Head of Safety and Sustainability

Join a leading utilities company that champions innovation and service excellence. At Last Mile, we take pride in delivering high-quality solutions across the multi-utility sector. As Head of Safety and Sustainability at Last Mile, you will spearhead the development and implementation of our health, safety, and sustainability strategies. Your role will ensure these strategies are fully aligned with our corporate vision and embedded into both our strategic direction and day-to-day operations. You will play a key part in elevating our safety culture, advancing our sustainability commitments, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability. This is a senior leadership opportunity where you will influence lasting change, drive health and safety excellence, and shape a safer, more sustainable future across the entire Last Mile Group.

What's in it for you as Head of Safety and Sustainability?

• 25 days holiday, increasing after 2 years by 1 day each year up to 30 days, plus 9 public holidays (including Christmas shut down)
• Holiday buy scheme
• Discretionary bonus
• EV and ULEV salary sacrifice scheme (subject to minimum length of service)
• Cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme
• Up to 7% employer pension contribution
• Life assurance (x4 annual basic salary)
• Refer a friend incentive
• Wagestream
• Employee assistance programme
• Car allowance
• Flexible start and finish times for eligible roles*
• Private medical insurance*
• Company sick pay*

*Some of our benefits are only applicable when you have successfully completed your probation period.

Your responsibilities as Head of Safety and Sustainability:

• Strategic Leadership: Lead the delivery of the Miles Safer Strategy and develop the group-wide Sustainability and Net Zero Strategy, ensuring alignment with corporate values, regulatory expectations, and long-term business goals.
• Executive Advisory: Act as a senior advisor to the Executive team and Board of Directors, providing expert guidance on safety, environmental, and sustainability performance, risks, and opportunities.
• Health & Safety Oversight: Provide visible leadership and oversight of health and safety across the business, championing behavioural safety, critical risk awareness, and proactive risk management.
• Continuous Improvement & Culture: Drive high standards of investigation, assurance, and learning, while leading impactful campaigns, training, and cross-functional engagement to embed a strong safety and sustainability culture.
• Net Zero & Environmental Stewardship: Deliver the Net Zero Plan, oversee sustainability initiatives, and ensure environmental and social governance is embedded into business practices and operations.
• Reporting & Assurance: Develop robust reporting frameworks and manage audits, certifications, and disclosures to maintain compliance with accreditations (e.g. ISO standards, GIRS/NERS/WIRS) and regulatory frameworks.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders, acting as a visible champion for safety and sustainability and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.
• Budget & Resource Management: Lead departmental budgeting and ensure the delivery of initiatives within agreed financial parameters, while mentoring and developing high-performing teams to meet strategic objectives.

Experience, Knowledge and Skills:

Essential to the role:

• Significant experience in health and safety roles at a senior level, ideally with exposure to wider sustainability functions.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to translate corporate objectives into actionable safety and sustainability programmes.
• Strong commercial awareness to align sustainability and H&S objectives with business performance and stakeholder value.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to drive and implement change.
• Strong understanding of performance management, including KPI development, tracking, and improvement planning.
• Experience in using data to inform decisions, identify risks, and drive continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives and priorities concurrently, with strong planning, coordination, and delivery skills.
• Skilled at engaging with and building effective relationships with colleagues at all levels in the business.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience preparing reports and communicating effectively to executive and board-level audiences.
• Confident in presenting, facilitating workshops, and leading internal and external stakeholder engagement at a senior level.
• Skilled at driving behaviour change through campaigns, training, leadership involvement, and grassroots engagement.

Desirable for the role:

• Experience in construction, utilities, energy or large scale, complex industries.
• A degree level qualification in business, management, health and safety, sustainability or a related discipline.
• NEBOSH/IOSH qualification.
• Sustainability professional certification.
• Good ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 knowledge.
• Familiarity with GRESB, TCFD, SECR and ESOS sustainability reporting standards.
• Good experience of Excel, Power BI and/or bespoke health and safety or sustainability software.

Have you got the drive to go to the Last Mile as a Head of Safety and Sustainability? Apply now! We aim to keep candidates informed throughout the process and encourage you to apply promptly as we may close the vacancy early if sufficient applications are received.

Last Mile is one of the largest last-mile multi-utility businesses in the UK. We understand construction and we know utilities. We take responsibility for the 'last mile' of infrastructure that connects developments to wider distribution networks. Our strong history in gas and electricity connections, deep knowledge of the industry and secure investor backing means we can provide a comprehensive multi-utility solution that includes clean (ground source) heat networks, electricity, water and wastewater.