Career development in health and safety is no longer a linear climb up a traditional ladder; it is a series of intentional steps that blend technical expertise, business acumen, and a visible professional profile in a changing world of work. As a specialist recruitment agency placing health, safety, and sustainability professionals from Advisor through to Director level across the UK and internationally, HSE Recruitment Network sees first-hand what helps candidates stand out – and what can quietly hold them back.
Here we explore thoughts from Laura Aucott – Associate Director of specialist safety recruiters HSE Recruitment Network on how you can build the right foundations for a futureproof career.
How HSE careers are evolving
The HSE profession has expanded far beyond compliance and box-ticking, with organisations increasingly seeking safety leaders who can influence culture, partner with the business, and support broader ESG and sustainability goals. Rapid change in areas like digital reporting, AI-enabled analytics, and mental health at work, means that today’s roles demand both strong foundations in legislation and a willingness to adapt to new tools and expectations.
High-risk sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and energy remain major employers of HSE professionals, but there is also growing demand in logistics, professional services, and fast-growing SMEs, particularly where organisations are maturing their safety culture. Typical career routes still move from Officer or Advisor roles into Management, then into Head of HSE and ultimately HSE Director, but we also see more lateral moves into specialisms such as environmental, process safety, or psychological health and safety.
Building the right foundations
For those entering or consolidating their careers, the combination of formal qualifications and hands-on experience remains critical. Core routes such as NEBOSH certificates and diplomas, IOSH training, and emerging specialist qualifications in areas like environmental sustainability or psychological health at work are still widely recognised by employers and often form the baseline requirement for progression.
However, qualifications alone are rarely enough. Employers consistently tell us they value candidates who can translate technical requirements into clear, pragmatic advice for operations, build relationships at all levels, and demonstrate resilience when influencing change. If you are earlier in your career, deliberately seeking exposure to audits, incident investigations, behavioural safety programmes, and cross-functional projects will give you practical stories to tell at interview and in internal promotion conversations.
Progressing from Advisor to Director
A common question we hear is “how do I move from being a capable Advisor or Manager into a strategic leadership role?”. The step change usually involves shifting from focusing on “my sites, my tasks” to owning a wider strategy, whether that is a multi-site operation, a business unit, or a global portfolio.
Three themes come up repeatedly when we speak with senior HSE leaders and hiring managers:
- Strategic mindset – understanding how safety performance links to commercial outcomes, productivity, reputation, and ESG reporting, and being able to talk the language of the board.
- Leadership and people skills – building and leading teams, coaching operational leaders, and creating a culture where safety is owned by the business rather than “done by HSE”.
- Continuous development – staying close to evolving legislation, standards such as ISO 45001 and ISO 14001, and keeping skills current in areas like data, technology, and human factors.
If Director or Head of HSE roles are part of your long-term plan, it is worth mapping your current experience against these expectations and identifying gaps that could be addressed through projects, secondments, or targeted development.
Enhancing your personal brand in HSE
Alongside skills and experience, your personal brand has a powerful influence on your HSE career trajectory – often more than many professionals realise. In a relatively close-knit profession, opportunities are frequently shared, recommended, and discussed within trusted networks long before they appear on a job board.
Your personal brand is the way peers, hiring managers, and recruiters experience you – online and offline. On LinkedIn, this starts with a clear, up-to-date profile that reflects your current responsibilities, achievements, and sector focus, rather than a historic job description. Thoughtful posts, comments, and articles that share insights from your own practice signal both credibility and generosity, helping you to be remembered as a go-to person rather than just a name in a database.
Networking remains one of the most effective ways to surface opportunities that are never formally advertised. Engaging in professional bodies, speaking at or attending events, and staying in regular contact with specialist recruiters means you are front of mind when confidential briefs or succession conversations arise. Over time, a strong reputation, reinforced by consistent peer recommendations and visible impact, can elevate you into conversations for senior roles that rely as much on trust and track record as they do on a CV.
Taking ownership of your development
The most successful HSE professionals we work with treat their career development as an ongoing project rather than something that happens every few years when they update their CV. That starts with being honest about what motivates you – whether that is technical mastery, people leadership, sector variety, or the chance to build something from the ground up – and aligning your next steps accordingly.
Practical actions might include setting a CPD plan for the year, seeking a mentor inside or outside your organisation, or having a transparent conversation with your line manager about progression pathways and realistic timeframes. Partnering with a specialist recruitment consultancy like HSE Recruitment Network can also provide a broader view of market demand, salary benchmarks, and the skills that are most in demand at each level, helping you make informed choices rather than reactive moves.
Ultimately, a fulfilling career in health and safety sits at the intersection of capability, visibility, and opportunity. By investing in your technical and behavioural skills, curating a strong personal brand, and staying connected to the wider HSE community, you give yourself the best chance of being ready – and recognised – when the right opportunity appears.
About Laura Aucott
Laura Aucott is Associate Director at Executive Network Group, leading the HSE Recruitment brand. With over 15 years’ experience recruiting health and safety professionals across the UK and internationally, she now focuses on client relationships, networking and recruitment strategy. In 2025, she received the IOSH President’s Distinguished Service Award for her voluntary contribution to the profession and holds a Level 3 NCRQ Safety for Managers Certificate.
About HSE Recruitment Network
For over two decades, the HSE Recruitment Network has been a trusted partner in delivering exceptional Health, Safety, Environmental and Sustainability consultants and professionals across the UK, US, and Western European markets. Since our inauguration in 2002, we’ve built a reputation for integrity and expertise.
