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

Director, Global EHS (Construction)

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

Free to start: a plan built for this role, and a Future Fluency module to try first. No card.

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports25-100+ reports
  • Reports toChief Operating Officer (COO) or CEO
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP of Construction Safety · Head of Global Construction Health & Safety · EHS Director - Construction Division

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

Highfield Level 7 NVQ in Construction Senior Management (RQF) Highfield Qualifications · Level 7 · covers 2 of 21 standards
GQA Level 7 NVQ Diploma in Construction Senior Management GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 7 · covers 1 of 21 standards
ProQual Awarding Body Level 7 Vocationally-Related Qualification in Construction Management ProQual Awarding Body · Level 7 · covers 1 of 21 standards
Qualifi Level 7 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Management Qualifi Ltd · Level 7 · covers 1 of 21 standards
CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership Chartered Management Institute · Level 5 · covers 3 of 21 standards
GQA Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Construction Site Management GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 6 · covers 2 of 21 standards

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

The units you would start with

Direct the management of design development and processes in construction management Highfield Level 7 NVQ in Construction Senior Management (RQF)
Assess and evaluate the sustainability and environmental impact of developments in construction management GQA Level 7 NVQ Diploma in Construction Senior Management
Sustainability and Environmental Impact of Developments in Construction Management ProQual Awarding Body Level 7 Vocationally-Related Qualification in Construction Management
Strategic Commitment to Health and Well-Being Qualifi Level 7 Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Management
Manage Health and Safety in own area of responsibility CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership
Establishing, Implementing and Maintaining Systems for Managing Health, Safety and Welfare in the Workplace GQA Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Construction Site Management

The future skills this job leans on

Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Sustainability Fluency building care for people and planet into the work
Frontier Fluency the next wave, beyond mainstream AI
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Global EHS (Construction)

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

  1. Direct the management of design development and processes in construction management Highfield Qualifications · covers 2 of 21 standards Level 7
  2. Assess and evaluate the sustainability and environmental impact of developments in construction management GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 21 standards Level 7
  3. Sustainability and Environmental Impact of Developments in Construction Management ProQual Awarding Body · covers 1 of 21 standards Level 7
  4. Strategic Commitment to Health and Well-Being Qualifi Ltd · covers 1 of 21 standards Level 7
  5. Manage Health and Safety in own area of responsibility Chartered Management Institute · covers 3 of 21 standards Level 5
  6. Establishing, Implementing and Maintaining Systems for Managing Health, Safety and Welfare in the Workplace GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 2 of 21 standards Level 6
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, Global EHS (Construction)?

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

  • ESG Reporting & Sustainability Integration
  • Digital Twin & VR for Safety Planning
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, Global EHS (Construction) plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

3What this role really is

This role leads the EHS function for a global construction division, shaping safety culture and embedding it into business decisions.

4What you'd actually use

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

EHS Platform (e.g., Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud, Intelex) Strategic

Leading platform selection, defining global data governance standards, architecting integrations with other enterprise systems (e.g., ERP, HRIS), and overseeing enterprise-wide deployment and optimisation.

Mobile Inspection/Audit (e.g., iAuditor by SafetyCulture, Fulcrum) Strategic

Setting the global standard for mobile data collection, analysing metadata to identify inspection quality issues across regions, and evaluating new mobile EHS technologies for enterprise adoption.

Data Visualization (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) Strategic

Defining the key EHS metrics for executive-level dashboards and board reports, presenting data-driven safety strategy to the C-suite, and overseeing the development of predictive EHS analytics.

Learning Management System (LMS) (e.g., SAP Litmos, Cornerstone OnDemand) Strategic

Setting the global safety training curriculum and budget, selecting LMS vendors, and overseeing enterprise-wide deployment, compliance, and effectiveness measurement.

