Civil Engineering & Construction
13 Sept
Corporate EHS Manager – Ghana
Accra, United Kingdom
GHS 400K - GHS 550K
Job Title: Corporate EHS Manager – Ghana
Industry: Construction / Civil Engineering & Infrastructure
Location: Ghana – Head Office based, with extensive travel to project sites and operating facilities
Salary: GHS 400,000 – GHS 550,000 gross per annum, depending on experience
Role Purpose
Our client, a well-established construction and civil engineering organisation operating in Ghana, is seeking an experienced Corporate Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager to provide corporate leadership and independent assurance across its projects and operating facilities.
The Corporate EHS Manager will lead the organisation's environmental, occupational health and safety framework, ensuring compliance with applicable Ghanaian legislation, contractual requirements and established corporate standards.
The role covers construction projects and associated operations including quarries, asphalt and concrete production facilities, workshops, camps and support operations.
The successful candidate will have the authority to intervene and stop activities where there is an imminent danger to employees, the public or the environment.
Key Responsibilities
EHS Leadership & Governance
Lead implementation of the corporate EHS policy, strategy, standards and annual improvement programme.
Maintain an effective EHS governance framework with clear responsibilities, minimum controls, reporting requirements and escalation procedures.
Provide senior management with independent assurance on significant EHS risks, incidents, compliance issues and improvement priorities.
Promote visible safety leadership, workforce engagement and a culture where operational or commercial pressures do not compromise safety or environmental compliance.
Legal & Regulatory Compliance
Maintain current knowledge of applicable Ghanaian occupational safety, labour, environmental, fire, public-health and permitting requirements.
Translate statutory and contractual obligations into practical operational controls and inspection requirements.
Coordinate regulatory inspections, statutory submissions, permit conditions and responses to regulatory findings.
Escalate material or potential compliance breaches and ensure corrective actions are effectively implemented.
Project Mobilisation & EHS Planning
Establish project-specific EHS requirements during tendering, planning, mobilisation and significant changes in project scope.
Review and approve Project EHS Plans, environmental plans, traffic-management plans and emergency arrangements.
Ensure appropriate EHS personnel, permits, welfare facilities, monitoring equipment and emergency resources are available before high-risk activities commence.
Conduct mobilisation assurance reviews and identify readiness gaps requiring management action.
Risk Assessment & Safe Systems of Work
Establish standards for hazard identification, risk assessment, method statements, permit-to-work systems and task-level safety briefings.
Ensure project and operational teams apply the hierarchy of controls and eliminate or minimise hazards wherever reasonably practicable.
Review controls for critical lifting, confined-space activities, excavation, working at height, hot work, energisation and other high-risk activities.
Ensure risk controls are reassessed where site conditions, equipment, workforce, sequencing or environmental conditions change.
Occupational Health & Workforce Welfare
Develop occupational-health programmes covering fitness for work, medical surveillance, fatigue, heat stress, dust, noise, vibration and ergonomics.
Ensure appropriate first-aid, sanitation, drinking water, accommodation and workforce welfare arrangements are maintained.
Coordinate occupational-health monitoring with competent service providers.
Monitor work-related health trends and support appropriate rehabilitation and return-to-work arrangements.
Incident Investigation & Corrective Action
Establish requirements for immediate notification, classification, recording and statutory reporting of incidents, near misses and environmental events.
Lead or oversee investigations into fatalities, serious injuries, high-potential incidents and significant environmental events.
Apply recognised root-cause investigation techniques and ensure accurate, evidence-based reporting.
Identify lessons learned and ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented and verified to closure.
Environmental Management
Establish appropriate controls for erosion, sediment, dust, noise, vibration, water, waste, spills, emissions, biodiversity and rehabilitation.
Ensure environmental permits, approvals, monitoring requirements and reporting obligations are incorporated into operational plans.
Oversee appropriate storage, transportation, use and disposal of fuel, chemicals and hazardous materials.
Coordinate investigation, containment and remediation of environmental incidents, exceedances or complaints.
High-Risk Construction Activities
Establish minimum EHS requirements for earthworks, excavation, temporary works, lifting, work at height, demolition, structural works and water-related activities.
Ensure appropriate competency, inspections, exclusion zones, engineered controls and rescue arrangements are in place.
Conduct targeted assurance inspections during critical or non-routine operations.
Stop work and require reassessment where controls are inadequate or imminent danger exists.
Traffic, Plant & Equipment Safety
Establish standards for road safety, journey management, traffic segregation, driver competency, speed management and protection of the public.
Work closely with plant and workshop teams on equipment guarding, inspection, maintenance, isolation and safe operation.
Review high-risk vehicle movements, abnormal loads and reversing activities.
Analyse incident and operational data to identify unsafe trends and ensure corrective action.
Emergency Preparedness & Response
Maintain risk-based emergency-response plans covering fire, medical emergencies, vehicle incidents, structural collapse, spills, severe weather and other credible operational risks.
