Health and safety roles are integral to almost every organisation. From manufacturing and infrastructure to financial services and professional services, these positions enable businesses to safeguard their people, meet legal obligations, reduce operational risk, and foster positive, forward-thinking cultures.
Our dedicated team of consultants brings deep expertise across the EHS and health and safety landscape. With over 20 years of experience and an extensive network of professionals, we have placed some of the most important safety roles in history, into both corporations, and into global safety initiatives in the developing world. We support clients in building resilient, high-performing safety functions that add real value to their organisations.
In partnership with industry experts, Acre has also developed the leading competency framework and assessment methodology for the EHS and sustainability profession. We can deploy this in our search process, but also in team assessment and development scenarios. See our Advisory Services pages for more information.
What does a typical health and safety role involve?
Health and safety professionals help organisations understand and manage risk, ensuring both people and operations are protected. Their work can range from technical oversight to cultural leadership. Typical responsibilities include:
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Developing and implementing health and safety strategies across the business
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Conducting audits, inspections, and incident investigations
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Advising leaders on embedding safety into strategy and culture
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Supporting employee training and engagement programmes
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Ensuring compliance with national and international legislation
In higher-risk sectors such as construction, energy, or heavy industry, these roles are often represented at senior level, reflecting their importance to strategic decision-making.
Why are health and safety jobs so important?
The purpose of these roles is simple – to keep people safe – but their impact goes much further. Health and safety professionals help organisations strengthen their reputation, attract and retain talent, and shape more sustainable workplace cultures. EHS practitioners:
- Protect workforce wellbeing and reduce liability.
- Enhance tenant, investor, and community trust.
- Build and embed a strong safety culture that drives employee engagement, retention, and operational excellence.
- Strengthen alignment with corporate sustainability and ESG goals.
- Ensure compliance with regulations.
The remit of many EHS professionals now extends into areas such as mental health and wellbeing, supply chain resilience, and broader ESG and sustainability programmes. With the right expertise in place, businesses can create workplaces that are not only safer, but also more ethical and more productive.
What types of roles do we recruit for?
We work across all levels of seniority and a wide range of industries. Some of the common roles we recruit for include:
- Chief Safety Officers globally
- Health and Safety Advisors and Managers
- Directors and VPs of Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Risk and Assurance Leads
- Management System Experts (for instance the environmental management system (EMS) ISO 14001 and the current international Occupational Health & Safety Management System - ISO 45001.
- Process Safety Specialists
- SHEQ professionals (Safety, Health, Environment and Quality)
Whether you’re building a full EHS team or appointing a single strategic leader, our consultants can help identify and secure the right people.
What do employers look for in health and safety professionals?
Each organisation has unique needs, but certain qualities are consistently in demand. Strong candidates often demonstrate:
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In-depth knowledge of health and safety legislation and best practice
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Hands-on experience with audits, investigations, and training
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The ability to influence stakeholders and drive behavioural change
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Strategic thinking combined with commercial awareness
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Empathy and clear communication skills
At Acre, we assess candidates against a bespoke competency framework that measures not only technical ability, but also the leadership behaviours that make them effective.
What other areas does Acre work in?
We recruit across all industry sectors with a thematic focus on sustainability and impact, including:
- Sustainability & ESG
- Sustainable Finance
- Carbon Markets, Nature & Biodiversity
- Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, BESS, Biomass)
- First-of-a-kind technology (Clean Fuels, Gas Processing, Microgrids, Cryogenics)
- Digital Infrastructure
- Utilities & RTO/ISOs
- Procurement & Supply Chain
- Public & Non-Profit
- Social Impact
Contact Acre today to explore how we can support your organisation in appointing exceptional Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) professionals.
