Senior Health, Safety & Environmental Officer in Carlisle

Are you a senior health, safety and environmental professional ready to step into a role with genuine succession potential and real influence on site culture? Want to be part of a long-established, globally recognised manufacturer where HSE genuinely matters - not as a tick-box, but as a daily priority?

Foxgroves Recruitment is working confidentially with a long-established global manufacturer at its Carlisle site, a well-known industrial operation employing just under 1,000 people. This is a successor-focused appointment, brought about by an internal retirement, and is being lined up with the longer-term view that whoever joins will be capable of stepping into the HSE Manager role within the next three to four years.

The HSE function on site is led by a passionate, hands-on HSE Manager who is keen to bring in a senior peer who shares their commitment to safety, environmental performance and wellbeing - someone who can hit the ground running operationally and grow into the future of the function.

The Role

Reporting directly to the HSE Manager, you'll take a senior operational lead across all aspects of health, safety and the environment at the Carlisle site. This is a balanced HSE role — not a safety-only post — with a deliberate emphasis on driving cultural improvement, leading audits and building on a strong wellbeing offer. You'll work closely alongside the HSE Manager and an existing HSE Officer, with the visibility and remit to make a real mark from day one.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the HSE management system is implemented and maintained in line with ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018
• Leading site safety and environmental inspections and audits
• Advising managers across the site on current UK and European legislation affecting health, safety and the environment
• Investigating accidents, incidents, dangerous occurrences and near misses, identifying root causes and embedding preventative measures
• Recording, analysing and reporting accident and incident data, including monthly reporting into European head office
• Liaising with the Health and Safety Executive, Environmental Health, local authorities and other regulatory bodies
• Coordinating the site's occupational health offer — including on-site physio, clinics, wellbeing days, mental health awareness and first aid training
• Advising on PPE, environmental equipment and the safe introduction of new processes and site developments
• Supporting the HSE Manager with the site self-assessment, improvement plan and capital investment proposals
• Assisting in the delivery of HSE training across all levels of the workforce
• Working closely with the Occupational Health Nurse on work-related health, return-to-work and capability matters
• Travelling occasionally to other UK manufacturing sites to provide HSE support

About You

You'll be a credible, hands-on HSE professional with the technical grounding and personality to step into a senior position within a globally branded, internationally reporting business. You'll enjoy operating in a heavy industrial environment, be comfortable challenging where needed, and have a real interest in pushing safety culture and wellbeing forward, not just maintaining the status quo.

• Degree-level qualification, ideally in occupational health and safety, environmental science or engineering or business discipline
• NEBOSH Certificate as a minimum (essential)
• NEBOSH Diploma either held or a genuine willingness to work towards it
• Around five years' health, safety and environmental experience, ideally gained in a manufacturing or heavy industrial setting
• Strong audit experience, with the confidence to lead audits on site
• Working knowledge of ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management systems
• Comfortable advising and influencing managers at all levels of the business
• Resilient, self-motivated and able to work effectively under pressure
• A genuine interest in wellbeing, behavioural safety and culture change — not just compliance

Package

• Salary up to £60,000 depending on experience and qualifications
• 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday
• 33 days' holiday per year (inclusive of bank holidays)
• Pension scheme
• Employee discount schemes
• Life assurance
• Free on-site parking
• A clear long-term development pathway with succession potential into the HSE Manager role

Please note this is a fully site-based role at the Carlisle site, with occasional travel to other UK sites as required.

Foxgroves Recruitment acts as an employment agency for vacancies on behalf of clients, following fair and inclusive recruitment practices in line with the Equality Act 2010. All appointments are subject to pre-employment screening, including right to work checks, reference checks, and qualification verification. Reasonable adjustments are available for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.