Ensure sites have trained emergency personnel, suitable equipment, communication arrangements and evacuation procedures.
Coordinate and evaluate emergency drills with internal and external stakeholders.
Provide timely and accurate EHS information during major incidents and emergency response.
Auditing, Inspections & Assurance
Develop a risk-based corporate audit and inspection programme covering projects, quarries, plants, workshops, camps and offices.
Conduct independent EHS audits, site inspections and management-system reviews.
Classify findings according to risk and establish appropriate corrective-action deadlines.
Escalate recurring or overdue non-conformities and verify that corrective actions are genuinely effective.
Subcontractor & Supplier EHS
Establish EHS prequalification, mobilisation, induction, supervision and performance requirements for subcontractors and specialist service providers.
Assess contractor competency, risk controls, equipment certification and incident history.
Monitor subcontractor EHS performance throughout project delivery.
Recommend suspension, removal or other appropriate action where contractors repeatedly fail to meet required standards.
Training, Culture & Communication
Develop an EHS competency framework and annual training programme for managers, supervisors, operators, drivers and other workforce groups.
Ensure effective inductions, toolbox talks, permit training and competency assessments.
Coach managers and supervisors in visible safety leadership, constructive intervention and incident learning.
Communicate EHS lessons, alerts and good practices across projects and operating facilities.
Performance Reporting & Continuous Improvement
Establish leading and lagging EHS performance indicators and corporate reporting dashboards.
Analyse incident, exposure, audit, training, environmental and behavioural data to identify recurring risks and deteriorating controls.
Report significant trends, assurance findings and improvement priorities to senior management.
Benchmark performance and ensure lessons learned are translated into sustainable improvements across operations.
Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Civil/Construction Engineering, or a related discipline.
Relevant Master's degree would be advantageous.
NEBOSH International Diploma or equivalent advanced professional qualification is highly desirable.
NEBOSH International General Certificate (IGC) or equivalent is strongly preferred.
ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 Lead Auditor or Internal Auditor certification would be advantageous.
Minimum 10–15 years' progressively responsible EHS experience within construction, civil engineering or heavy industry.
At least five years' experience in a senior corporate, regional or multi-project EHS position.
Demonstrable experience across areas such as roads, earthworks, drainage, structures, quarries, asphalt and concrete plants, workshops and heavy mobile equipment.
Proven experience leading serious-incident investigations, regulatory engagement, emergency response and assurance of high-risk activities.
Experience within Ghana or a comparable West African operating environment would be advantageous.
Knowledge & Technical Capability
Candidates should demonstrate:
Strong knowledge of ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 management-system principles.
Working knowledge of relevant Ghanaian occupational safety, labour, environmental, fire and public-health requirements.
Deep understanding of construction hazards, plant and equipment safety, traffic management, occupational hygiene and environmental controls.
Advanced capability in risk assessment, auditing, incident investigation and root-cause analysis.
Understanding of contractor management, community risk and the commercial implications of poor EHS performance.
Strong technical writing, data analysis and senior-management reporting skills.
Advanced business English and proficiency with Microsoft Office and relevant EHS reporting systems.
Leadership & Behavioural Competencies
The successful candidate should demonstrate:
Strong professional integrity and the confidence to challenge unsafe practices regardless of seniority.
Calm and credible leadership in the field and during emergencies.
Sound judgement and evidence-based decision-making.
Ability to maintain professional independence while working constructively with operational and commercial teams.
Ability to lead geographically dispersed EHS personnel and prioritise activities according to risk.
Strong communication skills across executives, employees, contractors, clients, regulators and communities.
Commitment to prevention, continuous learning and development of local EHS capability.
Willingness to travel extensively and maintain a regular presence across operational sites.
Key Performance Indicators
Performance will typically be assessed across:
Fatal and serious-risk prevention
Injury and occupational-health performance
Legal and permit compliance
Audit coverage and corrective-action closure
High-risk work and critical-control compliance
Environmental performance
Occupational-health monitoring and workforce welfare
Training and competency
Subcontractor EHS performance
Emergency preparedness
Leadership engagement and quality of EHS reporting
Delivery of continuous-improvement initiatives
Ideal Candidate Profile
We are seeking a senior, hands-on EHS professional with substantial construction or civil engineering experience, rather than an individual whose background is predominantly administrative or limited to policy and documentation.
The ideal candidate will combine corporate-level EHS governance and assurance capability with strong field credibility. They should be equally comfortable reviewing corporate EHS performance with senior management and visiting a construction site, quarry, asphalt/concrete plant or workshop to assess whether critical controls are actually working.
Candidates must have the professional confidence to intervene, challenge senior operational personnel and stop unsafe work where necessary.
Client Confidentiality: The identity of the client will be disclosed to suitably qualified candidates at the appropriate stage of the recruitment process.