Collaboration & Docs (e.g., MS Teams, SharePoint, Bluebeam Revu) Strategic

Designing the information architecture for the global Safety Management System in SharePoint, establishing protocols for formal document control, and ensuring efficient collaboration across global EHS teams and project sites.

Regulatory Tracking (e.g., Enablon, LexisNexis Regulatory Compliance) Strategic

Managing the global regulatory compliance framework, engaging with legal counsel and lobbying groups on emerging EHS legislation, and ensuring proactive adaptation to regulatory changes across all operating regions.

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
Global EHS Policy & Standard Setting Follows established policies. Applies policies to specific projects, suggests minor improvements. Designs and implements regional policy updates, consults on global standards.
EHS Budget Allocation Manages small project-level expenses. Manages project EHS budget up to £50K, escalates variances. Manages workstream budget up to £100K, recommends larger investments.
Major Incident Response & Communication Reports incidents, assists with initial investigation steps. Leads project-level incident investigations, drafts initial reports. Leads complex incident investigations, makes recommendations to project leadership.

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.

Workers' Compensation Claim Costs
The total cost of workers' compensation claims across the global construction division.
Target · Reduce global workers' compensation claim costs by 10% year-on-year.

In Q3, we saw claim costs drop from £2.5M to £2.2M compared to the previous year, showing a clear impact from new safety initiatives.

ISO 45001 Certification Coverage
The percentage of our global construction operations that have achieved or maintained ISO 45001 certification.
Target · Achieve ISO 45001 certification across 90% of global operations within three years.

We've brought 75% of our regions under ISO 45001 certification this year, adding new countries like Australia and Canada to the programme.

Serious Incident Frequency Rate (SIFR)
The rate of incidents resulting in serious injury or fatality, per 200,000 hours worked.
Target · Reduce SIFR by 15% year-on-year through predictive risk models.

Our predictive analytics flagged a high-risk project in Germany, allowing us to intervene and prevent a potential fall from height, contributing to a 17% SIFR reduction this quarter.

EHS Budget Adherence
Managing the global EHS budget for the construction division, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and spending stays within approved limits.
Target · Maintain actual spend within 5% of the approved annual EHS budget (£2M-£10M+).

Despite unforeseen regulatory changes requiring new training, we finished the year only 3% over budget, demonstrating tight financial control.

Board and Executive Confidence
The level of trust and confidence the Board and C-Suite have in the EHS strategy and its execution.
  • You'll be regularly invited to present EHS updates to the Board and executive team, and they'll actively seek your input on strategic business decisions, seeing safety not as a cost, but as an enabler. They'll ask 'what do you think?' before signing off on major project bids or acquisitions.
Regulatory Relationship Strength
The quality and effectiveness of our relationships with key regulatory bodies globally.
  • Regulators will view us as a proactive, collaborative partner, often seeking our input on policy development or best practices. We'll see fewer unannounced inspections leading to citations, and more constructive dialogue when issues arise. You'll be the face of the company in high-level regulatory discussions.
Safety Culture Maturity
The observable shift towards a truly proactive, interdependent safety culture across the construction division.
  • You'll see a noticeable increase in voluntary near-miss reporting, open discussions about safety challenges at all levels (not just top-down), and project teams actively sharing safety innovations. Workers will genuinely feel empowered to stop unsafe work without fear of reprisal.
Strategic Integration of EHS
How well EHS considerations are embedded into core business processes, from project bidding to supply chain management.
  • EHS will be a standing agenda item in project kick-off meetings, M&A due diligence, and procurement reviews. You'll be involved in early-stage project planning, not just brought in when things go wrong. Safety will be a clear differentiator in our client proposals.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Shaping Enterprise Strategy

You'll spend your days in strategic planning meetings, influencing business decisions, and presenting to the Board. Your input directly shapes how the company operates and grows.

Leading the EHS integration plan for a major acquisition, ensuring safety considerations are at the forefront of the deal structure and post-merger operations.

