Health And Safety Manager

First of its kind Build the function Professional services environment

Location: South West UK (hybrid, UK-wide travel)

Salary: £50,000 £55,000 + strong benefits

The opportunity

ReQuire are working with a high-growth, privately owned professional services business that is creating its first-ever Health & Safety Manager role.

This is a genuinely rare opportunity for a strong Health & Safety Advisor (or similar) who is ready to step into a standalone, managerial position and become the senior H&S lead across a circa 500-person, multi-site organisation.

There is no inherited structure, no existing in-house H&S function, and no bureaucracy to fight. You will be given the autonomy and backing to design, implement and own the Health & Safety framework for the business and, over time, to build and grow the function beneath you. These opportunities do not come around often!

Why this role is different

This is not a manufacturing, construction or heavy industry environment so therefore we want a Commercial mindset. Someone who can relate to the people in our client's business.

The business operates in a commercial, office-based, professional services setting, with offices across the UK. Success in this role is about credibility, pragmatism and communication, not clipboards and box-ticking.

You ll be working closely with senior leaders, office managers and people teams, ensuring Health & Safety is fit-for-purpose, proportionate and aligned to a commercial business.

What you ll be responsible for

As the most senior (and initially sole) Health & Safety professional, you will:

Design, implement and continuously improve a company-wide Health & Safety framework

Ensure compliance with all relevant UK H&S legislation across a multi-site office environment

Take ownership of the relationship with external H&S consultants, bringing capability in-house

Carry out and coordinate site visits, audits and risk assessments (typically 1 2 per site annually)

Lead accident, incident and near-miss investigations, with clear reporting and corrective actions

Develop and embed clear, practical policies and procedures

Support facilities and office teams with remedial actions and building safety requirements

Oversee fire safety, emergency procedures and building compliance

Deliver engaging H&S training and communications to managers and staff

Act as the primary point of contact with regulators where required

Produce concise management information for senior leadership and Board reporting

Play a key role in new acquisitions, ensuring Health & Safety alignment during due diligence and integration

Champion a modern, proactive and commercially sensible H&S culture

This role is ideal for someone who:

Is currently a Health & Safety Advisor or similar and ready for their first true step into leadership

Wants ownership, visibility and the chance to build something from scratch

Is comfortable operating autonomously and influencing senior stakeholders

Understands how to apply Health & Safety in a commercial, professional environment

Enjoys travel and working across multiple sites

Sees H&S as a business enabler, not a blocker

Background & experience

You ll likely have:

NEBOSH National Diploma (or equivalent)

IOSH membership (GradIOSH or working towards CMIOSH)

Experience supporting or managing Health & Safety across multiple sites

Strong knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation

Experience with risk assessments, audits and investigations

Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills

A pragmatic, proportionate approach to Health & Safety

A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle

Experience in professional services, financial services or office-led environments is highly desirable. Candidates from heavily industrial or manufacturing backgrounds are unlikely to be a fit.

Location & flexibility

Ideally based in the South West (or within reasonable reach)

Hybrid working with regular UK travel

Package

£50,000 base salary (depending on experience)

Excellent benefits package

Significant scope for future progression as the H&S function grows

Final word

This is a career-defining role for the right person.

If you re looking to move away from being one of many, and instead become the trusted, senior Health & Safety lead in a growing, commercially minded business, this is a rare and compelling opportunity.