, hiring and performance management for your team (including other managers), and selection of safety vendors up to £100K. Any significant changes to global safety policy or major capital expenditure above £2M will require alignment with the Director/VP and potentially the C-suite.
11. Success: Your success will be measured by a significant and sustained reduction in incident rates across your business unit, a measurable improvement in safety culture scores, the successful development and retention of your safety team, and effective management of your budget. Ultimately, it's about making our workplaces measurably safer and more compliant, whilst also contributing positively to the business's operational efficiency.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Implementing a new safety procedure for a specific hazard
• Entry: Proposes a draft procedure to supervisor for review and approval.
• Mid: Develops the procedure, consults with relevant local stakeholders, and seeks approval from local management.
• Senior: Designs the procedure, leads stakeholder consultation across a region, and approves implementation within their scope, escalating only for major policy changes.
• Type: Allocating budget for safety training programmes
• Entry: Identifies training needs and submits requests to supervisor.
• Mid: Manages the budget for local training initiatives (e.g., £5K-£10K), selecting local providers within guidelines.
• Senior: Manages regional training budget (e.g., £50K-£100K), designs regional training programmes, and selects vendors.
• Type: Responding to a significant regulatory inspection finding
• Entry: Gathers information, documents findings, and provides data to supervisor.
• Mid: Drafts the initial response, identifies corrective actions, and submits for management review.
• Senior: Leads the response, negotiates with regulators (under legal guidance), and oversees the implementation of corrective actions for a region.
• Type: Initiating a 'Stop Work Authority' on a critical project
• Entry: Can initiate a stop work, immediately informs supervisor, and follows established escalation protocol.
• Mid: Can initiate a stop work, assesses the immediate risk, and communicates directly with local operational management and their own manager.
• Senior: Can initiate a stop work, conducts a rapid risk assessment, and makes the call to halt operations across a workstream or site, informing regional leadership.

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

Beyond the technical know-how, a great International Safety Director Manager needs a solid set of 'human' skills to lead teams, influence stakeholders, and navigate complex situations. These are the bedrock of effective leadership in our field.

• Category: Leadership & Team Development
• Skills: Coaching & Mentoring: You'll need to develop your team, helping them grow and perform at their best. This means giving constructive feedback and supporting their career paths.
• Delegation: Knowing what to hand off and to whom, trusting your team to deliver, and providing clear direction.
• Conflict Resolution: Handling disagreements within your team or between departments calmly and constructively.
• Strategic Planning: Translating the big picture into actionable plans for your business unit.
• Change Management: Leading your team and the wider business through new safety initiatives and cultural shifts.
• Category: Communication & Influence
• Skills: Executive Presence: Confidently presenting complex safety information and strategic recommendations to senior leadership and the Board.
• Cross-Cultural Communication: Adapting your communication style to effectively engage diverse international teams and stakeholders.
• Negotiation: Persuading operational leaders, finance, and other departments to support safety initiatives and allocate resources.
• Crisis Communication: Managing internal and external communications during serious incidents, often under intense scrutiny.
• Category: Problem-Solving & Decision Making
• Skills: Root Cause Analysis (Advanced): Leading complex incident investigations and identifying systemic failures, not just immediate causes.
• Risk Prioritisation: Deciding which risks to tackle first with limited resources, based on severity and likelihood.
• Critical Thinking: Challenging assumptions and digging deep to understand the real issues behind safety performance.
• Solution Design: Developing practical, sustainable solutions to complex safety challenges that work in diverse operational contexts.
• Category: Business Acumen
• Skills: Financial Management: Understanding P&L, managing budgets, and building compelling business cases for safety investments.
• Operational Understanding: Knowing how our business unit actually operates day-to-day, so your safety solutions are practical and integrated.
• Legal & Regulatory Interpretation: Translating complex international safety legislation into practical guidance for your teams.
• Vendor Management: Selecting and managing external consultants, training providers, and EHS software vendors.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

