UK

United Kingdom · Compliance, quality and safety · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports3-8 reports
  • Reports toChief Operating Officer
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of EHS & Compliance · VP, Regulatory Affairs & Safety · Senior Director, Quality & Risk Management

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

CISI Level 6 Diploma in Investment Compliance Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment · Level 6 · covers 2 of 17 standards
GQA Level 5 Diploma in the Practice of Process Safety Management GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 5 · covers 2 of 17 standards
CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership Chartered Management Institute · Level 5 · covers 2 of 17 standards
CICM Level 5 Diploma in Credit and Collections Management Chartered Institute of Credit Management · Level 5 · covers 1 of 17 standards
GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Diploma for a Bulk Storage Operator (Technician) GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 3 · covers 2 of 17 standards
City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate In Providing Financial Services City & Guilds Limited · Level 3 · covers 2 of 17 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Risk in Financial Services CISI Level 6 Diploma in Investment Compliance
Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety GQA Level 5 Diploma in the Practice of Process Safety Management
Manage Health and Safety in own area of responsibility CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership
Compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements CICM Level 5 Diploma in Credit and Collections Management
Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Diploma for a Bulk Storage Operator (Technician)
Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate In Providing Financial Services

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Sustainability Fluency building care for people and planet into the work
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety

6 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Risk in Financial Services Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment · covers 2 of 17 standards Level 6
  2. Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 2 of 17 standards Level 5
  3. Manage Health and Safety in own area of responsibility Chartered Management Institute · covers 2 of 17 standards Level 5
  4. Compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements Chartered Institute of Credit Management · covers 1 of 17 standards Level 5
  5. Comply with External and Internal Obligations within a Bulk Storage Operations Environment GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 2 of 17 standards Level 3
  6. Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements City & Guilds Limited · covers 2 of 17 standards Level 3
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI-Powered Predictive Risk Modelling
  • ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Integration
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety plan as you set up, starting with the free Automation Fluency module. No card.

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Keep this read. One email with what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for and where to start free. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

3What this role really is

A Director of Compliance, Quality and Health and Safety sets the strategy for keeping people safe, products up to standard, and the business within the law. The role looks across multiple sites, keeping the approach consistent and effective, with a direct effect on colleagues' wellbeing and on the results of the business.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Intelex, Cority, Enablon (or similar EHS/GRC Platforms) Strategic

Leading platform selection, defining enterprise data governance, architecting integration with ERP/HRIS, using strategic dashboards for executive decision-making.

SharePoint (with custom workflows) / MasterControl / Veeva QualityDocs Architect

Setting enterprise-wide document lifecycle and retention policies, ensuring system validation for regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 11 if applicable), overseeing document control strategy.

Power BI, Tableau, Advanced Excel (Power Query, Pivot Tables) Strategic

Defining the key metrics (e.g., TRIR, DART) the business will track, presenting data-driven insights to the executive board to justify investments in safety programmes, overseeing data strategy for CQHS.

LexisNexis Regulatory Compliance, Enhesa, Thomson Reuters Regulatory Intelligence Strategic

Interpreting the business impact of proposed legislation, advising leadership on lobbying efforts and long-term strategic adjustments, setting the regulatory monitoring strategy for the team.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Strategic Direction for CQHS Function N/A N/A Contributes to proposals, offers technical insights to Director.
Annual CQHS Budget Allocation (£) N/A N/A Proposes budget for specific workstreams up to £50K, requires Director approval.
Major Regulatory Response/Negotiation N/A N/A Drafts initial responses, gathers data, advises Director.
Enterprise EHS/GRC Platform Selection/Deployment N/A N/A Evaluates technical capabilities, provides input on user requirements, supports implementation.
New Policy/Standard Approval (Enterprise-wide) N/A N/A Drafts and reviews policies, gathers stakeholder feedback, recommends to Director.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR)
A key measure of workplace safety, tracking the number of recordable injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers.
Target · Reduce TRIR by 15% year-on-year across all sites.

If our TRIR was 1.2 last year, we're aiming for 1.02 this year. This means fewer people getting hurt, which is obviously the main point, but it also saves us a fortune in lost time and insurance.

