Principal SHEF Manager

Our client is seeking a senior Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF) professional to undertake a pivotal leadership role combining strategic oversight with hands-on delivery across a large geographic portfolio in the south of England. This is a permanent, full-time position.

The role carries Business Unit–level responsibility and includes direct line management of SHEF professionals within the allocated region. The postholder will be responsible for setting objectives, driving performance, and developing capability to ensure contractual, statutory, and organisational requirements are met. A core aspect of the role is the development and implementation of SHEF strategy in response to evolving business risk, ensuring ongoing compliance, proactive risk management, and continuous improvement.

Our client requires the successful candidate to provide expert SHEF guidance to operational management teams, ensuring all construction activities are delivered safely and in full compliance with CDM 2015 regulations and internal standards. This professional support also extends to non-construction environments, including facilities management, grounds maintenance, and office-based activities, ensuring robust risk assessment and effective control measures are in place across all workstreams.

The role involves active participation in senior management and operational forums, providing informed challenge, insight, and forward-looking analysis. The postholder will be responsible for producing high-quality monthly SHEF reports, interpreting performance metrics, incident data, site observations, and emerging risks. Regular site inspections are a fundamental requirement, enabling compliance assurance, behavioural influence, and decisive intervention where standards fall short.

The position includes delivery of agreed SHEF initiatives and project work, supporting both Principal Designer and Principal Contractor duties. The postholder will also deliver health and safety training and targeted interventions where required, supported by both planned and unplanned inspections to ensure SHEF systems remain effective, resilient, and aligned with legislative and organisational expectations.

A key requirement is the ability to influence and engage senior leaders, operational teams, and supply chain partners, particularly in challenging situations or where unsafe behaviours or non-compliance are identified. This requires strong legislative knowledge, effective communication skills, and the confidence to drive improvement across diverse operational environments.

The successful candidate will contribute to the organisation’s audit programme and play a key role in maintaining ISO 45001 certification. The role also supports wider sustainability objectives, embedding environmental considerations into SHEF activity and championing a Zero Harm culture across all contracts.

The position involves extensive regional travel, and candidates must be suitably located and willing to travel as required.

Candidate Profile

Our client is seeking an individual with strong analytical capability, able to identify trends, produce clear and meaningful reports, and translate technical findings into practical guidance. Excellent presentation skills are essential, alongside the ability to manage a dispersed workload and maintain high professional standards across a wide geographic area.

Candidates must demonstrate substantial experience managing SHEF within facilities management and/or construction environments, with strong knowledge of health and safety legislation, accident investigation, and behavioural safety methodologies. The ability to influence, coach, and challenge teams in complex operational settings is essential.

A NEBOSH Diploma (or equivalent) is required. Additional qualifications such as environmental, asbestos management, fire risk assessment, auditor status, and training delivery are highly desirable. Chartered IOSH membership and membership of APS (or an equivalent body) are also regarded as advantageous.

Flexible working arrangements are available, with home-based working where appropriate, alongside regular travel to support operational teams, audits, inspections, and projects.