These are the specific methodologies, tools, and industry knowledge you'll need to excel. We're looking for someone who can not only apply these but also lead their team in using them effectively.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: ISO 45001 (OH&S Management Systems)
• Desc: You'll need deep expertise in implementing, auditing, and managing a certified OH&S system across multiple countries within your business unit. This includes overseeing gap analyses, internal audit programmes, and leading management review processes to ensure continuous improvement.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Systematic Cause Analysis Techniques (SCAT)
• Desc: Proficiency in structured incident investigation methods beyond basic '5 Whys'. You'll lead complex investigations using techniques like TapRooT®, Bowtie Analysis, or the 'Swiss Cheese' Model to identify systemic failures and prevent recurrence, rather than just blaming individuals. You'll also mentor your team in these methods.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Human and Organisational Performance (HOP)
• Desc: Applying principles that view human error as a symptom of a flawed system. You'll focus on improving system resilience, understanding operational context, and championing 'learning teams' instead of traditional blame-focused incident investigations. This is about shifting culture.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Behaviour-Based Safety (BBS) Programme Management
• Desc: You'll be responsible for designing, leading, and optimising BBS programmes across your business unit. This involves setting the strategy for observing and influencing employee behaviours, providing constructive feedback, and using observation data to identify and address at-risk trends effectively.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Industrial Hygiene (IH) Programme Oversight
• Desc: Understanding the principles of IH to strategically manage risks from chemical, physical, and biological hazards across your business unit. This involves interpreting exposure monitoring data (e.g., for noise, dust, chemicals), ensuring control measures are effective, and advising on long-term health strategies.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Management of Change (MOC) Architecture
• Desc: Architecting and enforcing a robust MOC process across your business unit to ensure that any changes to facilities, equipment, personnel, or procedures are systematically reviewed for potential safety impacts before implementation. You'll own the effectiveness of this critical process.
• Level: Expert

Digital Tools

• Tool: Intelex / Enablon / Cority (EHS Management Platform)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Leading the strategic use and optimisation of our EHS platform across the business unit. You'll oversee integration with other enterprise systems (like HRIS/ERP), manage vendor relationships, and ensure the platform delivers actionable insights for your team and BU leadership.
• Tool: SafetyCulture (iAuditor) / Fulcrum (Field Audit & Inspection)
• Level: Architect
• Usage: Setting the global strategy for digital field data capture within your business unit. You'll ensure data standards, governance, and consistent template design across all sites, using the aggregated data for strategic risk analysis and programme effectiveness.
• Tool: Cornerstone OnDemand / Docebo (Learning Management System)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Aligning the global safety training curriculum for your business unit with strategic risk priorities. You'll approve budget for content development, platform licenses, and ensure training effectiveness metrics are driving real behavioural change.
• Tool: Power BI / Tableau (Data Visualization)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Defining the key EHS metrics for executive dashboards for your business unit. You'll ensure data integrity, interpret complex trends, and present high-level insights to the BU leadership team, translating data into strategic actions.
• Tool: ServiceNow GRC / Archer GRC Suite (GRC / Risk Platform)
• Level: Advanced
• Usage: Collaborating with broader Risk and Compliance teams to architect the safety module within the enterprise GRC platform. You'll ensure EHS risks are accurately represented in the enterprise risk profile and contribute to integrated risk reporting.
• Tool: MS Teams / SharePoint (Collaboration Suite)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Championing the use of collaboration tools for global safety campaigns, knowledge sharing, and efficient team communication across your business unit. You'll set best practices for information flow and secure document management.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: Global Safety Regulatory Landscape
• Desc: A deep understanding of major international safety regulations (e.g., EU Directives, OSHA, UK HSE, local country-specific laws) and how to navigate their complexities across different jurisdictions.
• Area: Risk Management Frameworks
• Desc: Expertise in various risk assessment methodologies (e.g., HAZOP, FMEA, JSA) and the ability to apply them strategically to identify, evaluate, and control hazards across diverse operations.
• Area: Emergency Preparedness & Response
• Desc: Designing and overseeing robust emergency response plans for various scenarios (e.g., fire, chemical spill, natural disaster) across multiple sites, including drills and training.
• Area: Occupational Health Principles
• Desc: A solid grasp of occupational health principles, including wellness programmes, ergonomic assessments, and managing work-related ill health, in collaboration with HR and medical teams.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: UK Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• Usage: Ensuring all UK operations within your business unit comply with this foundational legislation, including duties to employees and others, and understanding enforcement powers.
• Reg: EU Framework Directive 89/391/EEC (and national transpositions)
• Usage: Understanding the core principles of risk assessment, prevention, and worker consultation that underpin safety legislation across the European Union, and how these are implemented in various member states where we operate.
• Reg: OSHA Standards (USA)
• Usage: Familiarity with key OSHA general industry and construction standards, and how to ensure compliance for any US-based operations within your business unit.
• Reg: Local Country-Specific Safety Legislation
• Usage: The ability to quickly research, interpret, and ensure compliance with specific safety laws in any new or existing international market where your business unit operates, working closely with local teams and legal counsel.

Essential Prerequisites

• Proven track record of leading and managing safety teams across multiple sites or regions for at least 5 years.
• Demonstrable experience in designing, implementing, and overseeing large-scale safety programmes (e.g., BBS, MOC) in a complex, international environment.
• Strong experience in managing significant safety budgets and presenting business cases for investment to senior leadership.
• Expertise in leading complex incident investigations and managing regulatory interactions post-incident.
• A deep understanding of ISO 45001 (or equivalent) and experience with external audit processes.
• The ability to work autonomously, setting strategic objectives and driving results with minimal supervision.

