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- Tasks: Lead HSSE initiatives, ensuring safety compliance and driving improvements in a transport operation.
- Company: Dynamic transport organisation focused on safety and environmental responsibility.
- Benefits: Competitive day rate, flexible location, and immediate start.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on safety standards in a critical industry.
- Qualifications: Proven HSSE leadership experience, ideally in rail or transport, NEBOSH qualified.
- Other info: Engage with senior stakeholders and lead a multidisciplinary team.
We are seeking an experienced Interim Head of HSSE to provide senior leadership and assurance across Health, Safety, Security and Environment for a large, safety-critical transport operation. This is a hands-on leadership role, responsible for maintaining regulatory compliance, driving continuous improvement in safety performance, and providing expert oversight across operational safety, environmental management, safeguarding, security and route crime.
Reporting into a senior executive, you will act as the organisation’s HSSE authority, engaging closely with internal leaders and external stakeholders to ensure the highest standards of safety and compliance are achieved.
Key Responsibilities- Act as custodian of the organisation’s Safety Management System, ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory and internal requirements
- Provide senior leadership and direction to a multidisciplinary HSSE team (circa 14 people)
- Ensure a safe and secure environment for customers, staff and contractors, driving continuous improvement in safety performance
- Lead the management of safety-related incidents, investigations and claims, ensuring lessons learned are embedded operationally
- Provide senior interface with external bodies including regulators, enforcement agencies and industry partners
- Oversee environmental compliance and champion initiatives that support sustainable and environmentally responsible operations
- Lead strategic approaches to security, safeguarding and route crime reduction
- Proven senior HSSE leadership experience in a safety-critical environment
- Ideally from a rail or complex transport background
- Rail / Transport experience would be ideal
- NEBOSH qualified (or equivalent)
- Strong experience across occupational safety, operational safety and environmental management
- Demonstrated capability managing and leading sizeable teams
- Confident communicator with the ability to influence at executive and operational levels
- Strong analytical, planning and problem-solving skills
This is a high-impact interim role offering immediate responsibility, senior stakeholder exposure and the opportunity to shape safety outcomes in a complex, regulated environment.
Head of HSSE employer: Cedar
Contact Detail:
Cedar Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of HSSE
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the HSSE field and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. You never know who might have the inside scoop on a role that’s perfect for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of safety regulations and compliance standards. Be ready to discuss how you've driven continuous improvement in safety performance in your previous roles.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully led multidisciplinary teams and managed safety-related incidents. This will demonstrate your capability to handle the responsibilities of the Head of HSSE role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of HSSE
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight your HSSE experience, especially in safety-critical environments. We want to see how your background aligns with the role, so don’t be shy about showcasing your relevant skills and achievements!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re the perfect fit for the Interim Head of HSSE role. Be sure to mention your leadership experience and how you’ve driven safety improvements in past roles.
Showcase Your Qualifications: Don’t forget to mention your NEBOSH qualification or any equivalent certifications. We’re looking for someone with strong credentials, so make sure these stand out in your application!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cedar
✨Know Your HSSE Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest regulations and best practices in health, safety, security, and environment. Be ready to discuss how you've implemented these in past roles, especially in safety-critical environments like transport.
✨Show Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that showcase your leadership experience, particularly in managing multidisciplinary teams. Think about times when you drove continuous improvement in safety performance and how you handled challenges.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Be ready to talk about your experience working with internal leaders and external stakeholders. Highlight how you've built relationships and influenced decisions at both executive and operational levels.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Ability
Think of specific instances where you've tackled safety-related incidents or investigations. Be prepared to explain your analytical approach and how you ensured lessons learned were embedded into operations.