Protecting Organisational Future

You're the guardian of our licence to operate, our reputation, and our people. The knowledge that your work prevents harm and secures the company's future is a huge driver.

Developing and implementing a robust global crisis management plan that protects employees and assets during major emergencies, ensuring business continuity.

Driving Cultural Transformation

You'll be working to embed a proactive safety culture across thousands of employees globally, seeing the tangible shift in attitudes and behaviours over time.

Launching a new global 'Speak Up for Safety' campaign that significantly increases near-miss reporting and empowers every worker with stop-work authority.

What frustrates people
  • Dealing with executive teams who pay 'lip service' to safety but don't back it up with resources or tough decisions.
  • Trying to enforce a consistent global safety standard across vastly different regulatory, cultural, and operational environments.
  • The constant tension between project schedules/budgets and the need for uncompromising safety measures, often having to be the 'bad guy'.
  • The sheer volume of administrative and governance work required at this level, which can sometimes pull you away from strategic thinking.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable 9-to-5 job with no surprises.
  • A role where you're solely focused on technical safety details without needing to engage with broader business strategy.
  • Immediate, tangible results for every initiative – cultural change takes years, not months.
  • A position where you're always popular; sometimes, you'll have to make tough, unpopular decisions for the greater good.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes the safety culture and performance across our entire global construction division. Your decisions impact our operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, insurance premiums, and, most critically, the physical wellbeing of thousands of employees and contractors. You're a key player in protecting our company's licence to operate and its long-term financial health.

Inside the business
  • C-Suite (CEO, COO, CFO)
  • Board of Directors (especially the Audit & Risk Committee)
  • Legal Counsel
  • Insurance & Risk Management Teams
  • Project Delivery & Operations Leadership
  • HR and Talent Teams
Outside the business
  • Regulatory Bodies (HSE, OSHA, local authorities)
  • Industry Associations & Standard-Setting Organisations
  • Insurance Brokers & Underwriters
  • Key Subcontractors & Supply Chain Partners
  • External Auditors & Consultants

9What you need before you start

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

  • Extensive experience (16+ years) in a senior EHS leadership role within the construction industry, ideally with global exposure.
  • Demonstrable track record of successfully leading and implementing enterprise-wide EHS programmes that have delivered measurable improvements in safety performance and cultural maturity.
  • Proven ability to manage significant EHS budgets and P&L responsibilities (typically £2M+).
  • Experience presenting EHS strategy and performance to Board-level audiences and engaging with C-suite executives.
  • Strong leadership experience, including managing managers and developing high-performing global teams.
  • A deep understanding of international EHS legal frameworks and best practices, with experience navigating complex regulatory environments.

10What to practise next

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

Advanced Predictive Analytics for Safety

Moving beyond lagging indicators, the ability to use sophisticated data models to predict where and when incidents are most likely to occur will revolutionise safety management. You'll need to understand the capabilities and limitations of these models to guide your team and make strategic interventions.

Machine learning models for risk prediction (e.g., · Feature engineering from EHS data (e.g., weather, · Model interpretability and explainability (XAI) fo · Data governance and quality for predictive models · Ethical considerations of AI in safety decision-ma

  • This quarter: Engage with our Data Science team (if we have one) or external experts on predictive modelling basics.
  • Next 3 months: Oversee a pilot project using predictive analytics for a specific EHS risk (e.g., falls) on a few projects.
  • Next 6 months: Develop a roadmap for scaling predictive analytics across the global construction division.
  • Next 12 months: Establish clear metrics and governance for the use of AI in safety decision-making.

Quick win: Start asking your data visualisation team what 'leading indicators' they can correlate with past incidents. Even simple correlations can be a starting point for predictive thinking.

Global Geopolitical Risk & Safety

As we expand into new and challenging markets, understanding the interplay between geopolitical stability, local regulations, cultural norms, and security risks becomes paramount for protecting our personnel and assets. This isn't just about 'safety' in the traditional sense, but broader risk management.