Career Pathway Context

Typically, people coming into this role would have spent time as a Senior Regional Safety Advisor or a Principal Safety Strategist, where they've already demonstrated their ability to lead workstreams, manage complex projects, and influence stakeholders. This role takes that to the next level, adding full P&L accountability for a significant business unit and direct management of other safety managers.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: AI & Automation Strategy for EHS
• Why: AI isn't just for data scientists anymore; it's transforming how we manage safety. Competitors are already using AI to predict risks, automate compliance checks, and streamline reporting, giving them a significant edge in efficiency and proactive risk management. Leaders who don't embrace this will be left behind.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Predictive Analytics for Incident Prevention', 'description': 'Using machine learning to analyse vast datasets (weather, production, historical incidents) to forecast high-risk areas or activities.'}, {'concept_name': 'Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Safety Data', 'description': 'Automating the review and categorisation of incident reports, near-misses, and safety observations to quickly identify trends and anomalies.'}, {'concept_name': 'Robotics & Drone Integration for Inspections', 'description': 'Understanding how autonomous systems can conduct inspections in hazardous environments, reducing human exposure and improving data quality.'}, {'concept_name': 'AI-Powered Compliance Monitoring', 'description': 'Using AI to track changes in global regulations and automatically assess their impact on our operations and policies.'}]
• Prepare: This month: Read up on how AI is being used in EHS. Look for case studies from other industries.
• Next quarter: Attend a webinar or online course on AI for business leaders, focusing on practical applications, not just theory.
• Within 6 months: Identify one specific area within your business unit (e.g., incident reporting, audit scheduling) where AI could genuinely save time or improve decision-making, and champion a pilot project.
• Within 12 months: Work with our IT or data teams to explore integrating AI capabilities into our existing EHS management platform.
• QuickWin: Start using AI tools (like ChatGPT or Claude) to draft initial policy updates, summarise lengthy regulatory documents, or generate ideas for safety campaign messaging. It's low-risk and provides immediate benefits.
• Skill: Sustainability & ESG Integration
• Why: Safety is no longer a standalone function; it's a critical component of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. Investors, customers, and employees are increasingly scrutinising our social impact, and strong safety performance is a key indicator. You'll need to articulate how safety contributes to our broader sustainability goals.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'ESG Reporting Frameworks', 'description': 'Understanding frameworks like GRI, SASB, and TCFD, and how safety data feeds into these reports.'}, {'concept_name': 'Social Licence to Operate', 'description': 'Recognising how our safety performance impacts our reputation and ability to operate in communities.'}, {'concept_name': 'Circular Economy Principles', 'description': 'Understanding the safety implications of new business models focused on waste reduction and resource efficiency.'}, {'concept_name': 'Climate Change Adaptation (Safety Perspective)', 'description': 'Assessing how changing climate patterns (e.g., extreme weather) create new safety risks for our operations and workforce.'}]
• Prepare: This month: Read our company's latest Sustainability or ESG report to understand current commitments.
• Next quarter: Connect with our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or Sustainability team to understand their objectives and how safety can contribute.
• Within 6 months: Identify one safety initiative within your business unit that has a clear, measurable ESG benefit (e.g., reducing waste, improving worker wellbeing) and highlight it in your reports.
• Within 12 months: Take an online course on ESG fundamentals or sustainable business practices to broaden your perspective.
• QuickWin: Start explicitly linking your safety initiatives to our company's broader sustainability goals in your internal communications and presentations. It helps connect the dots for everyone.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: Advanced EHS Platform Configuration & Integration
• Why: EHS platforms are becoming central nervous systems for safety data. You'll need to move beyond just using them to strategically configuring them, ensuring they integrate seamlessly with other business systems (HR, ERP) to provide a single source of truth and automate workflows. This means less manual data entry and more reliable insights.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'API Integration for Data Exchange', 'description': 'Understanding how EHS platforms connect with other systems to share data automatically.'}, {'concept_name': 'Custom Workflow Automation', 'description': 'Designing automated processes within the platform for incident management, CAPA tracking, and compliance tasks.'}, {'concept_name': 'Data Governance & Quality Management', 'description': 'Ensuring the integrity and reliability of all safety data flowing into and out of the platform.'}, {'concept_name': 'Vendor Management for Platform Optimisation', 'description': 'Working closely with platform providers to leverage new features and address business unit-specific needs.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Schedule a deep dive with our EHS platform's technical support or account manager to understand its full integration capabilities.
• Next 6 months: Lead a project to integrate one key data source (e.g., HR employee data) into the EHS platform for your business unit.
• Within 12 months: Design and implement a new automated workflow within the platform to streamline a critical safety process (e.g., MOC approvals).
• QuickWin: Review your business unit's current EHS platform usage. Identify one manual data entry task that could be automated and explore how to do it with existing platform features.
• Skill: Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) for Safety
• Why: Safety risks aren't isolated; they're part of a broader enterprise risk landscape. You'll need to understand how safety risks contribute to and are influenced by financial, operational, and reputational risks. This means moving beyond just managing safety in a silo to integrating it into the company's overall risk management framework, often using GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) platforms.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Risk Appetite & Tolerance', 'description': "Understanding the company's overall willingness to accept risk and how safety fits into that."}, {'concept_name': 'Integrated Risk Reporting', 'description': 'Consolidating safety risk data with other enterprise risks for a holistic view for the Board.'}, {'concept_name': 'Scenario Planning for Catastrophic Events', 'description': 'Developing strategies for managing high-impact, low-probability safety events within an ERM context.'}, {'concept_name': 'GRC Platform Utilisation', 'description': 'Leveraging tools like ServiceNow GRC or Archer GRC to manage safety risks as part of an integrated framework.'}]
• Prepare: This month: Meet with our Enterprise Risk Management or Internal Audit team to understand their current frameworks and reporting.
• Next quarter: Identify the top 3 safety risks for your business unit and articulate how they could impact broader enterprise risks (e.g., reputational, financial).
• Within 6 months: Contribute to an integrated risk report for your business unit that combines safety, operational, and financial risks.
• Within 12 months: Lead a project to map your business unit's critical safety controls to the company's overall ERM framework.
• QuickWin: Start using the language of enterprise risk in your safety discussions with BU leadership. Frame safety investments not just as compliance, but as mitigating broader business risks.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: A Bachelor's degree (or equivalent OFQUAL Level 6 qualification) in Occupational Health & Safety, Engineering, Environmental Science, or a related technical field.
• Alts: We're open to candidates with extensive, demonstrable experience (15+ years) in senior international safety roles, coupled with relevant professional certifications, in lieu of a specific degree.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: A Master's degree (or equivalent OFQUAL Level 7 qualification) in Safety Management, Business Administration (MBA), or a related discipline.
• Alts: Specific postgraduate qualifications in risk management or environmental science would also be highly valued.

