Job Summary

The Country HSE Manager leads health, safety, and environmental programs within the assigned country. Responsibilities include developing and implementing HSE policies, ensuring regulatory compliance with national legislation, client standards, and the company’s Safety Management

System (SMS), promoting a strong safety culture, conducting risk assessments and audits, overseeing incident investigations, and supporting project teams to achieve safe, sustainable, and compliant operations.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Oversight

· Provide expert HSE guidance and oversight for all projects/sites within the country.

· Act as the key liaison with client senior HSE representatives, authorities, and senior management.

· Lead the Site Safety Leadership Team meetings to review site performance, safety alerts, and continuous improvement plans.
Promote continuous improvement and share best practices across sites.

Compliance & Monitoring

· Oversee country-level compliance with all relevant national laws (AML/AFS, Työturvallisuuslaki, Arbejdsmiljøloven, Arbeidsmiljøloven).

· Ensure sites are prepared for both planned and unannounced audits.

· Participate in and support authority inspections, client audits, senior management reviews, and ISO audits.

· Following client audits, monitor SMS implementation bi-weekly for 3 months, then monthly, ensuring close-out of findings.

Risk Management & Critical Programs

· Oversee the Significant Injury or Fatality (SIF) prevention program and High Risk Activity (HRA) audits, ensuring consistent application of the HRA Management System across all projects.

· Verify that emergency plans, rescue arrangements, and Permit to Work systems are established and regularly reviewed.

Training, Competence & Behavioral Safety

· Coordinate and facilitate HSE training sessions for CTS staff and subcontractors.

· Ensure all contractors’ and subcontractors’ site management and HSE personnel meet competency requirements and provide evidence of certifications before commencing work.

· Monitor that behavioral safety programs, including recognition and reward initiatives, are implemented and maintained effectively.

· Participate in the prequalification of contractors and their nominated HSE personnel and actively support the recruitment and formation of HSE teams, ensuring team capability aligns with project needs.

Reporting & KPIs

· Review site HSE weekly reports and communicate critical issues and trends to relevant stakeholders.

· Monitor CMT HSE KPIs and ensure active participation in the SMS.

· Prepare quarterly and annual HSE performance reports for Executive Management, highlighting key achievements, trends, and improvement initiatives.

Contractor Prequalification Oversight

· Oversee contractor prequalification assessments and approval processes in collaboration with Procurement and Project Directors.

Other Duties

· Perform other HSE duties as required by senior management.

Authorities

· Can halt any activity posing serious HSE risks.

· Enforce company and legal HSE requirements on all sites.

· Conduct site audits/inspections at any time.

· Require and follow up on corrective actions after incidents or audits.

· Define and enforce mandatory HSE training across teams.

· Escalate serious issues directly to senior management.

Education

· Master’s degree in HSE or related discipline

· NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC), Strategic Risk Management, HSE leadership training

Functional Knowledge and Skills

· In-depth knowledge of national and EU HSE legislation and regulations, construction site safety standards, ISO and QHSE management systems, incident investigation and root cause analysis methodologies, emergency preparedness and environmental impact mitigation.

· Proficient in HSE management software, MS Office Suite and familiarity with project or document management tools is a plus.

· Fluency in English (written and spoken) is mandatory. Local language or subcontractor language knowledge is an advantage.

Experience Requirements

· 10+ years of HSE experience in large-scale construction projects.

· Key competencies in national HSE strategy development, budget control and resource planning, Incident command capability, and regulatory compliance management.

· Good understanding of construction phases and related risks (e.g. MEP, lifting, energization). This helps ensure the HSE Lead can engage meaningfully with the technical side of the project.

· Ability to work under schedule pressure and manage stressful situations calmly — including handling difficult behaviors or resistance from workers. The role requires confidence and professionalism to apply site rules, issue warnings or penalties, and when necessary, make the call to remove individuals from site to protect safety and order.

Soft Skills

· Strong leadership and team management skills.

· Excellent communication and negotiation skills. Ability to work with multicultural teams and adapt to communication styles accordingly.

· High integrity and decision-making under pressure.

· Proactive e, detail-oriented, and risk-aware.

· Able to influence and train cross-functional teams at all levels.

· Comfortable working in a fast-paced, multinational environment.