Head of EHS - Europe

This role can be based anywhere in Europe. The Head of EHS, Europe provides regional leadership for Environment, Health & Safety across Harsco Environmental’s European operations, operating within the governance, standards, and assurance framework defined by Division Environmental, Health & Safety leadership. The role is accountable for translating divisional EHS strategy into effective multi-country execution, enabling Operations to manage risk, prevent fatalities and serious injuries, ensure environmental compliance, and continuously improve EHS performance. The role works in strong partnership with European Operations leadership, Regional and Site leadership, and functions as the primary conduit between European Operations and Division Environmental, Health & Safety Function; ensuring consistent application of standards while preserving full line accountability for execution.

Key Focus Areas

• Serious injury and fatality (SIF) prevention through risk management and verification of Harsco Operating Management System controls and requirements.
• Incident learning and governance (classification, investigation quality, corrective action effectiveness, and lessons learned).
• Assurance and performance insight via audits, field verification, and action-tracking discipline.
• Culture and leadership capability, reinforcing stop work / iSTOP behaviours and visible felt leadership.
• Alignment to Harsco Environmental priorities, including standardised programmes such as iCARE, Cardinal Rules, Control of Work, contractor management, lifting, and energy isolation.
• EHS organisational capability; ensuring EHS capability, scarce skills and bench strength is maintained across the region.

EHS Assurance & Coaching

• Coach and support Country EHS and Operations leaders while maintaining independent challenge and strong governance discipline.
• Develop capability of country and site EHS resources through mentoring, technical guidance, and consistent expectations.
• Promote visible felt leadership across Europe through leader engagement routines, field presence, and quality safety interactions.
• Intervene where performance, risk exposure, or adherence to standards is inadequate; ensure escalation and recovery plans are in place.
• Ensure consistency and standardisation across countries without removing line accountability for execution.
• Support Country and Site leadership in identifying, assessing, and controlling critical risks & Cardinal Rules; supporting and promoting Management of Change where appropriate.
• Drive consistent application of Division EHS standards, procedures, and tools across the European footprint.
• Monitor European performance, identify trends, gaps, and improvement opportunities; present clear, data‑led insights to leadership.
• Provide EHS due diligence and risk input for new countries, acquisitions, major projects, or divestments impacting European operations.

Critical Risk & Programme Management

• Lead the deployment and sustainability of critical control programmes in Europe (e.g., iCARE, Cardinal Rules, Control of Work, contractor management, lifting operations, and energy isolation) as defined by Division Environmental, Health & Safety leadership.
• Establish and maintain Critical Control Verification expectations, ensuring verification quality, follow‑up discipline, and operational ownership of findings.
• Coordinate targeted risk reduction campaigns aligned with Harsco Environmental’s priorities and regional risk profiles (e.g., mobile equipment/traffic separation, working at height, hot work, confined space entry, high‑energy hazards).
• Ensure implementation of Division standards, supported by fit‑for‑purpose technical requirements (e.g., defensible PPE/critical equipment specifications aligned to applicable EN/ISO standards where relevant, Division requirements / guidance HOS).

Incident Management & Learning

• Ensure consistent classification, investigation, and reporting of incidents and high‑potential events across Europe in line with Division requirements.
• Lead or sponsor serious incident investigations as required; assure investigation quality, systemic root cause identification, and action robustness.
• Ensure timely implementation of corrective actions, including verification of effectiveness (not only closure).
• Drive high‑quality lessons learned: issue regional safety alerts, share learning across sites, and confirm implementation.
• Support Division‑level incident review processes and forums; ensure Europe contributes insights, trends, and repeat prevention actions.
• Act as focal point for European knowledge sharing and learning systems, promoting proactive reporting (near misses, hazards, iSTOP/Stop Work) and consistent feedback loops.

Governance, Assurance & Reporting

• Define and execute the European EHS assurance plan (audits, reviews, field verification, management system checks) aligned with Division expectations.
• Track and follow up on corrective actions arising from audits, investigations, and assurance reviews; ensure action quality and effectiveness validation.
• Provide accurate and timely EHS performance data, risk insights, and leadership summaries to Division Health & Safety and European Operational leadership.
• Planning, participation and coordination of regional EHS committee.
• Strengthen standardised action management and reporting cadence across Europe (visibility, accountability, escalation thresholds).
• Support maturity of ISO‑aligned management systems (ISO 9001/45001/14001 interface), including leadership reviews and continuous improvement planning.

Contractor & Interface Management

• Lead development and implementation of European contractor EHS governance and requirements, aligned with Division programmes and expectations.
• Engage with key contractors to reinforce expectations, assure competence and supervision, and address performance issues.
• Support customer interface risk controls typical of shared‑site operations, ensuring aligned planning, communication, and permit/ control‑of‑work discipline.

Emergency Preparedness & Response

• Support country and site emergency preparedness and response arrangements in line with Division expectations; ensure periodic validation through drills and readiness reviews.
• Provide on‑ground leadership support to Operations during serious incidents or crises, as required.

Regional Partnership & Coaching

• Coach and support Country EHS and Operations leaders while maintaining independent challenge.
• Intervene where performance, risk exposure, or adherence to standards is inadequate.
• Ensure consistency and standardisation across Countries without removing line accountability.
• Act as the Regional escalation point for regulators, authorities, and clients on systemic or high‑risk EH&S matters, supporting Countries when escalated.

Functional Leadership

• Lead and develop the Regional EH&S team in line with the 2026 organisation.
• Define capability requirements, succession planning, and functional development priorities.
• Set clear objectives aligned to Division EHS strategy and performance expectations.

Explicit Exclusions

• The role does not own day‑to‑day site EHS execution or replace line management accountability for safe, responsible and reliable operations.
• Replace site emergency response leadership (remains line‑led). The position provides governance, assurance, and support as needed.

Qualifications

• Degree‑level qualification in Health & Safety, Engineering, Environmental Science, or a related technical discipline. Equivalent professional qualifications or significant relevant experience may be considered.
• Ongoing professional development and active engagement with external EHS networks and best practice.

Experience

• 10+ years’ experience in EHS roles within high risk, asset intensive, heavy industrial environments (e.g., metals, mining, oil and gas, industrial services, power).
• Demonstrated leadership across multi‑site / multi‑country operations with geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong track record in fatality and serious injury prevention, including critical risk management and investigation of serious incident investigations (e.g., ICAM or equivalent methodology).
• Experience implementing and improving EHS management systems and programmes aligned with international frameworks (e.g., ISO 9001, 45001, and interface with ISO 14001).
• Proven capability working in line‑led execution models, influencing operational outcomes without diluting line accountability.

Leadership & Professional Capability

• Strong influencing skills with the credibility to challenge unsafe practices while maintaining trusted relationships.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to simplify complex risk and compliance requirements into practical operational execution.
• Clear, confident communicator able to engage site, regional, and divisional leadership, customers, and regulators as required.
• Ability to mentor and develop regional and site EHS professionals; building succession and capability depth.
• Experience in contractor‑heavy and customer‑interface environments, ensuring robust contractor management and shared‑site controls.