Experience Requirements

You'll need at least 12-16 years of progressive experience in Health & Safety, with a significant portion (at least 5-7 years) in a leadership or managerial capacity across multiple international locations. We're looking for someone who has managed teams, owned budgets, and driven strategic safety programmes for a large business unit or division. Experience in a high-risk industry (e.g., manufacturing, logistics, energy, construction) is a must, as is a proven track record of reducing incident rates and fostering a strong safety culture.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: Chartered Member of IOSH (CMIOSH)
• Prod: Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
• Usage: Demonstrates a high level of professional competence and commitment to continuous professional development in the UK and internationally.
• Cert: Lead Auditor (ISO 45001)
• Prod: Various accredited bodies (e.g., BSI, LRQA)
• Usage: Crucial for overseeing and managing our ISO 45001 management system and ensuring its effectiveness across your business unit.
• Cert: TapRooT® or BowtieXP Practitioner
• Prod: System Improvements Inc. / CGE Risk Management Solutions
• Usage: Indicates expertise in advanced incident investigation and risk assessment methodologies, which are key for identifying systemic issues.
• Cert: Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
• Prod: Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)
• Usage: A highly respected certification in North America, demonstrating broad safety knowledge and experience.

Recommended Activities

• Regularly attend industry conferences and workshops (e.g., IOSH, NSC, AIHA) to stay current with best practices and emerging trends.
• Participate in professional safety networks and forums to share knowledge and learn from peers.
• Undertake continuous professional development (CPD) activities, logging at least 30 hours annually, focusing on leadership, technology, and global regulatory updates.
• Seek out opportunities to mentor junior safety professionals, solidifying your own understanding and leadership skills.
• Engage in cross-functional projects within the business unit (e.g., with Operations, Engineering) to broaden your business acumen.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: Senior Regional Safety Advisor
• Time: 3-5 years in previous role
• Path: Principal Safety Strategist
• Time: 4-6 years in previous role
• Path: Head of EHS for a smaller business unit or country
• Time: 3-5 years in previous role

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: International Safety Director (Level 006)
• Time: 4-6 years in current role
• Pathway: VP of EHS / Head of Global EHS (Level 006)
• Time: 5-7 years in current role

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: Chief Health, Safety & Sustainability Officer (CHSSO) (Level 007)
• Time: 8-12+ years from current role
• Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Time: 10-15+ years from current role
• Title: Head of Enterprise Risk Management
• Time: 8-12+ years from current role

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.