Senior HSE Manager

DEPARTMENT

Project and Programme Management

LOCATION

Kazakhstan

The Project

The project comprises a Grade A super high-rise mixed-use development in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The Role

To establish the Employer’s HSE oversight framework for the program and to provide independent assurance over the EPC contractor’s health, safety and environmental performance. The contractor owns and delivers safety on site; this role ensures the Employer can see, verify and — where necessary — intervene. The role covers four areas:

  • The Employer’s HSE requirements, oversight plan and reporting framework;
  • Review and approval of the EPC contractor’s HSE plans, procedures and risk assessments;
  • Site surveillance, audits, incident oversight and escalation; and
  • Regulatory compliance monitoring under Kazakh law and applicable international standards.

Key Responsibilities

HSE framework

  • Prepare and maintain the Employer’s HSE oversight plan, defining minimum HSE requirements, reporting obligations, audit regime and escalation routes across the program.
  • Review and approve the EPC contractor’s Health & Safety Plan, Environmental Management Plan, Emergency Response Plan and Traffic Management Plan before mobilisation, and each material revision thereafter.
  • Agree HSE key performance indicators with the contractor and the client, and monitor performance against them monthly.

Surveillance and audit

  • Conduct regular documented safety walks and inspections across all works areas, including night works and high-risk operations.
  • Review the EPC contractor’s RAMS for high-risk activities — deep excavation, work at height, heavy lifting, temporary works, hot works and confined spaces — before those activities begin.
  • Audit the contractor’s HSE system periodically, including subcontractor controls, training and competence records, permit-to-work operation and plant certification.
  • Verify that corrective actions from inspections, audits and incidents are implemented and closed out.

Incident oversight

  • Ensure all incidents, near-misses and dangerous occurrences are reported, investigated and analysed by the contractor to an acceptable standard; attend or lead investigations where severity warrants.
  • Report significant incidents to the Program/Project Director and the client immediately, with an assessment of cause, contractor response and any Employer action required.
  • Monitor incident and near-miss trends and require systemic corrective action from the contractor where patterns emerge.

Regulatory and environmental compliance

  • Monitor the contractor’s compliance with Kazakh HSE legislation, permit conditions and applicable international standards, and flag gaps with required actions.
  • Oversee the contractor’s environmental controls: dust, noise, waste management, water discharge, fuel storage and contaminated-material handling.
  • Support the client’s interface with state inspection bodies and attend regulatory inspections as required.

Reporting and culture

  • Issue a monthly HSE report covering statistics, KPIs, audit findings, incident status and open risks, feeding into the Program/Project Director’s report to the client.
  • Promote a reporting culture across the program in which near-misses and unsafe conditions are raised without hesitation, and in which no schedule pressure overrides a safety stop.

Person Specification — Essential

  • A degree or recognised diploma in occupational health and safety, engineering or a related discipline, together with a recognised HSE qualification.
  • A minimum of 12 years’ HSE experience on major construction projects, including at least one high-rise or major building project with a total value of USD 500 million or more.
  • Experience in a client-side, Employer’s Representative or supervision consultant HSE role overseeing a main contractor rather than, delivering HSE for a contractor.
  • Hands-on experience with the HSE risks of high-rise construction: deep basements, tower cranes and heavy lifting, work at height, temporary works and façade installation.
  • Working knowledge of ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 management systems, including audit experience.
  • Incident investigation experience using a recognised methodology, up to and including serious incidents.
  • International experience in an emerging-market environment; Central Asia or the CIS is an advantage.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English.
  • Willingness to be resident in Almaty, Kazakhstan for approximately 4 years.

Critical Attributes

  • The judgement to know when a situation requires intervention and the resolve to act on it, regardless of programme pressure.
  • The role requires daily visibility across the works.
  • The ability to raise the contractor’s standards through clear communication and clear requirements, escalating formally only when engagement fails.
  • Effectiveness across a workforce that will include Kazakh, Chinese and other nationalities with differing safety norms and languages.

Desirable

  • NEBOSH International Diploma, CMIOSH or equivalent chartered-level HSE status.
  • ISO 45001 / ISO 14001 Lead Auditor certification.
  • Familiarity with Kazakh HSE legislation and state inspection processes.
  • Experience working with Chinese EPC contractors and their site safety practices.
  • Working proficiency in Russian, Kazakh and/or Mandarin.
  • Experience delivering HSE training and toolbox-talk programmes across multilingual workforces.

What AIS-Hill Offers

  • A competitive professional package
  • The structure and backing of an established international consultancy, with access to AIS-Hill’s broader network of project, programme and cost management professionals.
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