SHEQ Director

We are looking for a SHEQ Director to lead Safety, Health, Environment & Quality across the organisation.

This is a high-impact, transformation role, reporting into the senior leadership team, with regular exposure to executive leadership and shareholders.

The successful candidate will take ownership of SHEQ, ensuring the business becomes a credible, safety-first, high-performing infrastructure operator.

Client Details

Our client is a growing energy infrastructure and services platform, focused on delivering and operating low-carbon heating and cooling solutions across residential and commercial developments.

Operating a portfolio of energy centres and district energy networks, the business plays a key role in supporting urban decarbonisation and the energy transition. Backed by long-term institutional investors, the company is entering a critical phase focused on performance improvement, operational excellence, and sustainable growth.

Description

Key Responsibilities:

Define and deliver a modern SHEQ strategy aligned with business goals and operational risk
Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on safety, compliance, and risk
Drive a company-wide shift to proactive safety behaviours and ownership
Oversee safety across:
Operational energy and engineering assets
Infrastructure and distribution systems
Construction, commissioning, and maintenance activities
Ensure robust systems for:
Permit-to-work
Isolation and authorisation
Contractor management
Lead high-quality incident investigations focused on root cause and learning
Embed a "safety-first" culture across all levels of the organisation
Improve reporting and data integrity, ensuring accurate and transparent insights
Drive accountability for SHEQ beyond the central function into operational teams
Own SHEQ reporting for executive leadership and investors
Develop meaningful performance indicators and dashboards
Engage with regulators, external stakeholders, and industry bodies
Lead and develop an established SHEQ and compliance team
Strengthen capability, standards, and ways of working
Build credibility across a team with established legacy practices
The role sits within a high-risk, engineering-led operational environment, involving:
Energy generation and plant operations
Mechanical and electrical systems
Pressurised and gas-based infrastructure
Confined spaces and chemical management
Extensive contractor interfaces across multiple live sites.

Profile

NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent) essential, with strong knowledge of engineering-led high-risk environments
Qualification in Environmental Management (e.g. IEMA) desirable
Strong understanding of:
District heating / cooling operations
Energy centres and plant environments
Process safety and engineering compliance
Deep knowledge of UK safety, environmental, and quality legislation
Experience leadingSHEQ within:
Utilities
Energy infrastructure
Industrial engineering environments
Or construction (with strong operational exposure)
Strategic thinker with the ability to operate at executive and investor level
Demonstrated success in driving cultural and behavioural change
Ability to influence and build credibility across both:
Senior leadership teams
Operational and frontline teams

Job Offer

Lead SHEQ transformation in a growing, infrastructure-led business.

High visibility with senior leadership and investors.

Opportunity to build a credible, modern safety culture from the ground up.

Operate in a sector critical to the future of energy and sustainability
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed