Head of HSSEQ - Maritime Transport

About the Role

Head of HSSEQ – Maritime Transport
London
Full-time, Permanent 

The Role:
As Head of HSSEQ, you will drive the Maritime Transport HSSEQ strategy, ensuring effective governance, risk management, compliance and operational assurance across a dynamic maritime operation. You will play a critical role in protecting people, the environment, assets, customers and the company's reputation, while supporting safe and sustainable commercial growth.

As the independent functional authority for Maritime Transport HSSEQ, Marine Assurance, Vetting, Safety Management Systems, Risk Management, Incident Investigation, Emergency Preparedness and Regulatory Compliance, you will set high standards, strengthen assurance frameworks and champion a culture of continuous improvement.

A trusted advisor to the Head of Maritime Transport and Leadership Team, you will provide expert guidance, independent challenge and strategic insight on all assurance-related matters. Empowered with stop-work authority where unacceptable risk exists, you will ensure safety, compliance and operational integrity remain at the forefront of decision-making.

What you'll be doing:

• Develop and deliver the Maritime Transport Assurance Strategy, aligning HSSEQ objectives with business goals and safe commercial growth.
• Lead HSSEQ, Marine Assurance and Risk Management activities across a diverse international maritime operation.
• Provide independent assurance, expert advice and constructive challenge to the Maritime Transport Leadership Team.
• Drive a proactive, learning-focused and just culture that promotes continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable maritime regulations, industry standards, customer requirements and management system certifications.
• Oversee marine assurance activities across vessels, terminals, STS operations, offshore activities and emerging business areas.
• Own and continuously improve the Maritime Transport risk governance framework, ensuring robust controls and effective mitigation of strategic and operational risks.
• Review and approve assurance requirements and risk assessments for high-risk operations, new geographies and emerging activities.
• Lead the response to major incidents and emergencies, ensuring effective investigations, lessons learned and organisational improvement.
• Oversee audit programmes, regulatory inspections, certification activities and assurance performance reporting.
• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing HSSEQ and Assurance team, building capability and leadership across the business.
• Represent the organisation with customers, regulators, industry bodies, classification societies and strategic partners.
• Exercise stop-work authority and intervene where safety, environmental, legal or compliance risks are unacceptable, escalating material risks to senior leadership where required.

What we're looking for:

• A senior maritime professional with significant leadership experience within the marine, offshore, shipping, energy or related sectors.
• Demonstrable experience leading HSSEQ, Marine Assurance, Vetting, Operational Risk or Assurance functions within complex, multi-site or global organisations.
• Strong working knowledge of key maritime regulations, standards and industry frameworks, including ISM, ISPS, SOLAS, MARPOL, MLC, ISO standards, OCIMF, TMSA, SIGTTO and CDI.
• Proven experience leading incident investigations, crisis management and emergency response activities.
• The ability to influence, challenge and advise executive leadership teams, driving a strong culture of safety, risk management and operational excellence.
• Commercially minded with the ability to balance business objectives with robust safety and assurance leadership.
• Experience leading global teams, managing organisational change and driving continuous improvement across diverse operations.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the credibility to engage effectively with customers, regulators, industry bodies and senior leaders.
• Ideally, you will hold a Master Mariner, Chief Engineer or equivalent maritime qualification, together with Chartered status, Lead Auditor certification or another relevant professional qualification.
• Experience across tanker, LNG, STS, offshore, renewable energy and future fuels sectors would be highly valued.
• Previous experience engaging with Boards, regulators, major oil companies and other high-profile industry stakeholders would be beneficial.

Why join us?

• Competitive benefits tailored to the division 
• Opportunities for career growth and visibility across the organisation 
• A supportive, inclusive culture that values your ideas and contributions
• Work that truly makes a difference in safety, innovation, and global capability 

About Us:
James Fisher is a global engineering services company operating across Energy, Defence, and Maritime Transport. With a strong heritage in maritime operations, we now deliver innovative solutions in challenging environments. Our One James Fisher strategy is focused on building a unified, sustainable business within the Blue Economy, driving progress through technology, expertise, and collaboration.  

With two centuries of maritime shipping and innovation, James Fisher is a trusted partner in the safe and efficient movement of the world’s critical resources. As a market leader in ship-to-ship transfer and coastal shipping, we help customers protect people, cargo and infrastructure while shaping the future of global maritime transport. You can find out more about Maritime transport here  

Visit our website at: Home | James Fisher and Sons plc  
For more information about our values and behaviours, follow the link: About us | James Fisher and Sons plc  

If this sounds like the ideal next step in your career, then click ‘apply’ now!  

Due to the volume of applications, we receive for our vacancies, on occasion applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

At James Fisher and Sons, we are committed to taking positive action on diversity and strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and recognise that our success is driven by the talent and diversity of our workforce.  
To support an accessible and inclusive recruitment experience in the UK, we partner with Vercida. You can learn more about our approach by visiting our company page: James Fisher and Sons diversity, inclusion, culture - VERCIDA