At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead health and safety strategy at a top university, influencing culture and driving change.
- Company: UCL, one of the world's leading universities, committed to innovation and diversity.
- Benefits: 41 days holiday, pension scheme, gym access, and enhanced family leave.
- Other info: Hybrid working model and commitment to equality and diversity.
- Why this job: Shape the future of health and safety in a dynamic, impactful environment.
- Qualifications: Chartered Health & Safety professional with significant leadership experience.
The predicted salary is between 130000 - 130000 £ per year.
About us
Help Shape the Future of Health, Safety and Wellbeing at One of the World's Leading Universities. At UCL (University College London), we are driven by a simple but powerful purpose: to transform how the world is understood, how knowledge is created, and how global challenges are solved.
We are seeking an exceptional leader to become our next Director of Health & Safety—a critical executive appointment that will shape the strategic direction of health, safety and organisational resilience across one of the most complex and diverse institutions in the UK. This is far more than a compliance role. It is an opportunity to influence culture, drive meaningful change, and ensure that safety excellence is embedded across world-leading research, teaching, healthcare partnerships, laboratories, specialist facilities and one of the largest university estates in the country.
Salary up to £130,000 according to experience | London | Hybrid Working (3 days per week on campus)
About the role
Reporting to the Executive Director of Estates Operations, you will be UCL’s most senior health and safety leader, setting the strategic direction, providing expert assurance, and embedding a culture of safety excellence across the organisation. This is more than compliance, it’s about leadership, influence, and creating a lasting legacy of safe, high-performing environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership – Define and deliver UCL’s health and safety strategy aligned to institutional goals and risk appetite
- Executive Influence – Provide trusted advice and assurance to senior leadership, the Provost and Council
- Culture Transformation – Embed a proactive, consistent and measurable safety culture across a decentralised organisation
- Team Leadership – Build and inspire a high-performing Safety Services function, fostering excellence and continuous improvement
- Governance & Assurance – Establish robust frameworks for risk management, incident investigation and organisational learning
- Operational Oversight – Lead specialist safety functions including radiation protection and biological safety
- Change Delivery – Drive impactful programmes that strengthen accountability, governance and resilience
- Stakeholder Engagement – Translate complex risk and regulatory issues into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences
About you
We’re looking for a strategic, visible and credible leader who can operate confidently at executive level while driving delivery through empowered teams.
Essential Experience & Expertise
- Chartered Health & Safety professional (CMIOSH / CFIOSH)
- Significant leadership experience in a large, complex organisation
- Deep knowledge of UK health & safety legislation and regulatory frameworks
- Track record of aligning safety strategy with organisational performance
- Experience influencing at Board / Executive level
- Strong leadership capability within complex, matrixed environments
- Experience embedding ISO 45001 safety management systems
- Proven delivery of large-scale safety transformation programmes
What we offer
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits:
- 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays and 6 closure days)
- Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme
- Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
- Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
- Relocation scheme for certain posts
- On-site gym
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
- Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
- Discounted medical insurance
This role meets the requirements for a Skilled Worker certificate of sponsorship or Global Talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.
For guidance on eligibility, see Gov.uk Skilled Worker Visa guidance.
For some roles UCL will consider hybrid working. This can be between 20-80% onsite working. Where this happens there is an expectation that individuals can be asked to work onsite as required up to 100% of a week.
UCL Terms and Conditions of Service: Research and Professional Services Staff.
Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.
Closing date: 8th July 2026 at 23:59 GMT (applications may close early if volumes are high, so early submission is recommended).
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.
Director of Health and Safety in London employer: UK Dementia Research Institute
UCL is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to lead health and safety initiatives at one of the world's leading universities in London. With a strong commitment to employee wellbeing, UCL provides generous benefits including 41 days of holiday, a defined benefit pension scheme, and opportunities for professional growth within a diverse and inclusive work culture. Join us to make a meaningful impact on safety excellence while enjoying a hybrid working model that promotes work-life balance.
Contact Details:
UK Dementia Research Institute Recruitment Team
