Regional Head of Health, Safety and Environment at Lactalis South Africa

Job Description    

• The purpose of this role is to lead the Health, Safety and Environment function, looking after Lactalis companies in South Africa, Botswana, eSwatini and Mozambique (Lactalis Southern Africa Zone).  We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Regional Head of Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) to join our team.  s an experienced Regional Head of SHE, the incumbent will oversee all aspects of occupational risk, health, safety and environmental management for the Lactalis companies in the Southern Africa Zone. The incumbent will be responsible for leading the development of the Safety, Health, and Environment policies, framework guidelines and objectives in line with the Group Policies and legislative requirements, as well as leading the development of standards, processes and systems incorporating the setting of targets reporting, performance tracking, assurance and change management to facilitate the implementation of the policy while enhancing Lactalis’ reputation, creating value for stakeholders and mitigating risk. The incumbent will be based in South Africa and will report to the Industrial Executive

Required Skills    
Qualification Health & Safety / Environment / Engineering 

• Professional certification within the environmental or occupational health and safety industry (e.g., ISO / SAIOSH / SACA /SAMTRAC / NADSAM/ NEBOSH) will be an added advantage
• 10+ years relevant experience (preferably a portion of which has been gained in an FMCG environment, with experience of working in Africa)
• Experience in the development and implementation of SHE management systems, compliant to ISO 14001 and 45001 standards and any other relevant standards
• Experience managing a team, change management and project management
• Sound knowledge of current SHE issues, methodologies, and practices.
• A strong working knowledge of SHE processes including HIRA, Root Cause Analysis, Lock Out Tag Out, PPE Assessments, Behaviour Based Safety, Ergonomics, Design Safety Reviews, Permit to Work, Contractor safety management etc.
• A strong knowledge of SHE and industrial hygiene regulations
• Business acumen and good decision-making skills with strong leadership skills.
• Proven customer orientation, assertiveness and problem-solving skills in a high pace and demanding business environment.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independent as well as part of a team.
• Advance MS Excel skills.

Duties & Responsibilities    

• To oversee the SHE function and all related issues within the Southern Africa region operations with a strong focus on continuous improvement.
• Lead the development of the Group Management Strategy and Policy on safety, health, and environment, based on key safety management focus areas as ratified by the Executive Committee.
• Lead, manage, inspire and motivate the SHE professionals in the company
• Ensure that Group level policies and procedures related to SHE are developed and rolled out by management and SHE professionals at all Lactalis sites.
• Ensure that SHE compliance assurance programs are implemented and monitored and reporting of SHE key performance indicators is undertaken regularly.
• Identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential environmental and occupational hazards, ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and developing and implementing safety, health and environmental programs to minimize risk in line with Group policies and applicable legislation.
• Co-ordinate implementation of all SHE programs and processes. 
• Prepare and build consensus annual plans for facility/function wide SHE initiatives. Obtain required permits for the companies within the Zone
• Support EIA and relevant permit applications
• Participate in Construction risk reviews
• Give direction to contractors to ensure compliance with Lactalis Policies and Procedures.
• Lead all activities related to property loss prevention 
• Support the insurance team where relevant especially with activities related to fire risk management.
• Support projects activities and provide guidance on matters related to SHE
• Plan/Budget/Control annual capital budget for SHE to enable execution of the SHE plans and adherence to all internal and external compliance standards.
• Provide SHE expertise for all new projects and change management activities
• Ensure appropriate risk assessments are conducted and follow ups implemented to minimize or eliminate accidents, asset losses that might cause harm to one of the company’s employees, contractors, visitors
• Ensure that the appropriate talent is in place through training, mentoring, and succession planning and supports development and learning capabilities of SHE professionals.
• Ensure training and coaching are taking place to drive a safety-perfect culture and to ensure safety standards and awareness are well understood throughout the organisation.
• Train and manage the technical team cross-functionally with regards to SHE Assurance.
• Initiate and lead the comprehensive analysis of global, regional and industry trends in safety, health and environment management, practices, and developments; undertake studies and engage with industry thought leaders to shape and influence step changes in Lactalis safety, health, and environment management.
• Initiate and lead the comprehensive analysis of internal Lactalis operational trends, incidents, practices, and developments and prioritise the critical focus areas for intervention.
• Act as an Ambassador for the Health, Safety and Environment discipline within the Group's Operations both nationally by forging influential relationships at the highest levels and across the market
• Perform any other SHE related activities required

Deadline:24th April,2026