Political risk assessment for new markets · Security management in high-risk regions · Cross-cultural EHS management strategies · International labour laws and human rights conside · Supply chain resilience and EHS implications

  • This quarter: Subscribe to geopolitical risk intelligence reports relevant to our operating regions.
  • Next 3 months: Partner with our Corporate Security and Legal teams to develop integrated risk assessments for new project bids.
  • Next 6 months: Develop a training programme for regional EHS managers on managing EHS in politically sensitive or high-risk areas.
  • Next 12 months: Establish a formal process for integrating geopolitical risk intelligence into our global EHS strategy and project planning.

Quick win: For our next major international project bid, actively engage with the business development team to understand the specific country risks beyond just the construction site itself. What's happening politically? What are the local labour laws?

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend and present at international EHS conferences (e.g., Safety & Health Expo, NSC Congress & Expo).
  • Participate in industry working groups and standard-setting committees (e.g., Construction Leadership Council, World Safety Organisation).
  • Engage in executive leadership training programmes focused on strategic thinking, financial management, and organisational change.
  • Mentor emerging EHS talent, sharing your knowledge and building the next generation of safety leaders.

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.

ESG Reporting & Sustainability Integration

Investors, clients, and regulators are increasingly demanding robust Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. Safety is a huge 'S' component. Your role will expand to integrate EHS data and strategy into the broader ESG framework, contributing to our overall sustainability narrative.

  • GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) Standards
  • SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board) F
  • TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disc
  • Double Materiality Assessment
  • Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics

Digital Twin & VR for Safety Planning

Construction is rapidly adopting digital twins and virtual reality for design and planning. This offers unprecedented opportunities to identify hazards, simulate high-risk activities, and train workers in a safe, virtual environment before anyone steps on site. You'll need to understand how to use these tools to proactively eliminate risks.

  • BIM (Building Information Modelling) integration w
  • Virtual Reality (VR) for hazard identification and
  • Augmented Reality (AR) for real-time safety guidan
  • Digital twin creation and maintenance for construc
  • Data flow between design, construction, and EHS pl

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis (RCA) - Enterprise Level
  • Hazard Identification & Strategic Risk Assessment
  • Safety Management Systems (SMS) Design & Governance
  • Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) & Human and Organisational Performance (HOP) - Cultural Integration
  • Leading & Lagging Indicator Development (Board-Level Reporting)
  • Construction-Specific High-Risk Activity Governance

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

    Global Construction Safety Manager (L5) within our organisation

    3-5 years at L5

    Skills to master

    • Demonstrating consistent success in setting global EHS strategy, managing a large team of regional leads, owning a significant budget, and effectively influencing senior leadership. You'll need to show you can think beyond functional EHS to broader business impact.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led a major global EHS programme from conception to implementation, delivering measurable results.
    • Consistently achieved EHS targets across multiple regions and complex projects.
    • Received strong feedback from C-suite stakeholders on your strategic insights and ability to influence.
    • Developed and mentored at least 2-3 direct reports into more senior leadership roles.
  2. 2

    External Director/VP of EHS (Construction) from a comparable global firm

    N/A (direct entry)

    Skills to master

    • You'll already have the strategic leadership and P&L management experience. The focus here is on quickly understanding our company culture, specific operational challenges, and building rapport with our executive team and global EHS staff.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Proven track record of success in a similar-sized or larger global construction company, with direct reports at a management level.
    • Experience navigating complex M&A EHS integrations.
    • Demonstrable experience presenting to Boards and managing enterprise-level EHS risks.
    • A clear understanding of how to quickly assess and adapt to a new organisational environment.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to a Chief Safety Officer or VP of Global EHS role, or into wider enterprise risk management.

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, Global EHS (Construction) is actually changing.

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 Direct the management of design development and processes in construction management, worked against Director, Global EHS (Construction).