Regulatory Fines & Violations
Tracking the number and monetary value of any penalties or non-compliance notices from regulatory bodies.
Target · Achieve zero 'Major' regulatory fines or violations for two consecutive years.

Avoiding that £500,000 fine from the Environment Agency we nearly got last year. It's about proactive management, not just reacting when they knock on the door.

Audit Non-Conformance Resolution Rate
The percentage of identified audit findings (internal and external) that are closed out within their agreed-upon timeframe.
Target · Maintain a 95%+ resolution rate for all 'Major' and 'Minor' non-conformances.

If we had 20 major findings from our last ISO audit, we expect 19 of those to be fully resolved and verified by their due dates. This shows we're actually fixing things, not just documenting them.

Workers' Compensation Premium Reduction
The financial impact of improved safety performance on our insurance costs.
Target · Negotiate a 5% reduction in workers' compensation insurance premiums due to demonstrated risk management improvements.

Saving £100,000 on our annual insurance bill because our safety record has visibly improved. It's a tangible financial benefit of doing things properly.

Leadership Engagement in Safety Culture
How actively and visibly senior leaders champion safety and quality initiatives, moving beyond mere lip service.
  • Regular participation in safety walks, proactive discussions about safety in management meetings, personal accountability for safety outcomes, visible promotion of 'Stop-Work Authority' without reprisal.
Proactive Risk Identification & Mitigation
The shift from reactive incident response to systematically identifying and addressing potential risks before they become problems.
  • Number of high-risk items identified through proactive hazard assessments, successful implementation of new engineering controls, reduction in near-misses for previously identified high-risk areas, positive feedback from operational teams on risk prevention support.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence
How effectively you get different departments to work together on compliance and safety, rather than seeing it as 'your' problem.
  • Compliance considerations integrated early into new product development, joint safety campaigns with HR, operational teams actively seeking compliance input on process changes, positive feedback from other department heads about your team's collaborative approach.
External Reputation & Regulatory Relationships
How external bodies (regulators, auditors) perceive our organisation's commitment to compliance and safety.
  • Positive feedback from external auditors, fewer unannounced inspections (or more collaborative ones), being seen as a 'go-to' company for industry best practices, effective management of any regulatory challenges without escalation.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Protecting People & Reputation

You'll feel a deep sense of satisfaction from seeing incident rates drop, knowing your work directly contributes to colleagues going home safe. The thought of preventing a major regulatory fine or product recall genuinely drives you.

Successfully implementing a new safety protocol that visibly reduces injuries in a high-risk area, or steering the company through a complex regulatory change without a single penalty.

Building & Optimising Systems

You love taking a messy, reactive process and transforming it into a smooth, proactive, and efficient system. The idea of architecting a robust GRC platform or a seamless MOC process excites you.

Leading the successful implementation of a new EHS management system that integrates data across sites, providing real-time insights and significantly reducing manual reporting.

Strategic Influence & Impact

You're motivated by the opportunity to shape the company's long-term strategy, influencing executive decisions and seeing your vision for compliance and safety become a core part of the business model.

Presenting a compelling business case to the Board for a significant investment in a new quality control technology, and seeing it approved because they trust your strategic vision.

What frustrates people
  • Fighting for budget for proactive measures when the business prefers to react to incidents.
  • The 'compliance cop' stigma, where your team is seen as an obstacle rather than a partner.
  • Having to deliver uncomfortable audit findings to senior leadership who might push back.
  • Dealing with fragmented data sources and manual processes because 'that's how we've always done it'.
  • The constant challenge of keeping up with ever-changing and sometimes contradictory regulations across different jurisdictions.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable 9-to-5 job with no surprises.
  • A role where you're universally loved by all departments (you'll often be the one saying 'no').
  • The opportunity to avoid difficult conversations or challenging existing ways of working.
  • A role where you can delegate all the 'boring' bits of compliance; you'll still need to get into the detail sometimes.

8Who you work with

This role directly drives the organisation's risk profile, operational continuity, and public image. Your decisions here can prevent major incidents, protect our workforce, and ensure we maintain our market position and regulatory standing. You're effectively the guardian of our integrity and safety.

