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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead HSSE initiatives, ensuring safety and compliance across a large 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 drive continuous improvement in safety performance.
Overview
Interim Head of HSSE — 3-Month Contract | Immediate Start
Day Rate: £450 – £500 (Inside IR35)
Location: Marylebone, Banbury or Aylesbury (flexible across sites)
The Role
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
About You
- 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
Why Apply?
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 in London employer: Cedar
Contact Detail:
Cedar Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of HSSE in London
✨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 a lead or can put in a good word 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 managed teams and led safety initiatives. This is your chance to shine and demonstrate your capability to influence at all levels.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We make it easy for you to find and apply for roles that match your expertise. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining our team!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of HSSE in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your relevant experience in HSSE leadership, especially in safety-critical environments. We want to see how your background aligns with the role, so don’t be shy about showcasing your 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. We love seeing passion and clarity, so make sure to connect your skills directly to the job description.
Showcase Your Leadership Style: In your application, give us a glimpse of your leadership style and how you’ve successfully managed teams in the past. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and drive continuous improvement, so share those stories!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from us!
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. Being able to discuss specific examples from your past experience will show that you’re not just familiar with the theory but have practical knowledge too.
✨Show Leadership Skills
Prepare to talk about your leadership style and how you've successfully managed teams in high-pressure environments. Think of specific instances where you drove safety improvements or led a team through a challenging situation—this will demonstrate your capability to lead the multidisciplinary HSSE team.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since this role involves interfacing with various stakeholders, be ready to discuss how you’ve built relationships with regulators, enforcement agencies, and industry partners in the past. Highlight your communication skills and how you’ve influenced decisions at both executive and operational levels.
✨Problem-Solving Mindset
Prepare to showcase your analytical and problem-solving skills. Think of examples where you identified safety issues, conducted investigations, and implemented solutions. This will help illustrate your proactive approach to maintaining safety and compliance in a complex environment.
