Group Head of Health and Safety

Group Head of Health & Safety

Location: Flexible (weekly London visit; hybrid site travel)

Salary: Up to £120,000

Sector: Private Equity / Multi-Business Group

Irwin and Colton are partnering with a rapidly growing, private equity-owned group to appoint a Group Head of Health & Safety. Reporting to the CEO, this is the most senior H&S role across the group, responsible for setting the vision, governance, and performance framework for health and safety while enabling subsidiary leadership teams to own and deliver outcomes within their operations.

Given the group's acquisitive growth strategy, the role is highly transformational.

The successful candidate will design, embed, and continuously evolve a scalable, best-in-class H&S operating model, including the onboarding and integration of newly acquired businesses. The role balances strategic oversight with pragmatic delivery, protecting people while supporting commercial growth and investor expectations.

Key Responsibilities

Group Strategy, Leadership & Transformation

• Build a scalable strategic and operating framework suitable for a decentralised, multi-risk portfolio
• Define the target-state model, governance, roles, and Group-subsidiary interfaces
• Act as senior H&S advisor to the Executive, Board, and Investors

Governance, Risk & Private Equity Oversight

• Set group-wide policies, standards, minimum requirements, and risk appetite
• Establish assurance mechanisms, escalation thresholds, and governance forums
• Ensure compliance across jurisdictions and readiness for diligence, refinancing, or exit
• Lead Board and investor reporting on performance, risk, and emerging issues

Data, Insight & Performance

• Own group H&S performance management, KPIs, leading indicators, and systems
• Implement data-led insight, trend analysis, and predictive risk management
• Drive consistency and quality of reporting while enabling local ownership

Subsidiary Engagement & Integration

• Partner with subsidiary leaders to embed strong safety cultures and accountability
• Lead onboarding and uplift of newly acquired businesses
• Provide expert support and challenge without removing operational ownership

Risk, Assurance & Culture

• Oversee risk identification, audits, incident investigation, and corrective action
• Build and lead a small, high-impact central H&S capability
• Define competence standards and develop H&S capability at all levels

Candidate Profile

• NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent);
  CertIOSH minimum
• Senior H&S leadership experience in complex, multi-site or multi-business environments
• Group-level experience, ideally within private equity or decentralised organisations
• Proven track record of building or transforming H&S frameworks
• Strategic, commercially astute leader with strong Board-level influence

For more information on this opportunity or to discuss your next career move, contact Matthew Cathcart on or apply here.

Irwin and Colton are a specialist Health and Safety recruitment company based in the Southeast of England we recruit across the UK. We recruit all roles in the health and safety industry from Health and Safety Manager, Health and safety Director through to Health and Safety Advisor positions.

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