Head of Health and Safety

The National Trust for Scotland is the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to enjoy. With around 350,000 members, it is the largest conservation charity in the country with responsibility for over 100 natural and built-heritage sites across all Scotland, from the UNESCO-recognised archipelago of St Kilda and theUK’s largest

National Nature Reserve, Mar Lodge Estate in the Cairngorms, to Robert Adam’s Culzean Castle and Estate in Ayrshire andPriorwood

Garden in Melrosein the Scottish Borders,with its beautiful orchard of heritage apples. Established in 1931, the Trust acts as guardian of the nation’s magnificent heritage of architectural,scenicand historic treasures in its ownership and care, welcomingover 5million people a year. As an independent charity, not a government department, it acts on behalf of everyone to safeguard our heritage.

The National Trust for Scotland is looking for an experienced Head of Health & Safety to help drive innovation and change management and support the organisation as we look towards our centenary in 2031. This role provides strategic leadership and organisational stewardship of Health & Safety across the Trust. This person isthe organisation’s most senior expert advisor on health and safety and,as such,is the named ‘competent individual’.

The postholder sets the strategic direction for Health & Safety ensuring the function is proactive,data and intelligence ‑ led and fully aligned with organisational priorities.

Your Role:

AsHead of Health & Safetyyou will:

• Lead the development of a multi-year Health and Safety strategywhichalignsto the Trust’s wider organisational ambitions and people strategy
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, modernising policies,system sand processes, cutting through complexity to ensure health and safety is well understood across the Trus
• Provide strategic leadership to the Health & Safety team, building a high performing, future-focussed team
• Review
  
  H&S monitoring and reporting systems ensuring they are utilised effectively and provideaccurateand up to date assessment of actions and risks
• Regularly review risk assessment processes tomonitoreffectiveness and implementation of actions
• Workcloselywith theHead of Buildings Conservation,Regional Directors,Audit Risk Management Committee, Board, Executive Committee and Health& Safety Committeeto support effective decision-making by balancing risk with heritage and conservation principles
• Represent the Trust as a senior leader to regulators, and other external partners,buildinginfluence andshapingperceptionof the Trust as a high-performing organisation

What We’re Looking For:

• Proven track recordin aseniorleadership role in Health & Safety in a diverse, multi-site, dispersedworkforce
• Experience of introducing and leadingtransformationprogrammes, including digital systems
• Demonstrableexperienceof successful budget management
• Experience of planning andprioritisingcompetingdemands, along withhighlydevelopedcommunicationandinfluencingskills
• Strong leadership skills witha track recordof managing high-performing teams
• A passion for conservation and alignment with the values of the National Trust for Scotland

Ifyou’reready to make a lasting impact on Scotland’s heritage and lead transformational

Health & Safety change programmes, we want to hear from you. Please send your CV and a covering letter to Kirsten Hendryat FWB at or call for a confidential discussion.

The closing date for applications is 10:00 on Wednesday 18 March 2026.

Contact the team at FWB to discuss your individual or company requirements, or to discover more about our specialist services.