Construction & Development EHS Lead
London, with regular travel to Iceland and Finland
About the Role
At Verne, we design, build and operate data centres the Nordics and Europe, and our development programme is expanding rapidly. To help us with this, we are seeking an experienced EHS leader to define and direct how we deliver safe, sustainable construction across our entire portfolio.
This is a corporate, strategic leadership role. The successful candidate will manage our construction EHS framework, encompassing the policies, standards and assurance arrangements that govern every project and every contractor.
The core of this role is setting direction, ensuring robust controls are in place, verifying their effectiveness, and influencing decision-making at the most senior levels of the business.
The role sits within a unified EHS function and works closely with the Operations EHS Lead to ensure that facilities are designed and constructed to be safe to operate, with risks eliminated at the design stage wherever possible.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategy and policy. Develop, own and maintain the construction EHS strategy, policies
and standards, ensuring they are effective across multiple jurisdictions and regulatory regimes.
- Governance framework. Establish the project safety plan requirements, minimum standards for high-risk activities (including lifting operations, temporary works, excavation, work at height and commissioning etc) and contractor requirements applicable to all projects.
- Safety in design. Influence design and engineering decisions from the earliest stages so that construction and operational risks are designed out.
- Contractor risk management. Define and support the organisation’s approach to contractor prequalification, selection and performance management, and hold principal contractors accountable for EHS performance.
- Assurance. Design and lead an audit and assurance programme, aligned to both local legal requirements and where applicable, ISO 45001 and ISO 14001.
- Performance and reporting. Develop the leading and lagging indicators used to measure performance, identify trends across the portfolio, and report to the executive team.
- Incident learning. Ensure that all incidents are investigated and that findings are reflected in organisational standards, not solely at the affected site.
- Regulatory engagement. Act as the Development departments senior point of contact with H&S regulatory authorities on construction matters.
- Capability development. Build EHS capability within project teams and the supply chain and provide mentoring within the EHS function.
Experience and Qualifications
- Experience in a corporate or group-level EHS role, setting standards and providing assurance across multiple projects, sites or business units, and delivering through others rather than directly managing site teams
- Senior EHS leadership experience across large and complex construction programmes, such as data centres, heavy industry, utilities or critical infrastructure
- A proven record of developing and embedding EHS policies and management systems that deliver measurable improvement
- Demonstrable experience of influencing executives, boards and senior contractor leadership
- Thorough knowledge of the safety coordinator role in Finland, FIDIC contracts (red, yellow and silver books) and a sound understanding of Icelandic, EU/Nordic construction safety requirements
- Experience of applying ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 within a project environment
- A degree in occupational health and safety or an equivalent qualification (for example, NEBOSH National Diploma or NVQ Level 6 or 7)
- Chartered Membership of IOSH (CMIOSH) or an equivalent European professional designation is highly desirable
- Knowledge of environmental management and sustainability on construction projects
Personal Attributes
The successful candidate will combine a strategic, portfolio-level perspective with a practical understanding of site operations. They will have the credibility to challenge senior stakeholders and contractors constructively, the judgement to prioritise effectively, and the ability to translate complex risk into clear and actionable direction. They will be comfortable working in a corporate environment, navigating matrix reporting lines and building influence across functions such as Engineering, Commissioning, Procurement, Legal and Compliance.