Inside the business
  • Chief Operating Officer (COO)
  • Legal Counsel
  • Heads of Production/Operations
  • HR Director
  • Finance Director
  • Product Development Leads
Outside the business
  • Regulatory bodies (e.g., HSE, Environment Agency)
  • External auditors and certification bodies
  • Insurance providers
  • Key suppliers and contractors
  • Industry associations

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Proven track record of leading and developing high-performing compliance, quality, or EHS teams.
  • Demonstrable experience in setting and executing multi-site or business unit-level CQHS strategy.
  • Extensive experience managing significant regulatory interactions and complex audit programmes.
  • Deep expertise in at least one major EHS/GRC platform (e.g., Intelex, Cority) from a strategic implementation perspective.
  • Strong financial acumen, including managing budgets in excess of £2M and demonstrating ROI for CQHS initiatives.
  • A history of successfully driving cultural change and embedding safety/quality principles across an organisation.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Data Governance & Integration for EHS/GRC

As we rely more on data for predictive insights and automated reporting, ensuring data quality, consistency, and seamless integration across disparate systems becomes paramount. Poor data means poor decisions, and at this level, that's a huge risk.

Master Data Management (MDM) for Compliance Data · API Integration & Data Lakes · Data Privacy & Security in CQHS Systems · Data Visualisation for Executive Decision Making

  • This quarter: Review our current data architecture for CQHS and identify key integration gaps or data quality issues.
  • Next 6 months: Partner with our IT leadership to develop a roadmap for improving data governance and system integration within your function.
  • Next 12 months: Lead a project to implement a new data visualisation strategy for your executive reports, making them more impactful.
  • Continuously: Stay informed on data management best practices and how they apply to regulatory and quality data.

Quick win: Simply asking 'where does this data come from?' and 'how reliable is it?' for every report you receive. Challenge the status quo.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Active participation in relevant industry associations (e.g., IOSH, IEMA, CQI) at a leadership level.
  • Regular attendance at executive-level conferences and forums on risk management, ESG, and regulatory affairs.
  • Mentoring junior professionals in the CQHS field to give back and stay connected to emerging talent.
  • Publishing thought leadership pieces or presenting at industry events to establish yourself as an expert.
  • Pursuing executive education programmes focused on leadership, change management, or specific industry challenges.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Powered Predictive Risk Modelling

Traditional risk assessments are often reactive or based on historical data. AI is changing this by allowing us to predict future incidents, regulatory changes, and quality failures with much greater accuracy, based on vast and varied datasets. Competitors are already using this to get ahead.

  • Machine Learning for Anomaly Detection
  • Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Incident Analysis
  • Predictive Analytics for Regulatory Change
  • Ethical AI & Bias Mitigation

ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Integration

ESG isn't just a 'nice to have' anymore; it's a critical driver for investor confidence, customer loyalty, and regulatory scrutiny. Your role will increasingly involve integrating CQHS into the broader ESG strategy and reporting framework, demonstrating our commitment to sustainability and ethical operations.

  • ESG Reporting Frameworks (e.g., GRI, SASB)
  • Carbon Footprint Measurement & Reduction
  • Supply Chain Due Diligence (Social & Environmental)
  • Stakeholder Capitalism & Corporate Responsibility

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
  • Advanced Root Cause Analysis & Systemic Prevention
  • Global Regulatory Strategy & Foresight
  • Integrated Management Systems (IMS) Design & Implementation
  • Crisis Communications & Stakeholder Management

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Head of EHS (Multi-Site/Regional)

    10-15 years experience, 3-5 years in a Head role

    Skills to master

    • Managing diverse teams across geographies, budget management, advanced stakeholder negotiation, strategic programme implementation.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led a major EHS transformation across multiple operational sites.
    • Managed a significant EHS budget (e.g., £1M+).
    • Demonstrated ability to influence regional leadership on EHS priorities.
    • Successfully navigated complex regulatory challenges in different jurisdictions.
  2. 2

    Head of Quality Assurance (Large Organisation)

