Head of Health, Safety and Operational Excellence

About NVD:

A family-owned business, established in 1980, NVD was set up to assist vehicle manufacturers in the timely and incident free distribution of their products. We’ve established ourselves as a one stop shop providing the three main pillars of outbound logistics, including transporting, storing and enhancing our customers’ vehicles, prior to delivery to their end location. Since 1980 NVD has been at the forefront of pioneering the digitisation of the FVL industry. As early adopters of emerging technology we have been able to introduce huge efficiencies saving time and money for our customers. Our unwavering commitment to progress and continual service improvement remains at the heart of our business today.

Role Summary

This role is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of Health & Safety and Operational Excellence across multiple sites. This includes ensuring legal and ISO compliance, improving safety management systems, conducting inspections and audits, and leading an in-house team. The role also involves overseeing training, investigating incidents, strengthening safety culture, coordinating ISO audits, and developing and delivering a roadmap for operational excellence. A key aspect is identifying and implementing continuous improvement opportunities, using data to track progress, and fostering a collaborative environment to encourage engagement and shared ownership of safety and efficiency.

Pay & Benefits

- Competitive Salary + Bonus

- Pension Scheme

- Staff Purchase Schemes: Tyres and Tools

- Employee Assistance Programme

- Discounted Gym Membership

- Bike to Work

Key Responsibilities

- Leading and managing all aspects of Health & Safety across multiple sites, ensuring full legal and ISO compliance.

- Reviewing, improving, and implementing safety management systems, procedures, and documentation (risk assessments, SSOWs, incident reports, etc.).

- Conducting regular site inspections and audits, supporting safety representatives and operational teams to identify risks and implement practical improvements.

- Leading and mentoring the in-house team by providing direction, structure, and professional development.

- Overseeing training plans and delivering or coordinating toolbox talks, inductions, and refresher training across all employee lifecycle stages.

- Investigating accidents, dangerous occurrences, and near misses, ensuring root causes are addressed and learning is shared, engaging with insurance or legal providers where needed.

- Engaging directly with operational managers and employees at all levels to strengthen the company’s safety and continuous improvement culture.

- Coordinating ISO internal audits and management reviews; liaising with external auditors and certification bodies.

- Ensuring documentation, procedures, and processes are consistent across sites.

- Developing and delivering a practical roadmap for operational excellence, aligned with business strategy.

- Introducing and coaching the workforce on continuous improvement tools (e.g., 5S, process mapping, waste reduction, problem-solving).

- Identifying improvement opportunities across operations in a very hands‑on way, supporting managers in implementing changes.

- Using data and KPIs to track improvements and demonstrate tangible performance gains.

- Being a visible, approachable leader on‑site – working side by side with teams.

- Building relationships with managers and staff to encourage engagement and shared ownership of safety and efficiency.

- Fostering open communication, teamwork, and proactive problem‑solving across all functions.

Qualifications & Experience

- Minimum: NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent Health & Safety qualification (IOSH membership preferred).

- Experience: 5+ years in Health & Safety management, ideally in automotive, logistics, manufacturing, or heavy industry.

- Certifications: Demonstrated experience maintaining ISO certifications (9001 / 14001 / 45001).

- Methodologies: Exposure to or training in Lean / Continuous Improvement methodologies (Green Belt or similar desirable).

- Leadership: Experience mentoring or leading a small team.

- License: Full driving licence.

Equal Opportunities Statement

National Vehicle Distribution is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We value openness, innovation, customer focus, and operational excellence. Our organisation actively promotes equality and prohibits discrimination based on gender, marital/civil status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, or membership of the Traveller community, in accordance with Irish and UK equality legislation. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to our shared success.

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