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Our Mission At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2029 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers. Reporting directly to the VP Operations and Manufacturing, you’ll set the direction for Health, Safety and Environment across Vertical’s operations. This is a visible, business-wide leadership role with direct access to operational decision-making and the mandate to shape and challenge how work is planned, prioritised and delivered. This role is not about owning safety on behalf of the business. It is about creating the clarity, capability and accountability that enable every leader and team to own it. You’ll lead and develop our HSE team, continuously improve our management system and assurance approach, and help build an open culture where people speak up, learning is shared and practical improvements are delivered. This is an opportunity to shape HSE at a defining point in Vertical’s journey, building the leadership capability, culture and systems needed to support our next stage of growth. You’ll join an organisation guided by Courage, Ingenuity, Safety and Openness—and a team working together on difficult, meaningful problems. WHAT YOU’LL DO - Own and deliver Vertical’s HSE strategy, annual plan and risk-based assurance programme. - Act as the senior HSE adviser to executive and operational leaders, providing a clear view of material risks, trends and priorities. - Coach and constructively challenge leaders, strengthening their ownership and accountability for HSE performance. - Embed HSE into business planning, organisational change, programme delivery, facilities, procurement and operational decision-making. - Ensure risks across our engineering, laboratory, test, prototype, facilities and operational environments are identified and effectively controlled. - Lead or oversee investigations into significant accidents, incidents and high-potential near misses, ensuring learning results in meaningful and sustainable change. - Maintain and continually improve an HSE management system aligned with ISO 45001. - Lead audits, inspections and regulatory engagement, ensuring assurance actions are appropriately prioritised and closed. - Develop clear and credible HSE performance reporting, using data and insight to focus the organisation on its most significant risks. - Lead operational environmental compliance and continuous improvement, including waste, hazardous materials and pollution prevention. - Define the organisation’s HSE training and competency strategy. - Champion the Vertical Golden Safety Rules, Visible Felt Leadership and our Zero Harm ambition. - Build an open, fair and learning-focused reporting culture. - Lead, develop and set clear priorities for the HSE team. WHAT YOU’LL BRING - A strong track record of leading HSE within a complex, safety-critical or high-hazard organisation. - Evidence that you have influenced senior operational decisions and strengthened leadership accountability for managing risk. - Experience delivering measurable improvements in HSE performance, culture, governance or control effectiveness. - A NEBOSH Diploma, NVQ Level 6 in Occupational Health and Safety, or an equivalent professional qualification. - Strong practical knowledge of UK health and safety legislation and its application within engineering or operational environments. - Expe