HSE Manager

HSE Manager | Port Operations | South Africa

We're looking for an experienced HSE Manager to lead health, safety, and environmental performance within a fast-paced port operations environment.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll spend the majority of your time in the field, driving a proactive safety culture, engaging with operational teams, contractors, unions, and regulators, and ensuring the highest standards of workplace safety and legal compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead visible, field-based HSE leadership across port operations.
• Drive hazard identification, risk management, and incident prevention.
• Exercise stop-work authority where unsafe work is identified.
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Build strong relationships with operational teams, shop stewards, unions, and regulatory authorities.
• Ensure compliance with the South African OHS Act, COID Act, Construction Regulations, and environmental legislation.
• Manage HSE reporting, emergency preparedness, training, contractor safety, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide regular HSE performance reporting to senior leadership.

Requirements:

• SAMTRAC or equivalent SAQA-recognised OHS qualification (minimum NQF Level 5).
• Minimum 5 years' HSE leadership experience within ports, stevedoring, logistics, heavy industrial, or similar high-risk environments .
• Strong knowledge of South African health and safety legislation.
• Proven experience leading safety in a unionised environment.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable:

• South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (SAIOSH) membership.
• ISO 45001:2018 Internal Auditor qualification.
• Experience in post-acquisition or transition-phase operations.
• Experience with digital HSE management systems.

This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive HSE professional who thrives on operational leadership and is passionate about creating safer workplaces through visible, hands-on engagement.