The Global SHE Director is responsible for driving the delivery or our ZERO Incidents and Accidents vision through continued development and implementation of the Group SHE strategy. They will be responsible for ensuring compliance with all regulatory and group standards, and providing expert guidance, coaching and support in SHE excellence to the wider organisation.

Key Accountabilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Define, develop and implement the Group SHE strategy globally.

• Visible safety leadership to wider organisation and the SHE function, therefore accountable for impacting the behaviours of others including senior leaders, Operations team and plant managers to actively coach their leaders in driving safe behaviours.

• Visible safety leadership through active engagement in the field by participation in risk assessments and decision making.

• Deliver improvements in people safety performance by ensuring the appropriate strategic programmes and tools are deployed for use by the line (e.g., Golden Rules, behavioural safety programme).

• Drive process safety performance using our Victrex process safety framework. Deliver PSM (process safety management) framework in collaboration with other operations functions such as procurement, asset management, manufacturing, and HR.

• Ensures effective governance and systems are in place to enable compliance with best practice, company standards, legislation, and regulations at each location.

• Design, implement and sustain an effective SHE function, ensuring the competence, professional development and delivery of team members.

• Act as an ‘agent of change’, providing high profile and visible leadership to the wider organisation, transforming SHE culture and driving exemplary SHE standards across all group operations.

• Responsible for setting performance metrics which are applicable across various levels to drive timely decision making and allow effective, regular communication of SHE performance and programme delivery to the Board, ELT (Executive Leadership Team) and Operations Leadership Team.

• Contributes to the Operations Leadership Team, championing SHE standards, a performance culture and holding the operations leadership to account.

Significant Role Metrics:

This role carries significant responsibility, with direct leadership of around five team members and an overall span of control of approximately fifteen. You will also manage relationships with third-party SHE consultants and oversee an annual budget of roughly £1.5 million. The position requires regular travel across all Victrex sites to ensure consistent standards and engagement at every location.

Functional Skills:

The successful candidate should have demonstrable safety leadership experience, evidence of delivering culture change and SHE strategic programme articulation and delivery as well as considerable experience within a multi-national organisation and hold a minimum of a NEBOSH Certificate, or equivalent, COMAH experience.

NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE.

At present, we are not accepting any candidates via a recruitment agency or third party.

 About Victrex

Victrex is an innovative world leader in high-performance PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) and PAEK (Poly Aryl Ether Ketone) polymer solutions focusing on the strategic markets of automotive, aerospace, energy and industrial, electronics and medical. Every day, millions of people use products and applications containing our materials – from smartphones, aeroplanes and cars to energy operations and medical devices.

With over 40 years‘ experience, we are developing world leading solutions with PEEK and PAEK-based polymers and selected semi-finished and finished parts which enable environmental and societal benefit for our customers and our markets and drive value for our shareholders

Vision and culture

At Victrex, we have a clear purpose: to deliver transformational and sustainable solutions that address global material challenges.

Our core values of passion, innovation, and performance are at the heart of everything we do. We are a company that thrives on human-centred leadership, valuing curiosity, adaptability, and collaboration in a fast-paced, digitally enabled world. We believe in empowering individuals, rather than seeing barriers to progress.

We are looking for individuals who are comfortable working in an environment that values digital and AI-driven solutions, who see technology as an enabler rather than a challenge. At Victrex, we foster a culture of continuous learning, agility, and adaptability, where employees are encouraged to embrace new ways of working, leverage data-driven insights, and drive meaningful change.

As we continue to evolve, we need people who are not just contributors but change accelerators … individuals who champion innovation, and drive transformation with a growth mindset. Whether through digitalisation, process improvement, or human-centred leadership, our employees play a crucial role in shaping the future of our business.

Our leadership approach is built on empowerment, inclusion, and collaboration. We value people who lead with empathy and authenticity, fostering a workplace where diverse perspectives and ideas can thrive. We work hard to ensure that our teams are engaged, motivated, and equipped to navigate an ever-changing landscape.

Sustainability is core to our strategy. We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint while supporting society through our sustainable products and making a positive impact on our local communities.

We are proud to be recognised as a ‘Disability Confident’ employer and to be voted as one of the best places to work by ‘The Sunday Times’ not just once, but for two years in succession! A testament to our people-first culture, where innovation and adaptability thrive in a digital-first, AI-driven workplace; we are proud to have once again retained this very prestigious award!

As well as being recognised as one of the ‘Most Admired Companies in the Chemical Sector’ by The London Stock Exchange: Recognition of our commitment to excellence, transformation, and data-driven insights, empowering every team member to embrace change and drive success.

We’re also delighted to be acknowledged as a top performer in the FTSE Women Leaders Review for Women in Leadership and Women on Boards! Victrex has been ranked joint 4th among UK-listed FTSE 250 companies, standing alongside much larger peers.

Our aim is to provide the support of accessibility and community within Victrex for everyone. So, if you need any help, advice or just want a confidential chat regarding any Diversity, Equity or Inclusion matters even before you apply to Victrex, then here is what you need to know:

The enabling support that Victrex prides itself on giving, starts from when anyone applies or wants to apply to join our team.

We are always here to help provide any ‘reasonable adjustments’ you may need during your application process. So please contact us to discuss your specific requirements in more depth.

We even have a dedicated email that anyone can use to reach out for help, advice, and a confidential chat......whatever you need to know, and to help ensure an equitable solution, that’s right for you, right from the start!

That email is: enablerecruitment@victrex.com

Victrex values diversity and encourages applications from all
sections of the community.