Direct the management of design development and processes in construction management Level 7

Applied to your work in Director, Global EHS (Construction)

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to direct the management of design development and processes in construction management, including the identification, assessment, and mitigation of potential hazards and risks. Learners will be able to manage the design process, coordinate with stakeholders, and monitor the effectiveness of risk mitigation measures.

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, Global EHS (Construction)
  • Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis (RCA) - Enterprise Level
  • Hazard Identification & Strategic Risk Assessment
  • Safety Management Systems (SMS) Design & Governance
  • Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) & Human and Organisational Performance (HOP) - Cultural Integration
  • Leading & Lagging Indicator Development (Board-Level Reporting)
  • Construction-Specific High-Risk Activity Governance
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, Global EHS (Construction) is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Safety Officer (CSO) / VP, Global EHS (L7)

    5-8 years in the Director role

    This is a significant jump to the C-suite, owning enterprise-wide EHS for the entire corporation, not just construction.

    • Holistic EHS portfolio management (environmental, occupational health, safety, process safety).
    • Global regulatory intelligence (across all industries, not just construction).
    • Advanced EHS risk modelling and scenario planning for enterprise-level threats.
    • Developing EHS as a core competitive advantage for the entire organisation.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, a Director-level role means you should be thinking strategically, not getting bogged down in administrative tasks. The good news? AI is here to help you ditch the drudgery and focus on what truly matters: shaping our global safety future. We're not talking about replacing your judgment, but augmenting your capabilities.

Imagine having an intelligent assistant that handles the routine, sifts through mountains of data, and flags critical information before you even ask. That's the power of AI in EHS. It's about giving you back precious time to engage with the Board, mentor your team, and drive real cultural change across our construction sites.

Automated Hazard Spotting (Strategic Oversight)

Use AI-powered image recognition on drone footage or fixed site cameras to automatically flag common hazards like personnel not wearing PPE, missing guardrails, or equipment in exclusion zones. As Director, you'll get aggregated insights across projects, identifying systemic issues, not just individual observations. This frees your team to intervene proactively, and you to see the big picture of compliance.

Predictive Risk Analysis (Executive Insight)

Leverage machine learning to analyse historical incident, near-miss, and observation data from across our global portfolio. The AI won't just tell you what happened, it'll predict which projects, activities, or even specific teams are at the highest statistical risk for serious incidents in the coming weeks. This allows you to direct your leadership team's focus and resources to where they'll have the most impact, moving from reactive to truly predictive safety management.

AI-Powered Global Regulatory Briefing

Imagine an AI assistant that scans and summarises monthly updates to global EHS regulations (e.g., OSHA, HSE, local laws in every country we operate in). This tool can highlight specific changes relevant to our company's operations, suggest required policy updates, and even draft initial impact assessments. You'll get concise, actionable intelligence, ensuring global compliance without the endless legal research.

Instant Strategic Report & Policy Drafting

Use advanced LLMs to quickly draft executive summaries of EHS performance, initial policy proposals, or even board-level presentations. Feed it your key data points and strategic objectives, and it can generate a coherent first draft, allowing you to focus on refining the message and adding your strategic insights, rather than starting from a blank page. This drastically cuts down on administrative writing time for high-level documents.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Global EHS (Construction)?

Common routes in include Global Construction Safety Manager within our organisation (3-5 years at L5) and External Director/VP of EHS (Construction) from a comparable global firm (N/A (direct entry)). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Global EHS (Construction) progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Safety Officer (CSO) / VP, Global EHS (5-8 years in the Director role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Global EHS (Construction)?

Increasingly, ESG Reporting & Sustainability Integration and Digital Twin & VR for Safety Planning. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

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 global construction EHS leadership carry across other heavy industries, such as manufacturing, energy, mining and infrastructure. Managing risk, leading teams and influencing at executive level stay much the same, though the hazards differ.

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 Director, Global EHS (Construction) plan, free 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.