Overview

Cabo Norte welcomes experienced HSE leaders with a background in construction for potential opportunities in Belgium.

The purpose of this role is to provide senior HSE leadership across construction activities, connecting safety strategy and standards with practical controls, project responsibilities and management decisions.

The role works closely with operational leadership and project teams to strengthen HSE performance across construction environments. Depending on the business, the remit may cover multiple projects, sites or operational activities, with responsibility for establishing consistent expectations while responding to the specific risks and working conditions of each project.

The principal challenge is maintaining strong HSE standards in demanding construction environments while ensuring that controls are practical, understood by operational teams and consistently applied.

Key Responsibilities

Provide senior HSE leadership across construction activities and support management in establishing clear safety priorities.
Translate HSE requirements into practical controls, procedures and expectations for project and operational teams.
Establish clear responsibilities for HSE across projects, sites and operational functions.
Support project leadership in identifying significant risks and implementing appropriate control measures.
Review construction activities, working methods and site conditions to identify areas requiring intervention or improvement.
Lead or oversee HSE inspections, audits and assurance activities.
Review incidents, near misses and other safety events to identify underlying causes and recurring weaknesses.
Monitor HSE performance indicators and provide management with an informed assessment of performance and emerging risks.
Work with project and operational leaders to strengthen workforce engagement, supervision and safety communication.
Support contractor and subcontractor HSE management, including assessment of their controls and performance.
Provide guidance on high-risk construction activities and changing site conditions.
Escalate material risks and challenge decisions where critical HSE controls are inadequate.
Support the development of HSE capability across project and operational teams.

Business And Technical Challenges

Maintaining consistent HSE expectations across different construction projects, teams and subcontractors.
Turning policies and procedures into controls that supervisors and workers understand and apply.
Balancing operational and programme pressures with the need to maintain critical safety controls.
Identifying significant risks in changing construction environments and ensuring they are addressed before they become incidents.
Maintaining clear accountability between HSE functions, project management and site operations.
Ensuring investigations result in meaningful corrective action rather than administrative closure.
Identifying recurring weaknesses that may not be immediately visible through routine reporting.
Challenging unsafe practices while maintaining constructive working relationships with operational teams.
Maintaining HSE performance across multiple stakeholders and delivery interfaces.

Required Experience

Demonstrated senior HSE experience within a general contractor, specialist subcontractor or comparable construction business.
Experience providing HSE leadership across construction projects, sites or a wider operational function.
Strong understanding of construction safety risks, risk assessment and practical control measures.
Experience working directly with project and operational leadership on HSE performance.
Experience conducting or overseeing inspections, audits, investigations and corrective-action processes.
Ability to assess whether HSE controls are effective in practice rather than simply compliant on paper.
Experience managing HSE performance across contractors and subcontractors.
Ability to communicate material risks and performance issues to senior management.
Evidence of influencing operational teams and strengthening HSE behaviours.
A relevant professional qualification or equivalent experience appropriate to the role.
Professional English communication and reporting skills.

Preferred Experience

Experience within the Belgian construction market.
Experience working across complex construction projects or multiple sites.
Exposure to civil works, infrastructure, industrial construction or other technically demanding construction environments.
Experience with high-risk activities, complex interfaces or specialist construction operations.
Experience developing or improving HSE management systems and reporting processes.
Experience coordinating external audits, certification or client assurance requirements.
Experience working with international contractors, subcontractors or multidisciplinary project teams.
Additional European language capability relevant to the operating environment.

Leadership Profile

Sets clear HSE expectations while remaining connected to operational reality.
Maintains independent judgement when assessing safety risks and management decisions.
Challenges weak controls and unsupported assurances.
Builds constructive relationships with project and operational leadership without compromising HSE standards.
Encourages accurate reporting of incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions.
Distinguishes material exposure from issues that can be addressed through routine improvement.
Provides practical support while holding project and operational teams accountable.
Communicates risk clearly, particularly when decisions need to be escalated.
Takes responsibility for whether HSE leadership produces measurable improvement in construction performance.

Expected Outcomes

Clear HSE accountability across project and operational teams.
Earlier identification and escalation of significant construction risks.
More consistent application of critical HSE controls across sites.
Stronger HSE engagement from project, supervisory and operational teams.
Better visibility of HSE performance, recurring risks and areas requiring intervention.
Corrective actions that address underlying causes and reduce recurrence.
Stronger oversight of contractor and subcontractor HSE performance.
A practical HSE approach that supports safe and effective construction delivery.

Location And Eligibility

Target location: Belgium.
Sector scope: Construction, civil works, infrastructure and related construction activities, depending on the opportunity.
Employer environment: General contractors, specialist contractors and construction businesses.
Required language: Professional English; additional local-language requirements may apply depending on the opportunity.
Travel: May include regular project and site visits within Belgium; requirements depend on the specific role.
Employment terms and work authorisation: To be confirmed for each specific opportunity.

How To Apply

Cabo Norte receives relevant candidatures throughout the year. Submit your CV with a brief overview of your HSE leadership experience, construction sectors covered and the projects, sites or operational environments within your remit.

Please indicate your current location, availability and interest in Belgium-based opportunities.

This listing supports ongoing candidate discussions and does not represent a currently confirmed client vacancy. Any specific employer, assignment and employment terms will be discussed with you before proceeding. Your profile will only be presented to an employer with your agreement.

About Cabo Norte

Cabo Norte is an executive search business focused on leadership and senior appointments across energy, water, marine, port, digital and industrial infrastructure.

Our focus spans the infrastructure lifecycle: strategy, engineering, project delivery, operations and asset optimisation. We look at the responsibilities candidates have held, the complexity they have managed and the outcomes they have delivered.

Head of HSE – Construction – Belgium