Head of Health, Safety and Environment

Help Shape a Safe, Sustainable Future for Scottish Canals

Scottish Canals is one of Scotland's most distinctive public organisations. As custodians of 141 miles of historic waterways, we connect communities, protect nationally significant heritage and create lasting social, environmental and economic value.

As we continue our organisational transformation, we're looking for an exceptional leader to join our senior leadership community as Head of Health, Safety & Environment. This is a rare opportunity to influence the future of an organisation that combines heritage, sustainability, commercial ambition and public service, while leading critical functions that protect our people, communities, assets and environment.

About the Role

Reporting to the Deputy Director of People & Strategy, you'll lead Scottish Canals' strategic approach to health, safety, environment, sustainability and heritage, ensuring robust governance, compliance and assurance arrangements are in place across the organisation. You'll provide visible, values-led leadership, helping to embed a proactive culture of safety, accountability and continuous improvement while strengthening organisational resilience and supporting the delivery of our Corporate Plan.

As the organisation's lead professional adviser in health, safety, environment and heritage matters, you'll provide expert advice and assurance to the Chief Executive, Executive Leadership Team and Board on statutory compliance, organisational risk and performance. You'll also lead a team of specialist professionals responsible for:

• Health & Safety
• Environmental Management
• Sustainability & Climate Change
• Heritage Management
• Organisational Resilience & Business Continuity
• Risk Assurance & Compliance

Working closely with senior leaders, regulators, statutory agencies and external partners, you'll help shape decisions that deliver safe operations, environmental stewardship and lasting benefits for Scotland's people, places and communities.

About You

Qualifications and Professional Knowledge

• Chartered membership of IOSH, IIRSM or an equivalent professional body.
• Evidence of current and relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation, compliance frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Comprehensive understanding of governance, assurance, risk management and organisational resilience.
• Sound understanding of audit methodologies, incident investigation and continuous improvement approaches.
• Knowledge of environmental management, sustainability, climate change and heritage compliance requirements.
• Understanding of regulatory, enforcement and statutory agency processes and expectations.
• Internal Auditor qualification or equivalent assurance qualification is desirable.

Skills and Experience

• Significant experience providing strategic health and safety leadership within a complex, multi-disciplinary organisation.
• Experience leading specialist teams across health, safety, environment, sustainability, heritage or other risk-based disciplines.
• Proven experience developing and implementing organisational health and safety strategies and improvement programmes.
• Strong track record of managing compliance, audit and assurance frameworks and translating findings into sustainable organisational improvement.
• Experience working with regulators, enforcement bodies and statutory agencies, including managing significant compliance issues and investigations.
• Experience leading emergency preparedness, business continuity and organisational resilience arrangements.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data, identify trends and provide strategic insight to senior leaders.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with experience advising Executive teams, Boards and senior stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience coaching and developing leaders to strengthen accountability, capability and performance.
• Experience leading environmental, sustainability or heritage compliance functions.

Leadership Qualities and Personal Attributes

• A visible and credible leader who inspires confidence and promotes a positive culture of safety, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Highly collaborative, with the ability to build strong relationships across a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strategic and forward-thinking, with the ability to balance operational realities with long-term organisational priorities.
• Resilient and solutions-focused, able to make sound judgements in complex and challenging situations.
• Proactive and decisive, with the confidence to challenge constructively and drive meaningful organisational change.
• Committed to continuous improvement, professional excellence and organisational learning.
• Politically aware, with strong personal integrity and the ability to operate effectively in a high-profile public sector environment.
• An inclusive leadership style aligned to Scottish Canals' values of We Care, We Create and We Collaborate.

Why Scottish Canals?

This is an opportunity to:

• Shape the future of a nationally significant organisation.
• Lead strategic health, safety and environmental governance across Scotland's canal network.
• Drive organisation-wide culture change and continuous improvement.
• Influence Executive and Board decision-making.
• Lead environmental stewardship, sustainability and heritage outcomes.
• Develop high-performing teams and future leaders.
• Help deliver lasting environmental, social and economic impact across Scotland.

Reward

Salary £66,672 - £72,854 (Band H).

Starting salary will be determined in accordance with Scottish Canals' pay arrangements and the successful candidate's experience.

Scottish Canals offer a generous annual leave entitlement of 224 hours, plus 6 public holidays, along with enhanced sick pay, discounted shopping vouchers, health cash plan and a contributory pension scheme with up to 10% employer contribution.

Scottish Canals reserve the right to close this vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.

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