Director Corporate HSE

Your challenge

At Vanderlande, we create innovative and sustainable solutions for the world's leading airports and distribution companies . Safety is not just a priority, it is a core value. As our new Director Corporate Health, Safety & Environment (HSE), you will lead the further development of our global HSE strategy and performance across a highly international and federated organization.

This is a role for a transformational leader who can combine strategic vision with collaboration, influence and empowerment. You will partner with business domains, regional organizations and functional leaders to create a world-class safety culture while ensuring ownership remains close to the business.

Success in this role requires a leader who can build trust, listen deeply, engage stakeholders early, develop talent, and translate global ambitions into practical and locally relevant solutions.

Your role

You will be responsible for shaping and driving Vanderlande's global HSE strategy, governance framework, culture and performance improvement agenda. Working closely with Executive Leadership, Domain HSE teams and regional stakeholders, you will ensure a consistent safety vision while enabling flexibility for local business needs.

You will lead a global network of HSE professionals and create an environment where collaboration, continuous improvement and shared accountability thrive.

Key responsibilities:

HSE Strategy & Performance

• Cocreate and evolve Vanderlande's global HSE strategy and roadmap.
• Drive a proactive safety culture that protects our people, customers, contractors and reputation.
• Ensure alignment with global regulations, industry standards and business objectives.
• Provide Thought Leadership on emerging HSE trends and best practices.
• Establish measurable performance indicators and drive continuous improvement across the organization.

Stakeholder Management & Customer-Centric Leadership

• Actively engage business leaders, domain representatives and operational teams to understand their needs and challenges.
• Build trusted partnerships across a complex stakeholder landscape.
• Ensure that corporate HSE initiatives are developed with a strong understanding of business realities and customer requirements.
• Create mechanisms that enable continuous feedback and meaningful dialogue across the organization.

Co-Creation & Federated Governance

• Lead the design and implementation of global HSE programs through collaboration and co-creation with the Domains.
• Foster shared ownership of strategic initiatives rather than top-down implementation.
• Engage domain HSE leaders early in strategy development and decision-making processes.
• Ensure global standards are both practical and scalable across different business environments.

Team Management & Development

• Coach and develop a direct team of 8 HSE professionals and inspire the globally HSE community.
• Create clear development pathways and succession plans for HSE professionals.
• Provide regular coaching, constructive feedback and growth opportunities.
• Build leadership capabilities throughout the HSE organization and empower future leaders.

Communication & Organizational Alignment

• Deliver clear, compelling and audience-focused communication.
• Translate strategy into practical actions and behaviours.
• Create strong engagement across domain HSE teams and business stakeholders.
• Foster transparency, trust and alignment through consistent communication and visible leadership.
• Encourage cross-functional cooperation and knowledge sharing.

Empowerment, Delegation & Leadership Maturity

• Lead through influence and empowerment rather than direct control.
• Delegate responsibility effectively while maintaining strategic oversight.
• Build accountability and decision-making capability across the organization.
• Enable local ownership while ensuring alignment with global objectives.

Agile & Adaptive Ways of Working

• Promote pragmatic and adaptive approaches to HSE management.
• Balance governance with flexibility in an evolving business environment.
• Respond quickly to changing business needs while maintaining safety excellence.
• Continuously improve HSE processes, tools and ways of working.
  

What should you bring

Experience

• Master's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Engineering, Environmental Science, Business Administration or related discipline.
• 10+ years of progressive HSE leadership experience within complex multinational manufacturing or construction industries.
• Proven experience leading Global HSE functions in matrix and federated environments.
• Strong track record in cultural change and transformations.
• Experience influencing Executive Leadership and leading cross-functional stakeholder networks.
• Knowledge of ISO 45001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and other relevant international HSE standards.

Leadership capabilities

You are:

• An exceptional stakeholder manager who listens first and builds credibility through partnership.
• A strategic thinker with the ability to connect business goals and HSE outcomes.
• A people-focused leader who invests in developing others.
• An inspiring communicator who adapts messages to different audiences.
• A collaborative leader who values co-creation and shared ownership.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and changing environments.
• Able to balance global governance with local empowerment.
• Courageous in driving change while respectful of diverse perspectives.

Why Vanderlande?

At Vanderlande, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of safety in one of the world's leading logistics automation companies. You will influence thousands of employees across multiple continents and help create an environment where people can perform at their best and return home safely every day.

Every day better. Together. Safely.

What we offer​

In this challenging and responsible position, you will have the chance to make a significant contribution to industry-leading projects and be connected to our dedicated people and customers. We offer a position in an informal, international and professional working environment with a lot of scope for personal development. By joining our profitable and growing company you will be able to reach your goals and focus on your future.​

This position offers a competitive salary range of € 8,722 to € 10,357  gross per month (excluding 8% holiday allowance). Through exceeding performance expectations, you even have the possibility to grow outside this scale. 

On top of your fixed salary you’ll receive the following secondary benefits:​

·        40 vacation days (20 statutory days and a flexible budget worth 20 days).​

·        Flexible working hours.​

·        Lease car/Compensation thereof

·        STI plan

·        A hybrid workplace (40% working from home and 60% in the office).​

·        A Health & Wellbeing budget worth €300,- per calendar year.

·        Commuting allowance, including full reimbursement of travel by public transport.​

·        Working from home allowance.​

·        Collective pension scheme and discount on additional health insurance.​

·        On-site company health centres with a gym, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.​

·        Vanderlande Academy and training facilities to boost your skills.​

·        A variety in Vanderlande Network communities and initiatives.​

·        And a great company restaurant and coffee bar with barista.

Your application

Are you interested in this position? Then apply now directly on our workday vacancy link with your resume and a short summary about your interest in this role.

1.      For this role, you must be based in the Netherlands and must possess legal authorization to work in the Netherlands at the time of applying. Non fulfillment of this criteria can be reason for non-selection further.

2.      Application acceptance timeline: In the event of receiving enough suitable applicants, this vacancy can get closed earlier than the mentioned job posting end date.

3.      Due to process compliance, we cannot process emailed applications. Kindly use the correct vacancy link to apply for this vacancy.

Diversity & Inclusion

Vanderlande is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regards to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status.

Background screening

For this position it is possible that a background screening will be conducted. This screening can include checks such as verification of identity, qualifications or other relevant records, which may include criminal background or sanctions list checks, in accordance with our internal policies and applicable laws. Any job offer may be extended under the condition that the screening does not give reason to reconsider the hiring decision. Candidates will always be informed about the process and their rights before any screening is initiated.