Permits & Compliance Leader for High-Risk Projects

Location: Euston / North Acton

Accessible by Public Transport: Yes

Working Hours: Weekdays

Contract Type: Permanent

Flexible Working: We welcome you to ask about the flexibility you need. This might include part-time working, remote working or compressed hours. Anyone applying can ask about flexibility at interview. Our standard working pattern requires 3 days per week in the office.

ROLE OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Head of Routeway, as the Permit & Compliance Manager, you will provide technical leadership, governance and assurance for permit-controlled and high-risk construction activities across the project. You will be responsible for ensuring that all works involving excavation, utilities infrastructure, confined space operations, working at height and high-pressure water jetting are effectively planned, risk assessed, authorised and delivered in accordance with statutory regulations, industry best practice and project standards. Working closely with construction, engineering and health & safety teams, you will lead the implementation and continuous improvement of permit-to-work systems and compliance frameworks throughout the project lifecycle. You will play a critical role in protecting existing infrastructure assets, assuring workforce competency, and supporting the safe and efficient delivery of complex construction activities. You will act as the project Subject Matter Expert for permit-controlled operations and utility protection, providing technical guidance, governance and operational assurance across multiple delivery teams and subcontractors. The role requires a proactive leader capable of influencing safe behaviours, driving compliance standards and embedding robust operational risk controls within construction delivery. You will have authority to intervene, stop or suspend unsafe works where permit controls, competency requirements or infrastructure protection measures are not being effectively implemented.

Role Responsibility

• Safety Governance & Permit Control: Provide leadership and governance over permit-to-work systems associated with high-risk construction activities across the project. Ensure consistent implementation and compliance with permit processes relating to ground disturbance and excavation works, confined space entry and rescue operations, working at height activities, and high-pressure water jetting operations. Establish and maintain robust controls to ensure all permit-controlled activities are supported by appropriate planning documentation, RAMS and safe systems of work prior to commencement. Undertake compliance monitoring through site inspections, audits and engagement with operational teams to verify adherence to project health and safety standards. Provide assurance to project leadership that permit systems remain effective, proportionate and aligned with regulatory and project requirements. Develop and monitor permit and compliance performance indicators, including audits, inspections, permit quality and service strike prevention metrics. Produce assurance reports, trend analysis and compliance dashboards for project leadership and client review.
• Utilities & Infrastructure Protection: Provide technical leadership and governance for construction activities undertaken in proximity to underground and overhead utility infrastructure. Ensure excavation and ground disturbance works comply with project procedures and recognised industry guidance including HSG47 – Avoiding Danger from Underground Services and GS6 – Avoiding Danger from Overhead Power Lines. Verify that statutory undertaker requirements, asset protection measures and utility constraints are fully integrated into construction planning and delivery. Promote safe excavation practices, including service detection, verification and protection measures. Work collaboratively with engineering, design and construction teams to mitigate risks associated with existing infrastructure and prevent service strikes or asset damage. Ensure accurate utility records, surveys and protection arrangements are maintained throughout the project lifecycle.
• Competency Management & Authorisation: Lead the competency assurance process for personnel undertaking specialist permit-controlled activities across the project. Assess training records, qualifications, experience and practical capability to confirm personnel meet defined competency standards. Authorise and formally appoint competent personnel to undertake activities relating to utility excavation and ground disturbance, confined space operations, working at height activities, and high-pressure water jetting operations. Maintain competency registers and support the development of competency frameworks to ensure consistent capability across the workforce. Identify training gaps and support the development workforce capability within specialist operational areas. Ensure subcontractors and supply chain partners comply with project competency standards and permit-to-work requirements.
• Risk Identification & Work Planning: Participate in Hazard Identification (HAZID) workshops and construction planning sessions to ensure operational hazards are identified and managed at the earliest opportunity. Provide specialist input into the identification, assessment and mitigation of risks associated with high-risk construction activities. Review and support approval of RAMS to ensure methodologies are safe, practical and compliant with project requirements. Work collaboratively with engineers, planners and safety teams to ensure risk controls are embedded within construction methodology and site operations. Interface with Temporary Works Coordinators and engineering teams to ensure temporary works risks are integrated into permit and operational controls.
• Digital Information & Asset Assurance: Ensure accurate and up-to-date as-built information relating to underground and overhead services is maintained throughout the project lifecycle. Collaborate with engineering, survey and digital engineering teams to ensure operational teams have access to reliable utilities and service data. Support the management and continuous improvement of systems used to record and track utilities infrastructure. Promote the use of accurate service information to improve planning, reduce operational risk and support safe excavation practices. Support the use of digital engineering systems, GIS platforms, utility mapping tools and Common Data Environments (CDEs) to improve operational planning and asset assurance.
• Project Governance & Change Management: Participate in the Project Change Control Panel to review and assess procedural, operational and technical changes impacting construction activities. Evaluate the impact of proposed changes on permit systems, compliance frameworks and operational risk management. Provide recommendations to ensure changes are implemented in a controlled and compliant manner. Communicate approved changes effectively to delivery teams and ensure updated procedures are embedded within operational practices. Ensure lessons learned from operational activities, incidents and audits are captured and incorporated into project procedures and standards.
• Technical Leadership & Stakeholder Support: Act as the primary technical point of contact for matters relating to underground and overhead utility infrastructure, ground disturbance and excavation works, confined space operations, high-pressure water jetting activities, and working at height activities. Provide specialist technical advice and operational support to construction, engineering and health & safety teams. Facilitate collaboration between project stakeholders to ensure complex operational risks are effectively managed. Support operational teams in resolving technical challenges relating to infrastructure protection and safe work delivery. Interface with clients, statutory undertakers, local authorities and external stakeholders to support compliant delivery of works.
• Incident Investigation & Emergency Response: Lead or support investigations relating to permit breaches, utility strikes and service damage. Ensure lessons learned are effectively communicated and embedded into operational practices and project procedures. Support emergency preparedness and response arrangements relating to permit-controlled and high-risk construction activities. Monitor corrective and preventive actions arising from incidents, audits and inspections to ensure timely close out.
• Health, Safety, Environmental & Sustainability Responsibilities: Demonstrate exemplary Health & Safety leadership and promote a safety-first culture across all project activities. Ensure compliance with environmental, sustainability and statutory requirements associated with construction operations. Support the delivery of the project's Zero Harm and continuous improvement objectives. Promote behavioural safety, proactive risk management and continuous improvement across all operational teams and subcontractors.

