Head Of Health And Safety in Manchester

Head of Health & Safety Location: Manchester and North West Sector: Rail Infrastructure / Major Projects Position: Permanent The Opportunity We are seeking an experienced Head of Safety to provide strategic leadership and oversight of health, safety and assurance activities across a major rail infrastructure alliance programme. This is a senior leadership position responsible for driving safety excellence across a complex, high-risk operational environment, ensuring assurance activities are intelligence-led, risk-based and aligned with programme delivery priorities including major works, possessions and blockades. Key Responsibilities * Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of the Alliance Assurance Framework. * Ensure assurance activities remain aligned to principal programme risks and operational priorities. * Drive the implementation and monitoring of the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Improvement Plan. * Provide strategic oversight and challenge of Principal Contractor safety assurance arrangements. * Lead Integrated Assurance Reviews and ensure findings drive meaningful improvements. * Analyse safety performance trends and identify areas requiring intervention or escalation. * Deliver assurance intelligence and reporting to senior governance forums. * Promote organisational learning, continuous improvement and best practice sharing. * Lead and support assurance teams and wider safety professionals. * Act as deputy to the Health, Safety & Environment Director when required. [Head of H&S | Word] About You To be successful in this role, you will have: * Significant Health & Safety leadership experience within a high-risk operational environment. * Experience leading assurance, governance or safety improvement frameworks on major projects or programmes. * Strong understanding of health and safety legislation, management systems and risk-based assurance principles. * Proven ability to challenge and influence senior leadership teams. * Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills. * Strong report writing and presentation capabilities. * Experience working collaboratively across client, contractor and supply chain organisations. * The ability to interpret complex assurance data and provide clear, actionable intelligence. [Head of H&S | Word] Why Apply? * Opportunity to influence safety performance on a nationally significant infrastructure programme. * Senior leadership role with broad strategic responsibility. * Work alongside industry-leading professionals in a collaborative alliance environment. * Play a key role in driving continuous improvement and shaping safety culture across the programme