Safety Assurance Manager
The Safety Assurance Manager will be committed to assuring ESP’s safety related processes, policies and procedures necessary for the safe, efficient, and compliant design, construction, operation, maintenance and integrity of utility networks and assets in accordance with industry standards and legislation.
The role plays a pivotal part in ESP’s approach to protecting people, assets, customers and the organisation’s licence to operate through the provision of robust, independent safety assurance and the application of their technical safety expertise to implement best practice and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.
Role Purpose
The Safety Assurance Manager is responsible for providing internal independent, risk-based assurance that safety management systems, contract management and safety related regulatory obligations across the utilities businesses and major projects are effective and compliant.
Operating across all utilities with a key focus on major projects, the role ensures that safety risks to employees, customers, service providers and the public are being effectively identified, controlled and assured. The post holder will act as a trusted second tier assurance function, offering constructive challenge, insight, and professional judgement to major project and operational teams, our contractors and service providers and senior leadership.
The role is critical in underpinning ESP’s commitments to safety and compliance, customer service and operational efficiency.
Responsibilities
- Development, maintenance, and delivery of the risk‑based assurance framework.
- Provide independent assurance over the effectiveness of safety management systems, including safety and CDM related policies and standards.
- Lead planned safety assurance activities, including audits, inspections and second tier assurance reviews.
- Assess compliance with relevant safety legislation, regulatory requirements and industry standards applicable to ESPs works, including major projects.
- Plan and execute internal safety audits and assurance reviews across operational, asset, and project activities.
- Identify weaknesses and emerging risk trends, ensuring issues are clearly articulated and evidence‑based.
- Support independent external audits and regulatory inspections, acting as a key point of coordination where required.
- Provide expert input into the identification, assessment, and management of safety risks across the business.
- Manage the validation of company competence credentials for new and existing customers, contractors and service providers as part of the onboarding process.
- Analyse safety performance data, incidents, near misses, and audit outcomes to identify trends and underlying causes.
- Produce clear, concise safety assurance reports and dashboards for senior leadership, steering groups, and exec-level review.
- Maintain a strong working knowledge of UK utilities safety legislation, regulatory frameworks, and recognised industry standards.
- Provide assurance that regulatory commitments, improvement plans, and enforcement actions are effectively implemented and sustained.
- Support regulatory submissions, self‑assessments, and evidence packs by providing assurance‑based insight and challenge.
- Contribute to the development of a positive safety culture that values transparency, collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Promote best practice in safety assurance and audit methodology.
- Lead on the development of safety assurance strategies, plans, and assessments.
- Support the integration of lessons learned from incidents, audits, and external events into organisational learning.
- Where applicable, provide technical leadership to safety assurance or audit resources.
Key Skills
- Demonstrable experience in a safety, assurance, audit, or risk role within a regulated utility or utilities infrastructure construction environment.
- Strong understanding of safety management systems and assurance principles, including 3-lines of defence / 3 tiers of assurance models.
- Experience of planning and delivering audits, inspections, or assurance reviews using structured methodologies.
- Comprehensive knowledge of health and safety legislation and regulations including the application of CDM and contractor management.
- Ability to analyse complex information and present clear, proportionate assurance conclusions to senior audiences.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to challenge constructively.
- Familiarity with recognised industry standards and guidance relevant to utilities safety and asset management.
- Experience supporting regulatory engagement, inspections and accreditation activity.
- Understanding human factors, and organisational learning principles.
Qualifications & Attributes
- NEBOSH Certificate or equivalent (minimum), Diploma (desirable) or significant demonstrable experience in a senior safety role.
- Membership of a safety related professional body, e.g. IOSH.
- High standards of professional integrity, independence, and attention to detail.