The Ideal Candidate

• Qualifications: Degree, HND or equivalent qualification in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Utilities, Health & Safety or a related discipline. Relevant CSCS Card. Formal Health & Safety qualifications/training (e.g., IOSH, NEBOSH or equivalent). Training or certification relating to permit-to-work systems, confined spaces, excavation safety or utility protection. EUSR Utility Mapping or Avoiding Underground Apparatus qualification (desirable). Confined Space Entry/Management training (desirable). Temporary Works awareness/coordinator training (preferred). Membership of a relevant professional body (preferred but not essential).
• Technical & Professional Skills: Strong technical knowledge of permit-controlled and high-risk construction activities within major infrastructure or civil engineering projects. Extensive understanding of utility protection, excavation safety and infrastructure risk management. Knowledge of HSG47, GS6 and associated statutory and industry guidance. Experience reviewing and approving RAMS, permits and safe systems of work. Proven ability to manage compliance assurance processes, audits and inspections. Experience supporting workforce competency management and authorisation systems. Strong understanding of construction methodologies, operational risk controls and infrastructure protection principles. Familiarity with digital engineering systems, GIS platforms, utility mapping systems and Common Data Environments (CDEs). Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across multidisciplinary project teams. Experience working within highly regulated, multi-stakeholder infrastructure environments. Competent in Microsoft Office and digital document/control systems. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational environment. Commitment to safety, quality, sustainability and continuous improvement.

About the Company

The role will work on the HS2 project. HS2 is the UK's new high speed rail network. It will be a catalyst for economic growth across Britain, freeing up space on the existing railways and connecting 8 out of the UK's 10 biggest cities with fast, reliable and frequent high speed services. The Skanska | Costain | STRABAG (SCS JV) is delivering the HS2 London Tunnels Contract. Scope of works includes twin-bored tunnels (TBM), SCL tunnels, shaft sinking, bridge demolition and reconstruction, services diversions, earthworks and the construction of site compounds. You’ll be a welcomed member of the wider team, with opportunities to take on additional responsibility, join one of our networks for women, military or LGBT+ staff, and participate in cultural and social events with the local community (e.g. as a STEM ambassador). Your personal and professional development is important to us. We welcome a discussion about how we can support you with further study, or professional membership or attainment for example. HS2 - working with Skanska, Costain and STRABAG, closely monitors job applications, to ensure an inclusive recruitment process. To ensure we are able to maintain this, and to recruit a diverse workforce, we require candidates to complete the diversity form as part of their application so we are able to monitor and improve our approach to diversity. Please note, all responses are anonymous and we will not share any of your data with other parties. All data will be held securely, (as stated within the Data Protection Act 1998) and will be reported to HS2. It is an SCSJV requirement that all employees, Design House, and Supply Chains must implement and comply with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System with guidance for use, OHSAS 18001:2017 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information Security Management System, Policies, Plans, Procedures and Processes, and statutory requirements as they affect the Joint Venture's operations and ensure that the requirements, as applicable within their discipline, are effectively implemented on the project. Develop a culture of safety on the project through the absolute commitment to the Zero Accidents target and ethos, and develops a wider awareness of quality, environmental issues and demonstrates commitment to achieve continual improvement and Zero tolerance. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. SCS Railways is a Disability Confident Leader. We want to encourage disabled people to apply for our roles and have an opportunity to display your skills, talent, and abilities. We will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum job criteria will be offered an interview.