    10-15 years experience, 3-5 years in a Head role

    Skills to master

    • Enterprise-wide quality management systems, product lifecycle quality, supplier quality management, driving continuous improvement through Lean/Six Sigma.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Oversaw the successful implementation or re-certification of ISO 9001 across a large organisation.
    • Significantly reduced product defects or customer complaints through systemic quality improvements.
    • Managed a large quality assurance team, including managers.
    • Demonstrated strong analytical skills in quality data and root cause analysis.
  3. 3

    Senior Legal Counsel (Specialising in Regulatory Affairs)

    15+ years experience, 5+ years in a senior legal role

    Skills to master

    • Deep legal interpretation, litigation management, regulatory liaison, risk assessment from a legal perspective, policy drafting.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully advised on major regulatory compliance cases or enforcement actions.
    • Managed complex legal risks related to product safety or environmental compliance.
    • Demonstrated ability to translate legal requirements into practical business advice.
    • Strong negotiation skills with external legal counsel and regulatory bodies.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role moves someone from managing programmes to shaping the direction of a business. It can lead to roles such as Chief Compliance and Risk Officer or Chief Operating Officer.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Risk in Financial Services, worked against Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety.

Risk in Financial Services Level 6

Applied to your work in Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety

The objective of this unit is to equip learners with a thorough understanding of risk management principles and their application within the financial services industry. Learners will be able to identify, assess, manage, and reduce key risks, including credit, market, and operational risks, using various risk management approaches.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety
  • Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
  • Advanced Root Cause Analysis & Systemic Prevention
  • Global Regulatory Strategy & Foresight
  • Integrated Management Systems (IMS) Design & Implementation
  • Crisis Communications & Stakeholder Management
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Compliance & Risk Officer (CCRO)

    3-5 years in Director role

    Level 7 (C-Suite)

    • Advanced financial risk management.
    • Cybersecurity risk oversight.
    • Geopolitical risk assessment.
    • Crisis leadership at an enterprise level.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

As Director, your time is gold. You're thinking about enterprise risk, not chasing data. AI won't replace your strategic brain, but it'll certainly free it up from the grunt work, letting you focus on what truly matters: protecting our business and our people.

Imagine having a personal assistant that can digest thousands of pages of new regulations overnight, flag critical risks, and even draft your board reports. That's the reality AI offers for a Director in Compliance, Quality & Health Safety.

Strategic Risk & Trend Analysis

AI can sift through vast datasets (incident reports, audit findings, near misses, external market data) to identify subtle, non-obvious patterns and emerging risks that human analysis might miss. It'll give you a clearer, more predictive view of your risk landscape, allowing you to allocate resources more effectively.

Advanced Regulatory Intelligence & Impact Assessment

Instead of your team spending weeks dissecting new legislation, AI tools can summarise critical changes from multiple regulatory bodies, perform gap analyses against your current policies, and even provide a first-pass assessment of the potential business impact. You'll get actionable insights faster.

Automated Board & Executive Reporting

Feed AI your raw data and key performance indicators, and it can generate first drafts of comprehensive executive summaries, board presentations, and quarterly reports. You'll spend less time on formatting and more time refining the strategic narrative and recommendations.

Policy Development & Harmonisation

AI can help draft new policies or harmonise existing ones across different sites or business units, ensuring consistency and compliance. It can quickly compare your internal standards against best practices or new regulations, highlighting areas for improvement.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety?

Common routes in include Head of EHS (Multi-Site/Regional) (10-15 years experience, 3-5 years in a Head role), Head of Quality Assurance (Large Organisation) (10-15 years experience, 3-5 years in a Head role) and Senior Legal Counsel (Specialising in Regulatory Affairs) (15+ years experience, 5+ years in a senior legal role). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Compliance & Risk Officer (CCRO) (3-5 years in Director role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of Compliance, Quality & Health Safety?

Increasingly, AI-Powered Predictive Risk Modelling and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Integration. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in compliance, quality and safety

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills in managing regulatory environments, driving cultural change, and reducing operational risk carry across sectors. This can lead to work in pharmaceuticals, finance, energy, or consulting, advising other businesses on compliance and risk.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Automation Fluency module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.