Acre is excited to partner with a leading independent utility infrastructure provider to recruit their next Group SHEQ Director. With over 25 years of industry leadership, they deliver essential last-mile networks across gas, electricity, water, wastewater, fibre, and low-carbon heat, connecting over two million homes and businesses across the UK. Backed by a global investment giant, they are further scaling their operations and are looking for an exceptional leader to guide their next phase of growth.
What will you be doing in this role?
As Group SHEQ Director, you will be the strategic driver of safety, health, environment, and quality across the organisation and its assets. This is a senior leadership role where your influence will span the entire organisation, setting the tone for a safety-first culture while ensuring sustainable performance consistently.
Your responsibilities will include
- Lead & Shape Strategy: Further develop and implement a comprehensive SHEQ strategy that aligns with the company’s growth goals, ensuring safety and quality are embedded at all levels.
- Drive Safety & Compliance: Lead the charge on behavioural safety programmes, championing compliance and continuous improvement through effective monitoring and incident management.
- Manage & Develop People: Directly manage and inspire a team of professionals with SHEQ, Sustainability and Compliance expertise, developing their skills and ensuring they are motivated to drive high performance and achieve business goals.
- Regulatory Liaison & Reporting: Strengthen relationships with key regulatory bodies (e.g. HSE, BSI) and maintain compliance with key ISO certifications, while keeping stakeholders informed with regular reporting.
We’re looking for a dynamic SHEQ leader with a proven track record of driving change, managing high-performing teams, and leading by example. You thrive in fast-paced, growing environments and can inspire and develop talent, ensuring the whole team delivers exceptional results.
To thrive in this role, you are
- Experienced People Leader: Proven experience in managing, developing, and leading a team of professionals to achieve high standards and ambitious goals.
- Expert in Compliance & Legislation: In-depth knowledge of UK SHEQ legislation, regulations, and industry best practices, with a focus on construction, utilities, or infrastructure sectors.
- Influential Communicator: Strong leadership and communication skills to engage stakeholders at all levels, while fostering collaboration within the team and across the wider business.
- Commercial Mindset: Ability to balance safety and quality goals with business objectives, driving results that support the long-term success of the organisation.
In this role, you will be part of a fast-growing company that’s ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces year after year. With a focus on employee wellbeing, development, and collaboration, you'll have clear opportunities to create widescale impact in an essential sector and lead a talented team at the forefront of building smarter utility networks that power the UK’s future.
Are you ready to step into this leadership role where you can make a real difference and shape the future of sustainable infrastructure? Apply now or get in touch with Ruth.Smith@acre.com to ask any initial questions.
The location of this role is Bury St. Edmunds on a hybrid working basis, with some site visits nationwide.
